New West residents are invited to take part in a global movement aimed at getting people walking and talking.
Each year, free, citizen-led walking conversations inspired by urbanist and activist Jane Jacobs take place in hundreds of cities around the world as part of Jane’s Walk. Jacobs championed people-friendly cities that promote walking.
“It’s a worldwide movement to get cities more attuned to pedestrians,” said West End resident Mary Wilson. “We just want to do our bit to support that movement.”
Held in New Westminster since 2013, Jane’s Walk returns this weekend with several events in New Westminster and neighbouring Burnaby.
“There’s a couple of new ones, there’s a couple of the regular,” Wilson said. “There’s quite a mix.”
In addition to organizing the event, Wilson will once again be leading one of this year’s walks.
“I am going up to Highgate from the West End. There is so much going on just across the border,” she said. “We are going to take a look at the new town centre being built in Burnaby.”
Details about all of this year’s walks can be found at www.walkerscaucus.ca.
“Cross your fingers the weather is good, and come out and join us,” Wilson said. “It’s free. It’s casual. It’s a walking conversation – it’s not a lecture about something. It’s ‘here’s a walk I like, come out and join us and enjoy walking. Enjoy walking, enjoy getting around on foot.’”
Wilson, a member of the New Westminster and Burnaby Walkers Caucus, is a longtime proponent of walking.
“It’s the ability to stop whenever you feel like it,” she said. “You can’t stop in the middle of the street if you see a tree that is in bloom, but when you are walking you can stand there with your mouth open and stare at it. It’s lovely to be able to stop and chat to people that you run across, and take shortcuts and cut through places where people who are driving can’t go. It’s the flexibility of it. I enjoy that. It’s just so nice to use your body.”
Wilson, who has signed up for the Walk30 Burnaby – New West Challenge, is finding that she’s walking even more these days in a bid to help New Westminster beat Burnaby in the walking challenge that runs until May 10. She said Jane’s Walks are a great way for participants to track more minutes before the competition ends next week.
“This is going to be like a weekend to walk,” she said. “They are already doing what they can to pile up their time counts. This is a weekend where they can really blast it. The Walk 30 ends on May 10 so it’s good timing to do that last big blast of competition against Burnaby.”
Here’s a sampling of some of the walks taking place in New West this weekend with Jane's Walk. An up-to-date list of all walks can be found at www.walkerscaucus.ca.
Friday, May 3:
* The Interurban Line Secret Forest (1) begins at 7 p.m. in the parking lot of Cariboo Road Christian Fellowship Church, 7200 Cariboo Rd. During this hour-long walk, you’ll walk through a path in the woods that are the former home of the Interurban railway that linked Vancouver with New Westminster and beyond. (Other Interurban walks take place on Saturday and Sunday.)
Saturday, May 4
* Star Wars Day at Steel & Oak starts at the 22nd Street SkyTrain station at 11:30 a.m. and features a leisurely walk to Steel & Oak Brewing in time for its noon opening.
* Pavement Party, which starts at 1 p.m. in front of Safeway at Eighth and McBride, celebrates the urban world beneath our feet, so organizers will have a few litter pickup tongs, skipping ropes and magnifying lenses to better appreciate the mosses in the sidewalk cracks. There are a few park benches along the route.
* Historic Sapperton features a historical tour of Sapperton from 1860 to now. Meet at the corner of Major and East Columbia streets at 3 p.m.
Sunday, May 5
* Highgate via Greenways begins at Lord Tweedsmuir Elementary School (corner of Eighth Avenue and 18th Street) at 10:30 a.m. and features a 90-minute walk to Highgate via trails and greenways.
* Arts in Queen’s Park features a tour and discussion about arts and culture within Queen’s Park, where you’ll see cultural facilities and public art pieces. Meet at the southwest corner of Queen’s Park at First Street and Vancouver Street at 1 p.m.
* It’s a TRAPP starts at the 22nd Street SkyTrain station at 2 p.m. and makes its way to Market Crossing on Marine Way. People can walk or take the bus back to New West.
