Author: WalkBoston

Creating Walking Connections in Cummington

Creating Walking Connections in Cummington

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Participants walk along Route 9, a common walk for Cummington residents to access the Creamery Co-op

 

WalkBoston, along with a group of about 8 participants including residents, Select Board members, and a representative from the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, conducted an in-person walk audit along Cummington’s Main Street to the Town’s grocery store (Creamery Co-op), on Friday, October 15th. This walk audit was preceded by a virtual Ped101 session with a group of 10 residents. 

Residents in Cummington, are interested in improved walking connections to the Creamery, finding ways to calm traffic through Main Street, and to reduce speeds throughout town, especially heavy trucking traffic. Cummington faces unique challenges as Route 9, a MassDOT owned and operated road, runs through town and vehicles often travel at high speeds.  WalkBoston’s forthcoming summary report of the walk audit process in Cummington will offer recommendations to the Town for improvements and funding opportunities that will help support and encourage walking for those of all ages and abilities in Cummington. 

The Hilltown CDC, together with Healthy Hampshire and WalkBoston, are leading a 5-year grant project to promote Age-Friendly Walkability in the Hilltowns Village Centers, funded by the Dept. of Public Health’s Healthy Aging Fund. In partnership with community residents and leaders, the team will be conducting a series of walk audits in partnering Hilltowns villages. The goal of these walk audits is to identify infrastructure improvements and policy changes to make village center walking safe and enjoyable for people of all ages in the Hilltowns. The town of Cummington is one of the partnering communities in this grant project.

Improving Walking Conditions in Chesterfield

Improving Walking Conditions in Chesterfield

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Image of Chesterfield's Town Center, a white 2-story building, with a lawn and concrete sidewalk in front and steps leading to the building. On the other side of the sidewalk, a blue minivan waits at a T-intersection to cross onto the 2-lane road.
Chesterfield Town Center was an important point along the walk audit, as participants were eager to find ways to reduce speeds here.

WalkBoston, along with a group of about 9 participants including residents, Select Board members, Town Highway staff, and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator for Chesterfield’s MassDOT District, conducted an in-person walk audit along Chesterfield’s Main Road through the Town Center, on Thursday, September 23rd. This walk audit was preceded by a virtual Ped101 session with a group of 11 residents. 

Residents in Chesterfield, are interested in improved walking connections around the Town Center, including more pedestrian visibility at crossings on Main Road, reducing speeds in the Town Center, and considering extending the sidewalk to the Chesterfield General Store. Residents are also eager for more age-friendly walking infrastructure, particularly in Russel Memorial Park, where seating options for those looking for a spot to rest or place to sit with friends and neighbors are few and far between or inaccessible. WalkBoston’s forthcoming summary report of the walk audit process in Chesterfield will offer recommendations to the Town for improvements and funding opportunities that will help support and encourage walking for those of all ages and abilities in Chesterfield. 

The Hilltown CDC, together with Healthy Hampshire and WalkBoston, are leading a 5-year grant project to promote Age-Friendly Walkability in the Hilltowns Village Centers, funded by the Dept. of Public Health’s Healthy Aging Fund. In partnership with community residents and leaders, the team will be conducting a series of walk audits in partnering Hilltowns villages. The goal of these walk audits is to identify infrastructure improvements and policy changes to make village center walking safe and enjoyable for people of all ages in the Hilltowns. The town of Chesterfield is one of the partnering communities in this grant project.

A group of people stand at a mid-block crossing with pedestrian signage and discuss conditions.
Participants in the Chesterfield walk audit stop at a crosswalk to discuss safety.
Connecting Kids and Families to Parks and Open Spaces!

Connecting Kids and Families to Parks and Open Spaces!

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WalkBoston is excited to announce we have received $150,000 over three years from Boston Children’s Collaboration for Community Health for our Connecting Kids and Families to Parks and Open Spaces project!

This grant is part of Boston Children’s Hospital’s total commitment of $53.4 million to support community organizations and agencies in their efforts to improve the health and well-being of children and families in Boston and across Massachusetts. Boston Children’s is distributing these funds as part of an agreement with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Determination of Need Program. This is in addition to the hospital’s ongoing support for programs and partnerships.

Access to parks for exercise, relaxation, and community connection is a proven public health solution to social isolation and community resiliency in urban communities. Too often, low income communities of color that have experienced historical disinvestment, high levels of traffic violence, and public safety challenges have the least safe access to neighborhood parks. This is the case in East Boston, which has a great variety of parks, but where proximity has not equated to access for many residents.

We are thrilled to be working with our partner GreenRoots and the Caminatas Verdes walking group to address these inequities by improving walking connections and access to East Boston’s parks through community-based street advocacy.

Thank you, Boston Children’s Hospital, for helping us make Massachusetts safer to encourage better health, a cleaner environment and more vibrant communities. We look forward to this partnership and can’t wait for the work to begin!

“We have long recognized that one of the best ways for Boston Children’s to make a difference is to partner with others in the community. The Collaboration provides organizations with funding so they can establish the infrastructure needed to grow and lead or strengthen their connections with partners to create more efficient systems of care and support.”

–Shari Nethersole, MD, Executive Director for Community Health

Celebrating Bob Sloane

Celebrating Bob Sloane

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Earlier this year WalkBoston lost a member of our family, Bob Sloane. 

Bob was a dear friend, a mentor, a creative genius, and a true pioneer in walking advocacy. On September 9, we gathered together virtually to celebrate his extraordinary life and reminisce about our times together with him. 

Stories were told about the early days, about his trailblazing work on the Boston Transportation Planning Review, where he pushed forward the message that walking is a fundamental part of the transportation conversation at a time when it was not a popular view. We heard about how Bob and company founded WalkBoston over beers at Jacob Wirth’s. We heard about how Bob stuck to his principles and ideals, regardless of the professional consequences. We heard about his kindness and empathy, his contagious enthusiasm and dedication.

Bob’s presence was palpable throughout the night as the same themes came through in every story. His kindness, his stalwart nature, his sense of humor, his creativity, and even his insistence on sharing snacks (especially Clover fries and yorkshire tea). 

“A fierce advocate,” “heart of gold,” “he never gave up,” “one of nature’s true gentlemen,” “truly a life well lived,” “the soul of WalkBoston.” This is how we described Bob. We will all miss the twinkle in his eye as he came up with his latest scheme. We will miss the sight of him hunched over his maps and tracing paper. We will miss him walking into the room and saying “do you have a minute?”

Thank you, Bob, for everything, and thank you to his family for sharing him with us. His legacy and impact will be felt for generations to come. He leaves behind a more walkable, livable, vibrant, and welcoming community for all of us. We hold him in our hearts and will never forget him. 

Thank you Alex and Perri!

Thank you Alex and Perri!

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This week we gathered together to say farewell to our wonderful summer interns, Perri and Alex.  From day one they stepped up and helped with walk audits, crash data analysis, our website, and so much more. 

We celebrated in true WalkBoston fashion by following one of our walking maps to explore the Boston Harborwalk and then enjoyed a lovely meal at the Chart House on Long Wharf.

Perri and Alex have been a wonderful addition to our team. We miss them already and wish them the best in their return to school at Tufts UEP and Harvard GSD!