Don't feel safe walking at night? Exercise more

Feel afraid walking in your neighbourhood at night? Well, somewhat ironically, exercising will apparently make you feel safer. New Australian Bureau of Statistics research shows those who participate in sport and recreational activities have significantly greater levels of trust in the community and are far more likely to feel safe walking the streets after dark.

Study: Health benefits outweigh costs of ciclovia events

Ciclovias, the global term for what we call Sunday Parkways here in Portland, are nothing short of a revolution. Started in Latin America in the 1960s and made widely known by Bogota, Colombia, the events have spread like wildfire across North America in the last decade.

But with city budgets being very tight these days, programs like Sunday Parkways aren't likely to survive the axe. Now, a new study, Do Health Benefits Outweigh the Costs of Mass Recreational Programs? An Economic Analysis of Four Ciclovía Programs, published in the Journal of Urban Health will help make the case that they're worth the investment.

Owen Sound - Teen tracker study illustrates ‘unhealthy reliance on cars’

Sixteen local teens were tracked by GPS devices for a public health study of where they go and how they get there. The week-long study's results reflected provincial findings that fewer students walk to school, which is part of an unhealthy reliance on cars, its authors said.

Toronto - King-Spadina towers set precedent for new applications

Pedestrian bridge will be critical link in Grand River Trail

Kitchener ON: A critical link in the Walter Bean Grand River Trail — the pedestrian bridge near the Doon Valley Golf Course — should be open and ready to use by next April.

Three schools in Centre Wellington getting kids active

Just as our communities at large have recognized the need to include active transportation in any future planning, so has the school community. As with any initiative, chances of a long-term change in behaviour is best assured when introduced at an early age.

Trent Hills supports master cycling plan for the county

Council endorsed the proposal Dec. 20 after hearing from a presentation by County project engineer Christine Harvey, who helped create the plan. One of its objectives is to make Northumberland "a unique cycling destination" by establishing "on- and off-road paths" that link the seven municipalities as well as connect the county to neighbouring counties, she said

Free-wheelin' town offers a model of bike-friendliness

Making Sarnia a better place for cyclists can be done cheaply, easily and effectively, says an official from one of North America's top bicycle-friendly cities. Robb Davis, a member of the Davis, California's bicycle advisory commission, said improving Sarnia's cycling infrastructure isn't as difficult as it seems.

Charge admission fees to pay for new skateboard parks, alderman urges

The Calgary Association of Skateboard Enthusiasts has offered to fundraise to help pay for dozens of new skate parks, and aldermen seem fine with the $11-million construction price tag, spread over a decade. Still, Ald. Shane Keating said Wednesday the city should contemplate charging fees to use some of the more sizable facilities when they come on line.

Is Calgary ready for bike sharing?

Bike sharing is, unsurprisingly, lauded by cycling advocates. But this week in Calgary, the very idea of setting up short-term bike rentals throughout the core has received harsh criticism courtesy the Calgary Sun. In his column yesterday, Sun columnist Michael Platt argues the cost of implementing and maintaining the bike share program and the impact of more bike lanes on downtown roads will result in "chaos."