Want to spend some quality time with family and friends this weekend?
Get walking!
This weekend marks the annual global Jane's Walk festival - offering a series of free, volunteer-led urban walks in honour of Jane Jacobs, the urban activist known for her rallying cry, "You've got to get out and walk!"
New Westminster residents have a dozen walks to choose from this weekend.
Among them:
* Riverfront: On Friday, May 2 at 6 p.m., George Ramsum leads a casual walk along the riverfront, including Pier Park and the Quay. Walk starts at the far side of Pier Park, by the concession stand.
* Fraser and St. Peter's Cemeteries: On Saturday, May 3 at 10:30 am., Archie and Dale Miller lead this walk with stories of the people, the grave markers and the landscape. Meet at the cemetery office at 100 Richmond St.
* Glenbrook Ravine: Meet at the Canada Games Pool entrance at 11 a.m. to join Dale Darychuk for this tour of the ravine - with a look at some of its history as a refuge for escaped prisoners.
* Meet the Merchants: On Saturday, May 3 at noon, meet Chuck Puchmayr at Amber's, 909 12 St., to check out the unique restaurants and shops along 12th Street between Sixth and 10th avenues.
* Downtown: On Saturday, May 3 at 1:30 p.m., meet at the bench at the corner of 12th Street and Sixth Avenue to join Mary Wilson on a tour of Twelfth Street and Eighth Street, ending at Hyack Square.
* Westminster Pier Park: On Saturday, May 3 at 3 p.m., meet at the end of the park to join Bruce Hemstock and learn about how the park was planned and developed.
* SkyTrain Walk-n-Talk Pub Crawl: On Saturday, May 3 at 4:45 p.m., meet at Braid Street and Brunette to join NEXT New West for a casual pub crawl that will take in the Fireside Pub at 5 p.m., Browns Social House at 6 p.m., a SkyTrain ride to the Met Bar and Grill for 7 p.m., the Heritage Grill at 8 p.m., the Hub Restaurant at 9 p.m. and Hops Pub at 10 p.m., followed by a shuttle ride to the Starlight Casino for a night of dancing and gambling.
* South Dyke Trail: Meet in Queensborough's Thompson Landing Park at 10 a.m. on Sunday, May 4 to hear a lifetime of stories from longtime Queensborough resident Les Gunderson.
* West End Fitness Walk: On Sunday, May 4 at 10 a.m., meet at the bicycle-pedestrian overpass west of the 22nd Street SkyTrain station to join Gavin McLeod for a West End tour incorporating some historic locations and spectacular scenery.
* Walk the Route That Could Inspire Our Transit Future: On Sunday, May 4 at 11 a.m., meet members of New Westminster Environmental Partners and GetOnBoard in the public meeting space outside Royal City Centre at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Sixth Street for a walk of the historic streetcar route.
* Stroller Fit for Moms and Tots: On Sunday, May 4 at 11:30 a.m., meet Rachel Aoki outside the Queensborough Community Centre for a walk and exercise using strollers to support lunges, squats and stretches - dads are also welcome. (The Stroller Fit group also meets regularly on Thursdays at 11:30 a.m. at Queensborough Community Centre.)
* West End Family Walk: Meet at 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 4 in front of the firehall at 13th Street and Edinburgh to join Selina Li for a family fun walk that will include two fun destinations for kids: the playground at Tweedsmuir School and Grimston Park.
You don't need to register ahead for any of them - simply show up and join in.
For specifics on any of the walks - including information on wheelchair accessibility, difficulty levels and age appropriateness - check out www.janeswalk.org.
