Walk30 Challenge: Burnaby/New Westminster

The annual WALK30* Burnaby/New West Challenge is kicking off on April 11, with the goal of inspiring residents to walk more for health, community connectedness, and to rethink how we get around! The five-week Challenge will end on May 15, when the winning municipality whose residents walked the most will be announced. Last year, a total of 1.96 million walking minutes were recorded by 1492 WALK30 participants! Walk to school, work, shop, or to play – every minute will count. Both the City of Burnaby and the City of New Westminster are committed to promoting walking as a convenient form of transportation that anyone can participate in. “Walking is a great way to stay healthy and connect with your community at the same time,” said Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley. “Every bit of physical activity helps, so I encourage everyone to get out and explore the incredible parks, trails and tracks throughout Burnaby and New Westminster.” “In 2020, I made a resolution for the decade ahead to walk the same number of steps as it would take to go around the world, for my own health and that of the planet. During the pandemic, it has been great to get around by walking and it is a sustainable way to travel,” said New Westminster Mayor Jonathan Cote. “WALK30 is a chance for everyone to walk more, so let’s get out and enjoy it this spring.” Every year, the WALK30 Challenge promotes weekly “walking themes” to keep participants motivated and engaged by highlighting the benefits of walking, active transportation, and being outdoors. This year’s Challenge will focus on shopping local, “blending” your walks with public transportation, walking for mental health, and more. Taking a walk outdoors, even if it is brief, can be beneficial to break the monotony and ease the stress of virtual meetings and classes, all while adding a dose of physical fitness to your daily routine. Now that we are heading into spring, days will become longer and brighter, and with that, more time to fit a sunny walk into your day! WALK30 participants can track their daily walking minutes using a watch, phone, or fitness device. Schools are invited to form classroom or staff teams. Companies and organizations can encourage their employees to walk more by challenging other companies or departments to see who can walk more during the Challenge. You can even get creative and have outdoor “walking meetings” with your team! “Walking just 10 minutes at a time has many physical and mental health benefits. I’m going to use WALK30 as an opportunity to increase my daily walking minutes and connect more mindfully to my neighbourhood, and I hope you will, too,” said Dr. Aamir Bharmal, Medical Health Officer for Burnaby and New Westminster. From April 11 – May 15, registered participants will track and share daily walking minutes online. Register now at http://www.best.bc.ca/walk30. Happy walking! *The WALK30 Challenge is a program of Better Environmentally Sound Transportation (BEST). BEST is a non-profit charity focused on walking, cycling, public transit and alternatives to privately-owned cars. Thank you to our sponsors City of Burnaby, City of New Westminster, TransLink, and Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation, and to our partner Fraser Health.