Although it wasn’t the crisp, sunny winter day organizers were hoping for, students at Hawthorne Village Public School were still enthusiastic about Winter Walk Day on February 11, 2009. 

Numerous schools in the Halton District School Board joined others across the country in this initiative that hopes to encourage students and parents to walk rather than be driven to school.   

Hawthorne Village Public School and six other public schools participated in a pilot project this past fall with Halton partners that included Halton Region’s Health Department, Halton Regional Police Service and municipalities.   

The benefits are obvious – increased exercise for students, less traffic on roads means safer streets and school parking lots, and fewer harmful car emissions from idling cars.  

In March, the Halton Region Health Dept will make recommendations to the school board on how to encourage students to walk from the results of the pilot project.