WAYNEDALE GREEN ALLIANCE
Before Christmas the Waynedale Green Alliance performed a walkability audit on Bluffton Road. It didn’t turn out too well. Most of us who have lived in Waynedale for decades know the dangers of walking or biking there.
Fort Wayne is doing a lot to go in the right direction when it comes to producing trails, and working towards bike-friendly roads.
As had been noted here in the Waynedale News two grants have been awarded that will add trails on the southwest and southeast areas of Fort Wayne. A Bicycle Survey is available for interested residents on the city’s website and was sent to area residents in their City Utility bills last year. All of it is a step (no pun intended) in the right direction.
However, neither one of those grants will work to address the challenges of walkability that exist on the Bluffton Road.
When the Waynedale Green Alliance first began the first several emails received were from those in the community who were angry about the conditions of the Bluffton Road. We are giving voice to those concerns, but in order to effect change more voices have to come to the table.
Here are five techniques to get that accomplished.
1) Get more people walking! There are already several walking clubs in Fort Wayne, but a walking club for Waynedale residents would get them up, out, and in tune with the benefits of walking. I know of some walking classes that take place every week in Waynedale, but most of them are during times when people work or are getting kids to school. Flexibility is key. This will also make more motorists aware of pedestrian traffic, thus making walking safer.
2) Develop a Waynedale Walking Map, with all the great stores, shops, the Waynedale Library, Chief Richardsville House, and Waynedale Park included. Destination walks make walking fun, and again, add to the necessity of making walkability more viable.
3) There are over 50 neighborhood associations in and around the Waynedale area. If each one of them took the time at a meeting and announced plans to set up a neighborhood walk-people would become more interested. Neighborhood newsletters are workable venues for getting the word out. For example, members of a neighborhood association could organize a neighborhood walk event to Foster Park or Waynedale Park. Or a visit to Chief Richardsville House.
4) How about a 55 + Walking Club in Waynedale that could work around any of the above activities? Those of us in that category know that the more we walk, bike, and keep active the more we ward off stiff joints, and just plain keep healthy!
The Waynedale Green Alliance is excited about working on any of these types of activities and would be happy to walk the walk with you. Please write to us at aprilsmythe@gmail.com or visit our site at www.greenabcs.com/.
Happy Trails!
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