This town (is being) made for walking

By Sean Feagan, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Strathmore is becoming a more walkable town – and that could have a large impact on its citizen’s mental health, especially in light of the ongoing COVID-19 public health crisis.

The fear, anxiety and stress some are feeling about COVID-19 and its impacts could result in an “echo pandemic of mental illness and mental health issues,” according to the Canadian Mental Health Association.

But there are things people can do to help stave off these negative emotions, one of which is simply walking.

Research backs this up – a review of existing research on the effect of walking on mental health published in 2018 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that walking for treatment for depression “has the most developed evidence base” with “evidence for prevention and treatment” and that overall “walking appears to be beneficial for anxiety,” with “multiple studies showing preventative and treatment effects.”

It works.

But many people aren’t stretching their legs as they should: 50 per cent of adults and 91 per cent of children and youth do not reach recommended levels of daily activity, according to Canada Walks, a nonprofit organization that works on “making Canada a great place to walk.”

However, those looking to move their feet are having more and better-connected spaces to explore, thanks to ongoing efforts by Strathmore to improve walkability throughout the town. Indeed, the town has been working to realize its vision of a more walkable municipality for some time.

The 2010 Town of Strathmore Quality of Life Master Plan stated that “a network of trails, sidewalks and streets form an integral part of the circulation system within the Town of Strathmore.” 

The plan outlines four types of trails, including multi use trails, which are two-way hard surface pathways for recreation and commuter use; side path trails to link residential areas and community destinations; connector trails (sidewalks) to collect and direct users to primary routes; and nature trails that move residents in and around natural areas within the town.  

In 2011, the Alberta Walkability Roadshow, an effort by Alberta Health Services to improve community walkability and encourage citizens to walk, visited Strathmore. A benchmarking questionnaire found that the top three priorities for increasing walking in Strathmore were improving pathways and trail systems; improving individual physical, mental and emotional health of residents; and improving the culture of walking, which could “lead to a greater sense of community.”

Since then, the town has been working to connect its major walking routes and make walking throughout town safer.

The Strathmore Commons projects is an effort to increase connections between and among the town’s communities and parks, including Gray’s Park, Lambert Park and Kinsmen Park.

In April, the town unveiled the new Thomas Drive Bridge, which connects Gray’s Park with communities along Thomas Drives and links it to Kinsmen Park via the existing pathway system along Thomas Drive. Another pedestrian bridge is planned to be installed over the irrigation canal between Lakewood Meadows and Hillcrest, to connect these communities more directly.

Thomas Drive will have a new crosswalk added this year to align with the new bridge, and all existing crosswalks throughout town will be refurbished and re-painted later in the spring, according to town administration.

A key aspect of walkability is pedestrian safety, so the town has implemented the rectangular rapid flashing beacon (RRFB) program at several locations adjacent to parks and schools. These high-visibility sign installations alert vehicle operators of pedestrians crossing roadways.

Strathmore’s efforts to improve walkability (or “movability”) throughout the town also extends to people with mobility issues. The town’s wheelchair ramp program introduces between six and 10 wheelchair ramps per year, typically in older areas, to improve access and movability for all residents and visitors, according to administration. All new developments require wheelchair ramps to be installed.

These efforts are supplemented by the opening of new, temporary walking trails next to the Western Irrigation District (WID) canal throughout town, to add more places for residents to walk while honouring social distancing rules while COVID-19 is ongoing. For the time being, this announcement by WID adds over 10 kilometres of walking trails throughout the community that will remain open until further notice.