Lawrence closes streets to promote health, exercise

For two Sundays in August, the city of Lawrence closed certain streets to allow citizens more opportunities for outdoor recreation.

The city held Lawrence Ciclovia for the second consecutive year. The event is organized by the Healthy Active Living Working Group under the Mayor’s Health Task Force.

The Spanish term “Ciclovia” (translation: “bike path”) is used to describe events when city streets are temporarily closed to vehicles to create safe spaces for physical activities like walking and biking. The “open streets” concept, which originated in Bogota, Colombia, and is gaining popularity in North America, according to Elecia Miller, project officer for the Mayor’s Health Task Force.

This year, the event was held on Aug. 2 and Aug. 30, from 1 to 5 p.m. Residents were encourages to walk, bike and rollerblade in the closed streets.

Miller said the Ciclovia idea was introduced at a time when the city was working to develop innovative ways to get residents to be active. The goal is to increase opportunities in the community to help combat obesity and chronic diseases.

In addition to health benefits, residents get the opportunity to explore the city’s downtown and visit local businesses, she said.