This item was published in our November 2023 eBulletin.
Finding short-cut paths locally and ensuring they are sign-posted has become a successful project for Wellingtonian Frances Sutton.
From walking a lot in Karori, Frances discovered many short-cuts between streets. Often these were unmarked, so she decided to ask the Council for signage. As a result, in the space of one year, 15 short-cuts had new signage installed, showing their location for people walking.
Recently, Frances moved to Kilbirnie, and she’s taken up the same task there, including four adjoining suburbs in her efforts.
Frances says she gets a great deal of pleasure from encouraging people to use the walking short-cuts.
“A short-cut can reveal unexpected delights like bush, views over the harbour, interesting architecture and beautiful gardens.
Signage on these paths encourages people to walk rather than use a car and they give you a quick way to your destination.”
Here is her advice for getting your neighbourhood short-cuts signposted:
• Use a map which shows the streets clearly. (Frances uses the Healthpoint website. Enter the location of a nearby health provider and a map will load.)
• Take a snip/screenshot of the selected map.
• Annotate it using the MS Paint programme or similar, marking the short-cut’s location.
• Take a photo at each end of the shortcut. Annotate to show the entry points.
• Write a note, then submit it with the images to your local council. Different councils have different ways to submit suggestions, for example, Wellington City Council uses a Fixit form on its website, Porirua has the Antenno app.
Frances says – “If you only know a neighbourhood from what's easily accessible from the roads, you're missing out. Try walking it instead!”
The photo above shows how Frances annotated it to suggest the Council provide a short-cut sign to Weka Street in Miramar, Wellington.