Health & Wellness

The Downtown Greenway will support public and private efforts to improve health and wellness in our community.  As reported in 1996 in Physical Activity and Health, A Report of the Surgeon General,  “people of all ages can improve the quality of their lives through a lifelong practice of moderate physical activity.  A regular, preferably daily, regimen of at least 30-45 minutes of brisk walking, bicycling . . . will reduce your risks of developing coronary heart disease, hypertension, colon cancer, and diabetes…”  Donna Shalala, former Secretary of Health and Human Services, said of the report, “This watershed report comes not a moment too soon.  We have found that 60%, well over half , of Americans are not regularly active.  Worse yet, 25% of Americans are not active at all.  For young peoplethe future of our countryphysical activity declines dramatically during adolescence.  These are dangerous trends.  We need to turn them around quickly for the health of our citizens and our country.”  To see the full report, click here.

In 2013, the N.C. Board of Transportation adopted WalkBikeNC, a comprehensive statewide plan for improving bicycling and walking conditions across North Carolina.

Studies show that people will walk, run, and ride their bicycles more if a greenway is located within a convenient distance of their homes.  Creating an easy, safe, and aesthetically pleasing means by which to exercise and travel via foot or bicycle has been successful in other communities in promoting and encouraging greenway use.  As mentioned before, this Greenway will circle downtown and will touch, or come very close to, many neighborhoods, providing critical access to citizens.  We have many cyclists who use the Downtown Greenway for exercise of transportation; click here for safety tips as you are out and about on the greenway or any roads or trails.  Click here for why bike paths are good for the local economy and for staying healthy!

Click here to learn more about development and public health.

Click here to see an abstract on the associations between perceived neighborhood characteristics, access to places for activity, and leisure-time physical activity.

Click here to see the video on how the Downtown Greenway can contribute to a healthier lifestyle.

Getting Fit on the Greenway

The Downtown Greenway and the Bryan YMCA have partnered for 8 years offering FREE fitness classes on the Downtown Greenway.  The 2020 season ended in September and will be planning for the 2021 season. Check back in May for the complete list of classes and instructors. Stay healthy!

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