Durham’s Bull City Cruisers Walking Club Begins Tomorrow

Got walking shoes? Want something to do that will improve your health, can include your family, and provide an opportunity to make new friends? For Durham residents looking for an easy way to get heart healthy with neighbors and friends, then the debut of the Bull City Cruisers Walking Club is the place to make it happen.

On Tuesday, March 29, 2011, members will mark the official start of the Bull City Cruisers Walking Club at noon, with a walk beginning on the north side of the R. Kelly Bryant, Jr. Pedestrian Bridge between Sowell and Amber streets. From the bridge, the walk will follow the trail that leads to Alston Avenue then continue along Alston to E. Main Street, N. Goley Street, and Eastway Avenue ending at Long Meadow Park. Interested walkers should sign-up prior to the beginning of the walk at the R. Kelly Bryant, Jr. Pedestrian Bridge and be ready to leave promptly at noon.

At 6 p.m., two walks will also take place for anyone who is not able to participate in the noon walk. Both walks will start at the intersection of Eastway Avenue and Taylor Street, with sign-up beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the corner of Eastway Avenue and Taylor Street. Participants may then take the 1.9K route that leads to the R. Kelly Bryant, Jr. Pedestrian Bridge and back, or a shorter 1.2K walk from Taylor Street and Eastway Avenue to Driver Street, ending at the intersection of Driver Street and Angier Avenue and then returning along this route.

Water stations will be set up along both routes and free water bottles will be given to the first 10 participants who complete each of these routes. Gift bags also will be given to all signed-in participants. A self-check blood pressure station will also be available to participants in the lobby of the Holton Career and Resource Center, located at 401 N. Driver Street. The station is free and open to the public during the center’s normal operating hours.

Tuesday’s walking club launch is being coordinated by the City of Durham’s Neighborhood Improvement Services Department in partnership with community members who serve as team leaders on four committees of the Northeast Central Durham (NECD) Livability Initiative. The initiative is a sustainable communities project that encompasses community needs, availability of qualified resources, and a healthy living environment. It reflects the livability principles set forth by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The initiative is receiving resources from all three agencies and also includes City, County, and State government partners.

For additional information on this walking club or to volunteer to assist with the kick-off event tomorrow, contact Robin Dixon with the City’s Neighborhood Improvement Services Department, at (919) 560-1647, ext. 34245 or via e-mail at Robin.Dixon@DurhamNC.gov or Wanona Satcher, community leader with the NECD Livability Initiative, at (910) 528-0916.