Category Archives: Blog Posts

As Boomers Age, Walkable Cities Become More Important

As Boomers AgeIt’s a charmed feature of family life that the oldest and youngest often find common cause. In league against the conservatism of parents, grandparents and grandkids might push for dessert before dinner or agree on the harmlessness of playing outside in the rain.

It seems that the two cohorts have also found themselves in a natural alliance on urban planning. Both the old and the young, according to surveys, want to live where they can walk, use transit, and enjoy public space.

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We want to walk: Report finds strong preference for walkable neighbourhoods

Photograph by NICK PROCAYLOA Vancouver Sun article reports on a new study, led by UBC professor Larry Frank,  focussing on residents of Metro Vancouver. The study has provided more evidence that pedestrian-friendly communities are much healthier than car-dependent ones.

The study found people who live in pedestrian-friendly neighbourhoods walk five times a week for transportation compared with one or two times per week for those in auto-oriented neighbourhoods.

Read the Vancouver Sun article

Beat The Street!

This interacWilliam Birdtive video from the BBC News in London features Dr. William Bird of Walk21 fame. He describes the municipal application of Beat The Street. It also includes some interesting statistics on current health and physical activity in Europe.