Middleville embraces National Start! Walking Day
Grand Rapids Press
April 14, 2008
As an advocate for making Middleville more pedestrian friendly, Phil Van Noord walks the talk: about three miles a day as many as five times a week. Often joined by his wife, Betty, he traverses the Paul Henry Thornapple Nature Trail through the village.
So you can bet he will tally a few miles on the American Heart Association's National Start! Walking Day on Wednesday -- a movement launched last year that encourages residents to engage in physical activity for at least 30 minutes. "We're in a time when we need to emphasize walking," he said.
Hit the road
What: National Start! Walking Day
When: 6 to 8 a.m. Wednesday
Where: Metro Health Village, 5900 Byron Center Ave., SW in Wyoming
Why: Gather at the campus to walk as a group and pledge a healthier lifestyle.
Cost: Free |
Cindy Bowma, communications and marketing director for Metro Health, agrees. Health benefits are many, from protecting the heart to building stronger bones and muscles. It's is one of the easiest ways to stay fit and has the lowest dropout rate of any exercise, she said.
"You just need a good pair of shoes," she said.
The hospital plans to help people get walking with a gathering from 6 to 8 a.m. Wednesday at Metro Health Village, 5900 Byron Center Ave. SW in Wyoming. Centerpointe Mall, 3665 28th St. SE, in Grand Rapids, is also encouraging mall walkers and passing out handouts during the day.
Bowma encourages participating by taking a 30-minute walk during the lunch hour, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or using any available chunk of time to walk.
"Walkable" has become a buzzword in community planning, and Middleville officials are among many municipal leaders who are onboard. Township Planner Geoff Moffat said the village master plan includes extending the three-and-a-half mile trail built in 2003 along the Thornapple River. "We've been very aggressive in building our riverfront trail and building sidewalks throughout the village," Moffat said.
All new developments are required to have sidewalks, he said. "We've built a lot of sidewalks in the last five years," he said. For more information about National Start! Walking Day, visit americanheart.org. |
