For the second day of volunteer-led walks from the City of Surrey, we did a 2.3 km route around Green Timbers Urban Forest.

We read that we stopped walking for commuting but we have walked in a more pleasurable way. We have been discovering our neighbourhoods and we have claimed the streets for our on-foot trips.

We are proud to share about BEST’s own Isabel Garcia and her involvement in the Women4Climate global mentorship program. Isabel is an avid advocate for walking and public transit as an accessible, healthy means of getting around without relying on personal automobile ownership.

We are all aware of how these months have influenced our lives, but if there must be some positive aspect and some hope in our every day, it is that we reassured ourselves that being able to go for a walk is like a lifeline. Walking might be a light physical activity but it encompasses a huge mental exercise.

Today’s walk is about being local and staying close to home. We were very fortunate to have Mary Wilson guide and show us the hidden gems of this part of New Westminster.

Our weekly walking route starts on Edmonds and goes along Byrne Creek.

For those who like to walk, who are avid walkers, we bring a walking route that might be too long for our standards: 12.5 km. At a slow and comfortable pace could take you around 3 hours to cover. Don’t be intimidated and try parts of the route.

E Hastings in Burnaby is a commercial street filled with small businesses full of flavors all around the world, salons, spas, and other small shops and retailers that give the street the perfect character for being a great walking route.

Burnaby is a lovely, growing city witnessing so many new developments. In this walking tour, we took a short walk-hop-SkyTrain from Gilmore to Brentwood Town Center (Millennium line). So many developments coming up, so we thought of checking out the neighborhood.

Public transit is the best option to complement a truly walkable community. MetroVancouver is one of the well serviced regions. This is probably the most comfortable way to travel longer distances, especially with young kids. You might be surprised how much they love it and how well they behave.

Always excited about new infrastructure advancements promoting walkability, we could not wait to experience it ourselves and virtually take you on a tour. As a part of the engagement process, the City of New Westminster has been installing an interim greenway using temporary materials along a portion of the designated route.