Have a passion for promoting walking? Funds are now available through a new program designed to help community groups promote more walkable places. America Walks and the Every Body Walk! Collaborative has announced a new micro grant program designed to help walking advocates make their communities safer, more walkable places. But you need to act fast – the deadline to apply for the grants is Oct.15.
The one-time award will fund 10-15 community groups up to $2,500 for “activities designed to increase local walking programming and stimulate community demand for infrastructure improvements that provide accessible, safe, walkable places for the entire community.” The national program is in response to the recent Surgeon General’s Call to Action on Walking and Walkability which indicates walking should be at the top of the list of public health strategies to prevent disease and improve people’s health.
“Edmonds has a lot of great places to walk and we all want to see our community be even safer and more walkable. It’s certainly a priority for the city,” says Development Services Director Shane Hope. “This program is a great opportunity for community groups to get funding to help achieve that goal.”
You can find more information about the micro grants here.
But not bike paths through neighborhoods. I have a friend who lives on lake Ballinger and their walk/bikeways have become a drug trafficking, house breakins, garbage dump. Now that so many people are “walking through the area that they do not know” they are expected to police the area. Just yesterday she had to call 911 again for attempt break in. Walk ways sound great but the “bad guys” have been given a golden ticket to be able to legally walk through neighborhoods “casing” homes. Illegal behavior has quadrupled in that area. Once in a blue moon they see a policeman on a bicycle, we have to be careful of long term affects on walkways.
The points made by Joy Trevino are very valid. Walkable places and more exercise are wonderful in the right setting. I would also say to use extreme caution in the creation of any walkable space that allows non-residents from out of the area to walk in the proximity of homes especially behind them.
For example, we have an HOA with trails around our homes that have access from two locations outside the area. We have had nothing but problems over the years with vandalism, garbage, juvenile hang outs, noise, and rock throwing including one through our window. It has generally been a hang out for problems.
Please be cautious and be careful what you wish for with construction of such walkable places.