Getting children to walk or cycle to school isn't always easy, but the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) is working with schools and municipalities to make it safer and more appealing.
The health unit's On the Move initiative brings together school boards, local schools, municipalities, community organizations and families to encourage more active school travel.
"It's not just public health working in isolation," Abaza told Barrie360. "It's our schools and municipal planners or maybe transportation staff, parents and students all working together to make it easier and safer and more appealing for children to get to school actively."
Rachel Abaza, a public health nurse with the SMDHU, says the initiative recognizes that getting children to school safely involves more than simply encouraging them to get some exercise.
Listen below to our interview with Rachel Abaza about the On The Move program
The health unit has supported active school travel initiatives for nearly two decades, but launched On the Move in 2019, building on a school travel planning model developed by Green Communities Canada.
Abaza says families face several barriers to walking or cycling to school, including time constraints, distance, weather and safety concerns.
Many parents also have demanding work schedules and combine dropping their children off with their own commute.
"Combining the school trip with the commute to work is frequently the most practical option," she says.
Safety concerns can also create a cycle of increased traffic around schools.
"When families see traffic and safety concerns, more parents choose to drive. But the more people drive, the more congestion there is around schools, which can make conditions feel even less safe for walking and cycling."
The initiative works with individual school communities to develop action plans based on their needs.
In its first few years, about 17 schools took part in developing plans to encourage active school travel.
Some have worked to get new crosswalks installed in school zones, while others have added route maps and signs to help families find their way to school.
Schools have also partnered with police and enforcement officers to hold bike fairs, teaching students about road rules, cycling safety and proper helmet fitting.
At one local school, students have helped organize the events and teach their peers about bike safety. Students from a nearby secondary school have also helped install bike bells and reflective tape.
Abaza says the program recognizes that walking or cycling the entire distance to school isn't practical for every family, particularly in rural communities where students rely on school buses.
But there are still opportunities to incorporate physical activity into those journeys.
That could mean walking or cycling to a bus stop, or, for families who have to drive, parking a block away and walking the last few minutes to school.
"Active travel doesn't have to be all or nothing," says Abaza.
The health unit also evaluates participating schools to measure progress, using the same data collection process established when they first joined the initiative.
Schools that complete their action plans and demonstrate progress can graduate from the program, while continuing their efforts with support as needed.
Abaza says a regional advisory committee is also looking at ways to make those improvements last, including policy changes that could be incorporated into municipal and school board planning.
