The New Westminster and Burnaby Walkers’ Caucus isn’t going to let a little liquid sunshine rain on its parade.
While the weather forecast is calling for rain this weekend, the annual Janes Walks events will carry on in New West.
“Every year on the first weekend in May, people in cities all over the world celebrate the birthday of Jane Jacobs. And they celebrate in a rather unusual way. They go for a walk,” says the Walkers’ Caucus website. “The walks are free, led by community members who love their neighbourhood, and are meant to connect people with their neighbours and their 'hood; they aren't meant as ‘tours’ with ‘expert guides.’”
Jacobs was a writer and an activist, who promoted the importance of building cities that are pedestrian-friendly, cities that invite people to get out and walk and cities that encourage people to get around the city on foot, said the group’s website.
Here are the free walks you’re invited to join in on on Saturday, May 6:
Walk with your Mayor for Walk30 – 2 p.m., starting at Save-on-Foods in Sapperton. Join Mayor Patrick Johnstone on a walk to Hume Park and back, and speculate on what Jane Jacobs would have thought about Sapperton, as a human-scaled mixed use neighbourhood.
Check out New West's "other" Brewery! – 4 p.m. starting at L'Onore Pizza in Victoria Hill. Reena Meijer Drees of the Walkers Caucus is leading this “leisurely stroll” from Victoria Hill along the bike path via East Columbia (where participants can take in the progress on the Pattullo Bridge replacement project), visit “the survey cairn commemorating the ‘absolute position’ of New Westminster”, and then skirt past Sapperton Landing Park and cut through the new pump station to reach the final destination – Another Beer Co. (ABC Brewing), where walkers can enjoy a pint (or two) of beer.
Local walkers are also hosting two walks on Sunday, May 7:
Wandering in the West End – 11 a.m., starting (and ending) at the credit union building at the corner of 12th Street and Eighth Avenue. Mary Wilson will lead a walk of her West End neighbourhood, starting out on 12th Street and traversing to 20h Street, with attendees strolling the streets and back lanes, checking out gardens, garages and some recent changes to the neighbourhood. This walk should take about 90 minutes.
Sapperton Landing Park – 2 p.m., starting (and ending) at the corner of Cumberland and East Columbia streets. Coun. Ruby Campbell will lead this stroll through the one-kilometre trail in Sapperton Landing Park, where folks will have a chance to view some lovely riverfront views. This walk will be followed by an optional walk over to nearby Another Beer Co.
