Taupo District Council Staff organised "5 optional
Walks" to Work on Walk2work Day 2010. See pres release below
Challenge is set for Walk2Work Day
MEDIA RELEASE
8 March 2010
March is ‘Walking Month’ and Wednesday March 10th is national Walk2Work Day, a day when all workers are encouraged to leave the car at home and hit the footpaths.
On Wednesday thousands of people across New Zealand, including some Taupo District Council staff, will leave their cars at home and walk to work with friends, family and colleagues.
Mayor Rick Cooper says that whether it’s walking or cycling that’s your thing, Taupo is the ideal spot to do it. “Look around us, what better place could you have to walk to work. There’re no motorways here, just beautiful lake views. And it makes it much easier to stop for a coffee.”
To celebrate Walking Month and to encourage walking as a fun and free form of fitness Taupo District Council and Walk Taupo, Taupo’s walking advocacy group, are releasing a new brochure, ‘5 Lunchtime Walks for Taupo’. The brochure features 5 fabulous walks within the CBD that range from 30-50mins, and take in some of Taupo’s most iconic and beautiful views.
Walk Taupo Chairperson Jacky Gartner says the brochure will greatly assist people to get their 30 minutes of recommended exercise each day, especially those who work in the CBD. “The brochure outlines the specifics of each walk; with approximate distances and times. Each walk was designed to have maximum enjoyment with minimal or no roads to negotiate or cross.” The brochure will be available soon from the Taupo District Council Lake Terrace and Environmental Services offices, Taupo Public Library and Taupo iSite.
Councillor Bernhard Chrustowski, Walking and Cycling Champion for the Taupo district, says that walking is fun, healthy and helps the planet too. “Walking month encourages all people to just get out and walk, whether it’s to work, to school or just out walking the pet.”
Taupo District Council will be taking up the challenge, with several staff walking groups organised for Wednesday morning. Cr Chrustowski will be joining one of the groups, and is calling for other Taupo businesses to get behind this national day. “Mark it down in your calendar and give walking to work a go during March. You not only feel better for it, but it gives people a chance to clear their minds whilst getting fresh air and not having to worry about the traffic around them.”
Walk2Work Day is part of a Living Streets Aotearoa campaign that aims to encourage people to walk more in their daily lives and encourages active healthy lifestyles for all New Zealanders. Living Streets Aotearoa is the pedestrian and walking advocacy organisation for New Zealand.
For more information about Walk2Work or Living Streets Aotearoa, and to find out how your business can get involved visit www.walk2work.org.nz .