There are many challenges to promoting active transportation in a rural area. Among them:

• Most research and writing on community design, active transportation, cycling planning etc. is urban in context
• Rural “car culture”
• Distances between destinations
• Limited tax base but extensive road network to keep maintained
• Often, transportation = Cars = Roads, with little consideration given to other modes of transportation

How have we addressed these challenges?
Our projects all include elements of partnership, planning, advocacy and promotion. We have engaged numerous partners to develop active transportation plans, and advocate on an on-going basis to local councils and the community to keep active transportation and healthy, active communities as a priority for decision making.

We have also presented at conferences (Walk 21 2007, Pro Walk Pro Bike 2008), and have had case studies published on our work so that other small communities can learn from some of our successes

Creating Active Rural Communities

Active Transportation Planning in Haliburton County (p. 23)

Creating Active Rural Communities presentation at 2008 Pro Walk Pro Bike

Partnership
Partnership and collaboration are key to making things happen, especially in small rural communities. We have worked with numerous community partners to work towards a vision of a healthy active community that includes active transportation. Sectors that we partner with are:

• public health
• tourism
• municipal recreation
• municipal government
• trails
• accessibility
• community based research
• community economic development
• education
• community-at-large