The Healthy Communities Partnership: Lanark, Leeds and Grenville has identified two recommended actions, for our communities, in each of the priority areas:
4th Annual Eastern Ontario Active Transportation Summit
Are you a downtown business person, who wants to discover the economic potential of pedestrian and cycle friendly communities? Or a town planner, or staff person, wanting to learn best practice techniques for building a healthier town? Maybe you're a resident that wants to be able to get around your community more easily and safely, on foot or on a bike. Many people from a variety of stakeholder groups came to the Summit to learn about simple concepts that make towns healthier, more vibrant, and stronger economically.
Our partners understand the importance of working towards the goal of having residents recognize Carleton Place and Lanark County as a safe, vibrant and healthy place to live. We are grateful for the hard work and support of our partners who have helped bring this Summit to Carleton Place. These partners include:
Eastern Ontario Active Transportation Summit!
Wise words from Alan Medcalf
This summit offered valued learning opportunities for Eastern Ontario communities to focus on the topic of “Building Healthy Active Communities”.
We collaborated with Share the Road to provide a - “Bicycle Friendly Communities Designation Workshop” on June 1, 2017. This hands-on workshop provided groups of participants from various areas with tangible ideas for how to achieve or elevate current bicycle friendly community designation with local infrastructure in mind.
We had the ever popular Mayor's Slow Bike Race, where Mayor's or their designates race as slowly as they can on their bicycles without putting a foot to the ground or falling over, to the finish line. The winner this year was Adam Tilley representing Belleville who earned the coveted position of the Mayor’s Sow Bike Race Champion. Last year’s champion Louis Antonakos did his best but could not beat Adam at his snail like pace.
The summit provided success stories about making communities more walkable and bikeable through trails, sidewalks, parks and pathways. We had an excellent list of presenters who shared ideas, resources, expertise, successes and struggles implementing active transportation in our eastern Ontario region.
We also launched the new “Eastern Ontario Active Transportation Network” where members can sign up and stay connected, learn and share ideas and resources as we all move forward within our respective communities for the common goal of “Active Transportation in Eastern Ontario”. Come and join the network as we work together to grow our impact on active transportation in Eastern Ontario. If you are in Eastern Ontario and would like to become a member please contact Danielle Shewfelt at danielle.shewfelt@healthunit.org
Transport Canada Defines Active Transportation
“Active transportation refers to all human-powered forms of transportation, in particular walking and cycling. It includes the use of mobility aids such as wheel chairs, and can also encompass other active transport variations such as in-line skating, skateboarding, cross-country skiing, and even kayaking. Active transportation can also be combined with other modes, such as public transit.”
Active transportation is about how we plan, design and use our communities. It is about creating safe and active communities where children can walk and bike, youth are engaged; seniors walk to their neighbours, trails and pathways that connect us to natural spaces and community destinations. It is about strong economies, tourism, our environment and our wellbeing.
"Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works."- Steve Jobs
This year's event took place in the beautiful town of Carleton Place. The event was held at the Carleton Place Arena. Come visit this beautiful town and explore the beautiful shops, great food and facilities around including beautiful trails and parks.
Contacts
Dr. Paula Stewart
Medical Officer of Health
Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit
