Why Trails are America's New Town Squares
7/30/2014 11:25:00 AM
Americans are people on the go! The urge
to move is part of our national character since the beginning of the
Republic and greatly influences how we spend our leisure time.
In the 19th Century, Sunday drives in
carriages (and later cars) became a favorite pastime. Urban planners
responded by laying out lovely green ribbons of parkways—which remain
beloved places to this day in many communities.
But for harried 21st Century
commuters, who spend long hours in cars or buses each week, driving
seems too reminiscent of work. On evenings and weekends they want to
take off on bikes, skates, longboards or their own two feet. That’s why
communities are now busy creating new trails and greenways across America and throughout the world.
Trails are becoming the new town square
where people bump into their neighbors, sparking conversations and
friendships. When speaking to audiences around the country, I often
begin by asking people to name a favorite commons in their lives. More
often than not, one of the first few mentioned is a local rail-trail or
parkway.
Read more: http://www.utne.com/community/why-trails-are-americas-new-town-squares.aspx#ixzz3AIMGf812
