Have you heard all the buzz about the cool new "green house" in Westover? Been wondering why you can't get into the Westover Branch Library? Curious about the renovations at Westover Apartments? There's a lot going on in tiny Westover village, and you can get the back story on these happenings and more if you join WALKArlington on Halloween Day, Saturday, October 31, for our new Westover Walkabout!
The Walkabout, or guided walking tour, of the wickedly walkable Westover neighborhood kicks off at 10:30 a.m. in front of the new Reed School-Westover Branch Library at 1644 North McKinley Street. Walkabout guides will be stationed at 10 stops along the two-mile Walkabout route to share anecdotes (and maybe some ghost stories) about Westover's unique history, community resources, and walkable lifestyle. Don't be afraid! The 90-minute Walkabout ends where it began at noon, just in time for lunch at one of Westover's fabulous restaurants.
Part of a larger day-long event celebrating the eagerly anticipated opening of the Reed School-Westover Branch Library, the Westover Walkabout is free and open to the public. Registration is not required. And the Walkabout will take place RAIN OR SHINE.
WALKArlington is proud to debut the new Westover Walkabout as part of the Reed School-Westover Branch Library Community Celebration, which runs from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. on Halloween Day. Organized by the Westover Village, Highland Park-Overlee Knolls and Tara-Leeway Heights Civic Associations, Arlington Public Libraries, Arlington Public Schools, and the Department of Environmental Services/WALKArlington, the rain-or-shine celebration includes live music, tours of the new school and library, an instrument petting zoo, cooking demonstrations, storytelling and crafts, a costume parade, face-painting, a moon bounce, discounts from Westover merchants, and more!
If you're looking for tricks or treats or both, there's something for everyone in Westover on Halloween Day. BOO!
Treat Yourself to a Marathon Street Festival
Whether you're a runner, walker, or spectator, WALKArlington welcomes all to the 34th Marine Corps Marathon on Sunday, October 25. Home of "the People's Marathon," Arlington County is pulling out all the stops for an estimated 120,000 runners and providing lots of opportunities for walkers and spectators to join the fun, and maybe even experience a vicarious adrenaline rush!
Here are highlights of two of Arlington's biggest Marathon-related events:
Crystal Run Looking for a great place to watch the Marathon on race day? Come to Crystal Run along 18th and Crystal Drive from 9:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m, and give runners a boost along miles 22 and 23! Take Metro to Crystal City (yellow and blue lines) and you'll find yourself in the middle of the action. Free parking is also available.
This year's Crystal Run also features a family-friendly fall festival with a variety of activities, including arts and crafts with the National Children's Museum, face painting, moonbounces, balloon animals, circus activities, and more! Also, spectators can enjoy kid-friendly music from Rocknoceros, Milkshake, and Oh Susannah!
Of course, no kid-oriented celebration would be complete without snacks and candy, so popcorn and cotton candy will be served at the Festival. And in training for Halloween, restaurants along and near Crystal Drive will hand out goodies to trick-or-treaters who break out their Halloween costumes a week early.
(Maybe the kids at Crystal Run will share some of that candy with the runners to help them cover those last three miles to the Finish Line in Rosslyn!)
Rosslyn Finish Festival The excitement of finishing the Marine Corps Marathon will be celebrated at the Finish Festival in Rosslyn, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. After visiting the hospitality zone at the completion of the Marathon, runners will advance to the Finish Festival along Meade Street. Download the Finish Festival map.
Throughout the day, Finish Festival Host Rob Powers will play music, interview runners, greet spectators, and hand out prizes and giveaways. The 2009 Festival also includes the usual post-race activities: stations to check runners’ status on the course, photo booths, and massage tents to relax stiff muscles. Runners can connect with families and friends at designated family link-up areas on the Meade Street Bridge. And to ease congestion around the Rosslyn Metro Station, post-race shuttle buses will pick up passengers at the corner of Lynn and Wilson, taking riders to Crystal City.
These street festivals in Crystal City and Rosslyn are part of a larger County initiative to welcome the Marathon to Arlington County. Although 17 miles of the 26.2–mile course are run in Washington, Arlington is home to the Iwo Jima Marine Corps War Memorial and the Marathon start and finish line. For many years, the County has provided police and security services for the event.
Since 2006, Arlington County has been known as the official home of “The People’s Marathon” so come on out and represent Arlington by cheering on the people!
No Tricks, No Cars, All Treats
Over the past few weeks, Arlington walkers of all ages participated in two global events celebrating walking and car freedom!
Walk and Bike to School Day Report Card
Arlington celebrated Walk and Bike to School Day 2009 on Wednesday, October 7, at Glebe Elementary School and other schools around the County. This year, Arlington Public Schools (APS) highlighted Glebe Elementary, in recognition of the school’s demonstrated commitment to health, fitness and the environment, as a tribute to the many Glebe students who already walk and bike to school, and to celebrate the success of Glebe’s “walking school bus.”
Launched in 2007, Glebe's walking school bus consists of a group of students who walk to school together each day, accompanied by adults and using a dedicated route with pre-determined “stops” where more students are “picked up” as the bus goes along. (see photo of Glebe's "bus" arriving at school on October 7)
To prepare for the big day, WALKArlington prepared resources for Glebe parents, County cartographers created a customized “Walk and Bike to Glebe Elementary” map, and APS handled school and media outreach. WALKArlington also provided Glebe with materials for all 450+ students, including Arlington Bike Maps; WALKArlington Walkabouts brochures; kid-friendly bike/pedestrian safety informational flyers, puzzles, games and coloring pages; and bright orange reflective snap wristbands that help kids "be safe and be seen.”
On the day of the event, several parents led the walking school bus – about 75 kids on foot and bicycles – over the 12-block route, arriving at school in time for a school-wide warm-up rally on the playground. Arlington County Board member Mary Hynes joined the walking school bus “passengers” for the entire route and stayed for the festivities, along with APS Superintendent Patrick Murphy and other VIP guests. The media turned out too, with four local TV channels covering the event.
According to Glebe Principal Jamie Borg, out of a total school population of more than 450 students, about 350 – 100 more than usual – walked to school, and about 40 – double the usual number – biked to school on October 7/Walk and Bike to School Day. Many families told her that they plan to make it a monthly event. Most importantly, the kids had a blast and are eager to do it again, as soon as possible!
World Car-Free Day on Video
And one month ago on September 22, Arlington marked World Car-Free Day on all fronts as transit users, car-poolers, bicyclists, and walkers gathered at Mister Day's in Clarendon at the end of the day to celebrate their car freedom.
After the event, Arlington's Car-Free Diet put together this Car-Free Day video testimonial to tell the story. Check it out, in living color!
A Perfect 11? Sweet!
Here's a pre-Halloween treat for Arlington County that underscores why events like Walk and Bike to School Day, World Car-Free Day, the Marine Corps Marathon, and the upcoming Westover Walkabout work so well in Arlington. A recent BikeWalk Virginia study on Biking and Walking Resources in Virginia awarded Arlington County a perfect score of 11. What does that mean?
In an effort to provide the "first-ever comprehensive picture of the current state of biking and walking planning, resources, accommodations and safety in the State of Virginia," BikeWalk Virginia surveyed 39 cities, 95 counties, and 157 incorporated towns in Virginia earlier this year.
The survey asked a series of questions, like "Has your locality adopted a Pedestrian Plan?" and "Does your locality have a Pedestrian Advisory Committee?" For each "yes" answer, the locality received one point. A new measure, the Virginia Active Transportation Index (VATI) was developed to provide a complete picture of resources in each locality. A locality answering yes to all 11 questions received a perfect score of 11.
Only three cities and counties out of 291 entities surveyed earned the highest possible Virginia Active Transporation Index score of 11. Drumroll, please...
- ARLINGTON COUNTY
- City of Alexandria
- City of Harrisonburg
This is a proud moment for our fair County. While there is always more work to be done, we should all walk with heads held high and a spring in our step, secure in the knowledge that Arlington has earned a perfect 11!
