Jane's Walk

There is an upcoming opportunity in the City of Barrie that Urban Pantry wants to share with you! A Jane’s Walk, which is being organized by the Barrie Chapter for the Canadian Federation of University Women, will start at the South Shore Community Centre on Friday May 4 from 10am to 12pm. For more information about the Walk, please see here.

Jane Jacobs was an urbanist and activist who valued walkable communities and community-based approaches to city building. Every May, communities across the world organize Jane’s Walks to honour Jane’s work and life in encouraging citizens to take part and be active in creating their communities. Urban Pantry’s urban agriculture activities, like community gardens and urban orchards, help make our neighbourhoods great places to work, live and play.

The built environment, which makes up where we work, live and play, is everything that has been built, created or modified by people. It can have positive and negative impacts on aspects of your health. You can make a difference to your health, the environment and the built environment by:

• Walking or cycling more often and using your car less; buying fresh food at your local farmers’ market; conserving energy in your home; and volunteering with a local club or group.

• Speaking with your neighbours about the issues affecting your community and discussing ways to address them. This Jane’s Walk is a great opportunity to do this!

• Learning more about your municipality’s official plan and how it affects your community. The official plan guides how land should be used in your community, such as where housing, industry, shops, parks and schools will be located, what services are needed, and how road and transportation systems are designed.

• Contacting the City at any time to discuss opportunities for input into what would make your neighbourhood a better place to live.

• Participating on a municipal or community committee on issues of mutual interest or concern. The Urban Pantry is looking for volunteers at every level. Learn more here about how to get involved.

Consider joining the Jane’s Walk on Friday May 4 and contribute your ideas of how to create a built environment in the City of Barrie that supports healthy choices and behaviours!

Reference: Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit. (N.D.). Building Healthy Communities – Healthy Communities. Retrieved on April 11, 2018 from http://www.simcoemuskokahealth.org/docs/default-source/jfy-communities/Healthy_Community_FS_sep2010.pdf?sfvrsn=0.

Submitted by public health nurses from the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit