Special walk to school event promotes active methods of travel
On November 2, families walking to school at Notre Dame CES were accompanied by a very special guest, the Mayor of Newmarket, John Taylor! He joined families, as well as other special guests from the York Catholic District School Board, the Town of Newmarket, York Region and Smart Commute to celebrate Notre Dame’s participation in the Active School Travel program.
The Active School Travel program encourages more active modes of transportation when travelling to and from school daily. “Walking Wednesdays” are a popular part of the program, which encourages families to choose an active method of travel when going to and from school, every day, but especially on Wednesdays! Active methods of travel include: walking, biking, or if it’s too far to walk or bike to school to try parking on a nearby side street, at a park or friend’s house near the school and walking the rest of the way. This reduces the number of cars and traffic congestion in our school zones.
On November 2, the mayor and families met at a parkette near the school where Joachim Tsui, the Board’s Manager of Planning Services and Todd Wilkinson, School Principal said a few words before Mayor Taylor spoke and walked students to school. Thanks to the Region of York for distributing goody bags filled with items like bike bells, reflectors and flashing lights, that help give students safe when choosing an active method of travel.
St. Elizabeth Seton students to receive bike locks to promote biking to school
Notre Dame is one of two Newmarket Schools participating in an Active School Travel program this year; the other is St. Elizabeth Seton CES. Recently staff at St. Elizabeth Seton brought a suggestion forward to the Board’s Active School Travel team that students at the school might need bike locks to help promote the active school travel program and encourage kids to bike to school. Working with Smart Commute Central York, the Planning Department submitted an application to the Awesome Grant (Newmarket Chamber of Commerce) for funding for bike locks and was successful! Representatives from St. Elizabeth Seton received a $1,000 grant today from the Chamber of Commerce to purchase bike locks for their students. Awesome indeed!
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