When the Sidewalk Ends

Fewer than half of U.S. children who live close to school walk or ride their bikes to class, according to a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. In sharp contrast, 90 percent of kids did so in 1969.

This should come as no surprise to me. Suburban sprawl is a 21^st century fact of life, and there aren’t a whole lot of sidewalks connecting subdivisions and schools. Not to mention, the era of school vouchers means that most children don’t live within a mile of their school of choice. But this statistic is sad to me for so many reasons.

I grew up in an older city with sidewalks on every street and, sure enough, I walked or biked to school from Kindergarten through the time I got my first car as a senior in high school. Those daily trips were full of simple little memories – filling up on Gobstoppers at the candy store, trying to avoid the bully who hung out at the corner of Elm and Cleveland, and planning our summer breaks on the last day of school. All part of being a kid.

Today’s youngsters don’t get to enjoy those same experiences. There are no more sidewalks (thanks suburbia), no more candy stores (thanks childhood obesity), and very little free time (thanks Mom for scheduling out the entire summer). Compounding the problem are the safety concerns that weren’t around – or at least weren’t considered – when I was young. Sending your children off on their own takes a new breed of courage.

Having said that, I don’t know whether today’s children know what they’re missing. If given the choice, would they pick fresh air, exercise, and bullies over the climate-controlled ride in Mom’s minivan? (Sigh)

There are at least two organizations in the U.S. that are striving to promote the once-ubiquitous practice of walking to school: the CDC’s KidsWalk-to-School and International Walk to School in the USA. The latter coordinates a national walk-to-school day, this year on October 3; sadly, only one school in North Carolina is registered.

Hopefully, this new statistic about walking rates will get people thinking… and on their feet.

Small-Town Girl in the Wannabe-Big City

Growth is good, right? And Charlotte is growing, growing, growing. Just open the newspaper… more schools, wider roads, a new wing at SouthPark mall, and the possibility of (gasp) a Trump condo building! Everything is new, clean, fresh, and expensive-looking – a developer’s dream. And yet, the enchanted feeling I had when I moved here in 1998 is fading. Where is our sense of history? Our sense of authenticity? Our sense of people who are real, and true, and unabashedly middle class?

We have a newer, bigger, better arena, so let’s tear down the antiquated (19-year-old) Coliseum. Mom-and-pop restaurants? Nahhhh, we need another parking deck. And Farmer Jim can’t afford his property taxes anymore, so we might as well buy him out and build a new subdivision... with a quick 20-mile, hour-plus commute over 485.

I’m not against growth and change. But, the changes I’ve seen in this city within the last few years make me long for a simpler life – one without traffic, sprawl, or pretense. “Why don’t we move to the country?” I casually suggested to my husband earlier this week. “Way, way out there. Buy a couple acres, live off the fatta the land, get a couple more dogs…” A quick sideways glance indicated he had either not heard me or tactfully chose not to respond to my plea.

There are compelling reasons to stay in Charlotte. Lots of job opportunities. Plenty of fantastic independent restaurants. A network of supportive friends. The Panthers. And last but not least, my husband’s pension.

But is it possible to stay here without becoming a slave to the system? Is it possible to slow down and simplify without shutting down or being shut out? Only time will tell.