Whitehorse’s leafy streets of well kept gardens, peppered with parks and reserves, provide an ideal environment in which to take a healthy stroll. While walking is an enjoyable, easy, low cost avenue for healthy exercise, unfortunately, many people do not walk either for safety reasons or lack of companionship.
However, Council has achieved a milestone in pedestrian development in the age of motorised transport.
Under the Walking in Whitehorse program, thousands of people in Whitehorse have commenced walking together for fun and exercise.
“There were many people who wished to walk in the City but could not always fit in with the plans of others,” said Public Relations Manager, Michele Purtle.
“We now act as a coordinating force with a register of over 1,000 names and a variety of planned walks designed to accommodate every possible need.
“Our walkers range from brand new babies with their mums to a 92 year old woman who relishes the chance to walk with others in the fresh air.”
A list of 10 local walks were publicised in a glossy brochure and distributed to all households, detailing routes and their degree of difficulty.
Publications have also been produced listing walks by local groups, with at least one walk every day of the week at various times, locations and degrees of difficulty to suit most needs.
Special walks include tours of local wetlands, heritage buildings, pram walks for new mums, light walks for the elderly and a very popular pet walk with television personality Katrina Warren from ‘Harry’s Practice’.
Michele Purtle said the walks dovetail neatly with other programs, such as Council’s Positive Ageing program, and provide not only cheap exercise and socialisation but new insights to the City.
“There are many hidden oases in Whitehorse,” Michele Purtle said.
“Many participants are delighted to find new treasures they have never noticed from their cars.
“The program touches on every aspect of Council service delivery.
“Walking with the dog encourages responsible pet ownership and walks for older people removes problems of isolation and helps to increase mobility.”
Ultimately, it is intended that the program will run itself once walkers learn to organise and promote the walks.
Council will continue surveying, as it has done every six months, to find out how many people are walking, what they like about the walks and what changes they might like, such as additional drinking fountains.
