The fourth annual Walk With Your Doc is just one week away and organizers are hoping to see “hundreds” of people, young and old, turn out for the waterfront affair.
Set for May 8 in White Rock, the event is a partnership between Doctors of BC, the White Rock-South Surrey Division of Family Practice and the City of White Rock, as well as an event to mark Move for Health Day – and more.
“It’s also a launch of our healthy community plan,” said Janna Nicholson, one of White Rock’s community recreation co-ordinators, referring to a five-year plan to make the Semiahmoo Peninsula the healthiest community possible.
Recently completed – after 2½ years of work – Our Healthy Community outlines five strategic goals: create and co-ordinate a healthy community network; create and maintain healthy built environments; promote health and physical literacy; connect health services to community resources; and, advocate for healthy communities policies.
It is dedicated to the memory of late White Rock councillor Larry Robinson, who was a longtime health advocate and a member of the healthy community working group.
According to the plan, the envisioned outcome is “a community that is socially connected – a community where residents volunteer, where neighbours are friends who help each other, where people have a sense of belonging and participate in community programs, events and healthy activities.”
Twenty to 30 doctors from the White Rock-South Surrey Division of Family Practice are expected to participate in the local event, which starts and ends at Bayview Park (at Bay Street and Marine Drive). The new route is planned from the park to the end of the pier and back, but Nicholson said participants are welcome to “walk as long or as far as you want.”
Free pedometers and snacks will be provided while supplies last.
The walk is to get underway at 7:30 a.m.
“We thought it would appeal to people to get out and walk on the waterfront first thing in the morning,” she said. “We’d like people to be potentially inspired to get out and do that, get that morning habit started.”
It’s an opportunity “to get to know your doctor, to get to know your community, to get to know other people,” she said.
Parking is free until 10 a.m.
Doctors of BC is encouraging participants to tweet photos from the walk using #WalkWithYourDoc, with a chance to win prizes.
For info, visit www.whiterockcity.ca or walkwithyourdoc.ca