If you are looking for something to do when the weather is too cool for comfortable cycling, why not join us for some fun and social walks. We intend to run a full schedule of City Walks, starting October 16. We will have a walk every Sunday, starting at the usual time of 10:00 AM, and new for this year, beginning October 27, we will also offer walks on Thursdays (also starting at 10:00 AM).

From the beginning of January until it is nice enough to cycle in the spring, we plan to offer a more informal program of Winter City Walks. The start point, end point, and route may not be announced until a few days before the walk. This allows us to select a route appropriate for the expected weather conditions, reflect current events, or other items of interest.

The format of the walks will vary depending on who is leading the walk, but many will be similar to those we did last fall, that is:

• Starting near a subway station, as usual, for people who are comfortable using the TTC, but ensuring parking is available nearby for people who want to drive
• Possibly meeting and ending the walks outdoors, perhaps in a park or parking lot, if that seems practical
• Having many of the walks be loops, returning to the start point, so that people can easily get back to their vehicles
• When possible, having both a short loop (4 to 6 Km) and a longer loop (for a total of 8 to 10 Km) to accommodate different distances that people want to walk
• Requiring everyone to register for the walk
• Walking primarily for physical activity and social interaction, but still with some historical, architectural, or other points of interest
• Trying to avoid crowded streets to limit the number of people we are in close contact with, and perhaps using multi-use paths until they get icy, or quiet residential streets
• Minimizing coffee breaks, so that we will be inside less, and possibly reduce the need for bathroom breaks
• Having planned bathroom breaks
• Going to a patio (or perhaps not stopping) for lunch at the end (although people may want to have a snack or lunch at the end, if they feel comfortable)
• Maybe doing virtual walks some days when real walks seem impractical

Some ideas that were suggested in our planing meetings, that may be included in walks this fall or winter are:

• A music themed walk (Jimi Hendrix Sculpture Garden, the Piano Staircase, Toronto Music Garden, etc.)
• The Doris McCarthy Trail (probably using GO stations as start and end points)
• Ireland Park (if construction around it is finished)
• Art in the Bentway 
• A Christmas Lights walk (perhaps shorter than previous years)
• Some walks outside of downtown
• as well as repeating some walks from previous years

Please email me at citywalks@tbn.ca if you have any questions or suggestions or are interested in leading a walk.

I also send out emails from time to time, and if you would like to be added to my City Walk email list, please send me an email requesting that. Note that if you were on my previous email list you may not on my current one, due to corruption problems. If you received an email regarding the City Walk planning meetings you are on the current list. If not, please request to be added. You may also email me if you would like to be removed from the list.

Looking forward to seeing you on a walk,

John Burdett – City Walk Coordinator