PlanningxChange 63 with Ben Rossiter of Victoria Walks
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In PX63, Jess Noonan and Peter Jewell interview Ben Rossiter Secretary and Executive Officer of Victoria Walks. The organisation is a walking health promotion charity managed by an independent voluntary board. The organisation's mission is simple: 'More people walking more every day'. Victoria Walks undertakes research, which informs an ongoing campaign of advocacy and policy work. Ben talks of the benefits of walking and impediments to walking within our city form. But isn't more walking just like eating more vegetables, we all know we should do more of it! Ben answers this question suggesting walking is given better representation within the transport matrix and from this better implementation solutions can follow so that walking is an easier daily choice. The organisation website victoriawalks.com.au contains a link to walkingmaps.com.au (an offshoot) that contains numerous local walking trails, the majority created by the public. The website includes videos on how to create and upload walking trails. There are themed walks within cities and regional areas. This platform is of increasing interest to local government in terms of promoting better health outcomes and supporting local tourism. The benefits of walking extend beyond the physical, Friedrich Nietzsche the German philosophy stated: 'All truly great thoughts are conceived when walking'. For internal reflection one only need consider the Philosopher's Walk in Kyoto. The route is so named because the influential 20th century Japanese philosopher and Kyoto University professor Nishida Kitaro is thought to have used it for his daily mediation. Kitaro's most famous concept is the logic of basho usually translated as 'place' involving at times the dynamic tension of opposites. We hope this podcast creates interest in walking and how cities can be made more walking friendly. Due to the Government lockdown, this interview was recorded using Zoom, we apologise for the less than optimal audio quality. Podcast produced by Complete Podcasting Services. Episode released 11 May 2020.