Royal City residents are encouraged to put on some comfy shoes and explore the city during this year’s Jane’s Walks.
About a dozen walks in a variety of neighbourhoods are included in this year’s event, which was started by local pedestrian advocate Mary Wilson in 2013. Inspired by urbanist and activist Jane Jacobs, the walks are citizen-led walking tours aimed at community-based city building.
“The nice thing about it is we have got Queensborough to Sapperton,” she said of the event that runs April 28 to 30. “They are spread out a little bit. They are also spread out over the three days.”
Wilson will lead a walk called Tales and Treats on 12th Street.
“It’s a neat area, 12th Street. There’s a lot of detail on 12th Street – if you don’t walk, you miss it. I’m going to look at the detail on 12th Street,” she said.
“We’ll talk about Tales and Treats – there’s a lot of food stuff on 12th Street these days. We won’t sample everything but we will certainly pop in and visit one or two and point out all the diversity of stuff that is happening here.”
Wilson notes the walks are free, fun and casual.
“We will be ambling. We won’t be looking to make distance or speed, we’ll just be hanging about,” she said. “It will be a pretty casual walk.”
Longtime New West resident Vic Leach will be leading one of this year’s new walks, Walk and Be Seen, where walkers will discuss ways for pedestrians to be visible and safe, especially at night.
“We want to focus not only on the crossing the street and alleys, but the difficulties some people have with the terrain – broken sidewalks, curbs, tree roots, uneven pavement, ice – where it could cause people to fall,” he said.
The walk, which takes place on Friday, May 5 starting at 7 p.m., starts at the New Westminster Public Library and travels through the uptown/Brow of the Hill neighbourhoods, where two pedestrian fatalities have occurred in recent years.
“Bring a little bit of money if you want to join us for coffee and/or tea after at the White Spot,” Leach said. “There will be a small reflective prize package for one (member) of the group. The walk goes on rain or clear weather. A hurricane may put a damper on things.”
The walks in this year’s Janes Walk series include:
* A New Park for the Old Interurban Forest: Friday, May 5 at 7 p.m. It’s also offered on Sunday, May 7 at 11 a.m.
* Walk and Be Seen: Friday, May 5 at 7 pm.
* Fishing on the Fraser: Saturday, May 6 at 10 a.m. In this one you’ll learn about the development of the commercial fishing industry in New Westminster.
* Tales and Treats on 12th Street: Saturday, May 6 at 10:15 a.m.
* Westminster Pier Park – the story behind the park: Saturday, May 6 at 1 p.m. Bruce Hemstock leads this walk that discusses urban design, nature, wind and history.
* Tales from the Sappers – Historic Sapperton: Saturday, May 6 at 2 p.m.
* Dog and Cat Portraits for a cause: Saturday, May 6 at 4 p.m. Join Margaret Halsey as she travels down the lanes where she’s painted local pets on fence to support Guide Dogs of B.C. and Alberta.
* Growing up in Queensborough: Sunday, May 7 at 10 a.m.
* Hike to Highgate: Sunday, May 7 at 10:30 a.m.
* Historic Queen’s Park: Sunday, May 7 at 2 p.m.
Details about all of this year’s walks can be found on the New Westminster page at www.janeswalk.org. In addition, a binder including descriptions of all walks will be available for perusing at the New Westminster Public Library as of April 29.
