Kanza Rail-Trails Conservancy Annual Meeting Set. The annual meeting of Kanza Rail-Trails Conservancy will be held on Sunday November 9 at Creekside at Berryton in the village of Berryton (located southeast of Topeka). All trails advocates are invited to attend this celebratory meeting, KRTC memberships of $10 can be paid at the door. Lunch will be provided from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. (donation suggested) followed by the President’s address, division reports and election of directors. At 3:00 p.m. there will be a field trip (hike or bile) on the adjacent Landon Nature Trail. Come join in the fall fun!
Bike/Ped Bridge Across Missouri River at Omaha Opens The following was taken from the Omaha World-Herald (15 August 2008):
Flip of switch to light night skyline, pedestrian bridge
By Karen Sloan
World-Herald Staff Writer
After the switch is thrown at a ceremony Sept. 13, the lights illuminating the new Missouri River pedestrian bridge will shine every night.
When two cities get a new icon, it's time to throw a party - and throw on the lights.
That's just what Omaha and Council Bluffs officials are planning for the debut lighting of the new Missouri River pedestrian bridge connecting Nebraska and Iowa.
A concert, fireworks and one big flip of the switch are planned for the bridge lighting ceremony Sept. 13.
The bridge won't be open to walking and biking until sometime in late September or early October, but the bridge will be lit every night after the ceremony, said Joe Gudenrath, spokesman for Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey.
The event piggybacks on the Playing With Fire blues concert series already scheduled at the Lewis and Clark Landing. Music begins at 4:30 p.m. with acts leading up to headliner Toni Lynn Washington and special guest Junior Watson. Fireworks and the bridge lighting will be at 9 p.m. All events are free.
Gallup Inc. is funding lights that will illuminate each of the 80 bridge cables. A separate donation from the Suzanne and Walter Scott Foundation is funding color LED panels that will light the tops of both 204-foot bridge towers.
Kansas Trails/Health Summit Slated for October 6-7 in Wichita The following is taken from the Kansas Dept. of Wildlife and Parks website:
Event designed to promote healthy outdoor activities
On Oct. 6-7, the Kansas Recreation and Park Association (KRPA) will conduct a two-day event entitled the Kansas Health Summit: Built Environment and the Outdoors. The event will take place at the Hyatt Regency Hotel and Century II Convention Center in Wichita.
The summit will promote the concept that the design of a community, called a "built environment" -- where people live, work, learn, and play -- heavily influences their well-being. The built environment concept emphasizes the importance of walking and biking and includes opportunities to access fresh fruits and vegetables, has varied outdoor opportunities that include trail systems, and is safe. Many factors affect the built environment concept, including policy, city planning, coalition work, zoning, and citizen involvement. This summit will address how the public can affect the built environment and enhance current and planned trail systems to ensure that communities support healthy eating and active living, and that this support stretches equally across all neighborhoods within a community and across the state of Kansas.
On Monday, Oct. 6, author Richard Louv will speak from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Mary Jane Teall Theater at Century II. Louv is a journalist who focuses on nature, family, and community. His most recent book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder, has stimulated international conversation about the future relationship between children and nature.
Louv's topics of discussion will include the following:
actions that create change in community, school, and family; discussion points to inspire people of all ages to talk about the importance of nature in their lives;
a progress report by the author about the Leave No Child Inside movement; and
new and updated research that direct exposure to nature is essential for the physical and emotional health of children and adults. The event will also include tours, lectures and interactive sessions on a variety of topics. Sessions of specific interest to park and recreation professionals include the following topics:
Monday, Oct. 6
when shared- or single-use trails are appropriate;
a tour of Kansas hiking and paddling experiences by guidebook authors;
the state of outdoor recreation in Kansas (including the 2008 State Trails Plan);
health and wellness benefits of parks, recreation and open space; and
single track trail assessment.
Tuesday, Oct. 7
children’s "Outdoor Bill of Rights" strategies for getting youth in Kansas to discover outdoor activities;
pathways and stream corridor planning projects;
marketing trails and community walking access as tourist attractions;
taking the necessary steps to keep outdoor experience a family and public priority; and
creating bicycle-friendly communities.Full conference details and registration information are available on the KRPA website: www.krpa.org