By Makayla Hamlin
October 10 is National Walk to a Park Day and what better place to do that than on the Appomattox River Trail. However, most people in America do not have the privilege to walk to a park. For those who do not have a designated walking trail near them or cannot/ do not want drive to one, may have a hard time walking anywhere at all.
Humans have been walking outside for millennia. At one point, it was our only mode of transportation. But gradually over time, walking for transportation purposes has been replaced with animals, wagons, buggies, and eventually, cars, planes, and trains.
People walk less because they don’t have to. Combine this with the car-driven society of America and it becomes a problem of not only being unnecessary but also being unable. The modern infrastructure of America is so intertwined with the auto industry that walkable cities and towns are mostly fables of the past.
Walkable trails like this one may be the answer.
Everyone knows that walking is important. It’s a weight bearing exercise, and though it’s simple, it provides many benefits for the body. It can reduce your risk for cardiovascular diseases, including strokes and heart attacks. It can also help manage conditions like high cholesterol, diabetes, and hypertension, the latter of which plagues almost half of all Americans.
However, with jobs and other things that demand your time, getting outside and walking is increasingly difficult. Even more so if you must go out of your way and drive MORE than you already must. This is where a trail system comes into play. A designated place to walk, bike or run, that’s right in your backyard, or within walking distance.
The good news is that people are noticing this demand. A conservancy organization called Rails to Trails has been particularly outspoken, creating an initiative called TrailNation. Established in 2005, they aim to help foster a network of trails so that people don’t have to go out and search for.
A better trail infrastructure would help people get outside and exercise more, and these preventable health problems would never happen. Further, for those with no car or no desire to drive, walking to work or school would be a great bonus.
We as Americans are far from this future. But it is achievable, and that’s the hope we celebrate on this National Walk to a Park Day!
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