Parks, Trails and Greenways Essentials

Parks, trails, and greenways can be used to get to destinations of interest, such as schools, shops, community centers, or workplaces. Greenways are interconnected networks of green space that vary in size and can traverse urban, suburban or rural areas. A greenway system is an ideal way to link people to destinations of interest and recreation. They provide an alternate means (non motorized) of transportation that allows users to be physically active. All three can help promote active living, a way of life that integrates physical activity into daily routines. Active Living by Design promotes environments that offer choices for integrating physical activity into daily life.

Research has shown that people with access to parks are likely to be physically active, and that trails may help promote physical activity among women, persons in lower socioeconomic groups, and the sedentary. Parks, trails, and greenways that promote active living should be safe, linked to destinations of interest, and designed for multiple purposes and users.