Walk Audit for the Town of Sparta

ASTA is pleased to co-host and participate with the NC Cooperative Extension Service and other community organizations to conduct a community walk audit in the Town of Sparta. Come join us as we perform a second walk audit with local citizens, business entities, community organizations and other persons that have an interest in promoting and improving walkability around the Town of Sparta. We will have several teams walking different routes in town to businesses, shopping, schools, churches, medical facilities, library, town parks, restaurants, entertainment and recreation venues in town. The walk audit will help highlight parts of the community that need improvements to make it safer and easier for everyone to walk, bike and be active.

Our focus is to promote and improve the safety and ability to walk and bike in and around town. Walking is a great way to improve the overall health and well being of our citizens and connect with our neighbors. Help us to conduct this study and document ways to improve the ability to walk and bike around the Town of Sparta. You can help us understand the needs of the community and find the best solutions. Let’s see if we can find ways to safely walk and ride around town and let the cars take a break!

If you have additional questions, you may contact Carmen Long at the extension office at 336-372-5597 or email: carmen_long@ncsu.edu. You may also respond directly to Carmen to register your attendance.

DIRECTIONS: All teams will meet at the NC Cooperative Extension Service at 90 South Main Street, Sparta, NC. We will meet in the 2nd floor conference room for a short orientation before the walk. The walks should begin around 12:45 pm. A follow up discussion will be held at the conclusion of the walks.

Google Maps – NC Extension Service

Walk Teams: We will have several teams that will be walking different routes in and around town. Groups will be arranged so there are a variety of interests and fitness level in each group. Safety vests will be provided to each participant for use during the walk as there will be areas where you may potentially be in or beside a street. A short orientation session will be held for the participants prior to the start of the walks. Sparta Police will be available to ensure safety in designated areas where there are no current sidewalks or marked pedestrian crossings.

Audit Forms: Each team member will have a survey form to be completed for your walk loop during the walk. Clipboards and pens will be provided to each participant. The audit forms are the area to note your concerns and comments for the particular walk route you are participating.

Weather: This event is weather dependent. If the weather forecast turns inclement, we will possibly reschedule the event for a different day and time. If weather is questionable, please check back here to the home page before the event to see if conditions have changed, we will try to update the event status on Meetup as timely as practical and send a message via Meetup to attendees.

Other Info: You should bring water, comfortable clothing appropriate for the weather and season (example: warm gear in cold weather and rain gear for seasonal use is always a good idea). We will be walking in groups with different levels of fitness within the group but will tailor the speed of the walk to ensure all participants remain together for the duration of the walk. Participants are also encouraged to bring their phones to take pictures of any items important to them during the walk. These photos should be forwarded at the conclusion of the walk so we have access to them should they be desired to include in the final report summary.

Terms of Participation: Participation in this event constitutes acceptance of the terms of participation as listed for this group on its homepage. On behalf of yourself and any guest you invite, participation in our events is entirely at your own risk.