Let’s Walk and Roll! Make the Journey to School Fun, Safe and Active for Walk to School Month

In addition to Pedestrian Safety Month, October is also International Walk to School Month and the City of Mississauga is launching a Mississauga Walk to School Month online event. Throughout October, the event encourages all Mississauga students, their parents and guardians to leave their car at home and use active transportation to get to and from school or their designated bus stop. Active transportation includes walking, rollerblading or travelling by bike, scooter, skateboard, wheelchair or other mobility devices. With many students returning to in-person learning and residents and commuters returning to work, there is more congestion on Mississauga’s roads. Walking and rolling is a healthy and fun way to travel to school that contributes to safer streets and reduced traffic congestion in and around school zones. The event also promotes staying safe by following road and trail rules.

Participating students or their parents or guardians are encouraged to keep track of the number of times they walk or roll to or from school or the bus stop. Students learning virtually can participate by tracking their walking or rolling trips, such as in their neighbourhood, through a local trail or to run errands with family. During the month of October, participants can download an online certificate to celebrate the number of trips they made, as well as share their accomplishment on social media using the hashtag #WalktoSchoolSauga.

Walk to School Month Event Details

What:
An online event to encourage Mississauga students and their parents or guardians to get to and from school using active transportation. The event also promotes staying safe by following road and trail rules.

If walking or rolling the complete distance to school isn’t possible, students can participate by using active transportation to get to their bus stop. Parents or guardians can also consider driving partway to their school and walking or rolling the rest of the way.

Who:
Mississauga students and their parents, family or guardians.

Where:
The event is virtual and can be done while participants walk, ride their bikes or use other forms of active transportation to get to school. Participants are encouraged to take advantage of Mississauga’s approximately 500 kilometres of multi-use trails, shared park pathways, bike lanes and signed bike routes. Participants can use the 2021 Mississauga Cycling Map to plan their route ahead of time. The City also has 35 signed walking routes thanks to schools participating in the Mississauga School Walking Routes program.

After using active transportation to get to school this month, students and the parents or guardians of students who participated can go online and complete a digital certificate to share their accomplishment on social media using the hashtag #WalktoSchoolSauga.

Those participating in Walk to School Month are advised to follow COVID-19 health and safety guidelines by staying at least two metres (six feet) apart from those not in their household and wearing a mask when physical distancing cannot be maintained.

To access more ideas and resources on how to participate in International Walk to School Month, residents can visit ontarioactiveschooltravel.ca/international-walk-to-school-month. Through its partnership and funding from Ontario Active School Travel, the City will continue to roll out school programming focused on keeping students active and safe as they travel to school.

Visit mississauga.ca/walk-to-school for more information about the Mississauga Walk to School Month event, to download the certificate or learn more about pedestrian and cycling safety.

Tags

• Active Transportation