8 March 2018

Councillors to step out on Walk2Work Day

Whether you call it taking the Waewae Express, riding Shanks’s Pony, peregrinating or perambulating, Wellington City Councillors will be legging it on Walk2Work Day – next Wednesday 14 March - and want Wellingtonians to consider doing the commute on foot that day.

Walk2Work Day is a national event organised by Living Streets Aotearoa – a group for people on foot that promotes walking-friendly communities.

Councillor Sarah Free, the City Council’s Public Transport, Cycling and Walking Portfolio Leader, says Walk2Work Day is a chance for many Wellingtonians who would normally drive or take a bus or cycle to walk at least part of their journey.

“Walking is fundamental human activity and a simple and healthy way to get around. We are lucky in Wellington to have a network of 970 km of footpaths and walkways, so are spoilt for choice in terms of routes”, she says.

Figures from the 2015 census showed more than 21 percent of Wellingtonians walked to work - the highest number for any major New Zealand city.

“We want to help make sure walking remains a popular and do-able choice - take your own route to work or school, or join myself and colleagues or Living Streets Aotearoa on one of our walks on Wednesday 14 March.”

Living Streets Aotearoa has organised two walks – at 8am from Basin Reserve and 12 midday from VUW Kelburn.

· Cr Free will be outside Kilbirnie Sports in RongotaiRoad at 7.45am for a walk to Civic Square via the Town Belt on Mt Victoria

· Cr Brian Dawson and Cr Iona Pannett will join with the Living Streets group at 8am at the Basin Reserve, walking to Civic Square

· Deputy Mayor Jill Day, Cr Peter Gilberd and Cr Malcolm Sparrow will meet at 8am at the Wellington Railway station entrance, to walk to Civic Square

· Cr David Lee will leave the Caribbean Café in Brooklyn at 8am and walk down to the CBD via Central Park

· At 10am Cr Nicola Young will lead a guided tour around the city’s laneways – meet outside Big Save Furniture in Marion Street

· Cr Fleur Fitzsimons will be at Shorland Park at 8.15am to lead a walk to Island Bay and St Francis de Sales schools

· Cr Chris Calvi-Freeman, Cr Free and Cr Diane Calvert are inviting members of the public to a discussion about opportunities and challenges for walking in Wellington - 10.30am in Committee Room 2, Wellington City Council, 101 Wakefield Street.

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