Bringing the Heart to the Table
It’s been quite a year for walking and rolling in northern Michigan. The trails are packed, the sidewalks are bustling, and our parks are full of life. To paraphrase the great philosopher Yogi Berra, it’s like no one goes out anymore because there are too many people.
Of course, we know that’s not true. We’re out there every day, celebrating the progress made to make our community more walk-and-roll friendly. East Bay Township is making trails and safe routes to school. There are new sidewalks and crosswalks across Grand Traverse County. And the Boardman Lake Loop now runs full circle from Traverse City to Garfield Township, connecting people to nature and hundreds of businesses and services along its route.
All these improvements — and those planned for the future — take time and planning. And they also don’t happen without you supporting our efforts and speaking up.
Currently, two planning efforts in Traverse City will impact how we experience the community when we walk, bike, and roll. The city is rewriting its Master Plan and creating its first Mobility Action Plan — ambitious documents that will inform decades of investments. The initial public survey for both projects is live until this Sunday. Also, there will be a joint open house to jump-start the effort October 26.
ENGAGE AND REPRESENT
TC Shaping Our Future — Public Survey (Closes October 9)
Joint Project Open House — October 26, 3–7 pm, Hagerty Center
Sign up for updates from each project at Traverse City Master Plan and Traverse City Mobility Action Plan. In addition, you can learn more about the process in our interview with the City Planner.
Norte’s advocacy efforts make northern Michigan walk-and-roll friendly by design. We do this through education, partnerships, and encouragement. And we also make the case every time we set off with a group of young riders or on a community bike ride. As a friend likes to say, Norte brings the heart to the table.
As Norte’s Advocacy Director, I’m honored to give voice to that heart on Traverse City’s Active Transportation Advisory Committee and Mobility Action Plan Leadership Committee. I also regularly meet with citizens looking to make a change. We examine the issues, discuss solutions, and I carry those values forward.
I invite you to reach out and take a walk. I’d love to hear your concerns, answer questions, and help you be part of the change.
Engage and Represent,
Gary Howe
Advocacy and Communications Director
P.S. Please consider donating today to support Norte’s advocacy efforts. You can make a difference in the continuous improvement of walking and rolling across northern Michigan.
