Senior citizens from across the City met at the Niagara Senior Center on July 9, 2014 to learn how to conduct a walkability audit of the area outside the Center as part of a Fall River Mass In Motion Healthy Aging Initiative Project funded by the Massachusetts Council on Aging to get more seniors walking. The Project is training seniors from throughout the City on how to conduct audits of various walking routes in order to make recommendation City on needed improvements. Fall River Mass in Motion Coordinator Julie Kelly and Healthy Aging Initiative Coordinator Eric Andrade introduced WalkBoston Executive Director Wendy Landsman who gave a half-hour presentation and then answered questions. The participants then split into two groups with one going east on Tucker Street to Stafford Road and the other going west to William Canning Boulevard, noting some of the problems that required correction. Once audits are conducted around all four senior centers, a report will be given to the City Department of Community Maintenance for action. Click here for a 35-minute video of the presentation and the walk. Click here for photos of the invitation session. For more information about the program, contact Julie Kelly at 508-324-2405 or Associate Council on Aging Director Pauline Gousie at 508-324-2401.

(Top row, left) WalkBoston Executive Director Wendy Landsman, Intern Kasia Hart and Communications Director Brendan Kearney, left, distribute materials to the group. (Top row, center) Kathy Lowney, Healthy Aging Initiative Coordinator Eric Andrade, and Julie Cleare look over the forms. (Top row, right) Amy Fragoza and Shirley Bardsley look over the audit forms with Brendan. (Middle row, left) Cheryl Costa, Elsie Dias and Ben B. meet outside the Senior Center with Wendy before heading to Bishop Mariano Boulevard. (Middle row, right) Eric and Brendan, right, go over the instructions with their group before heading to Stafford Road. (Row three, left and center) Ben talks with Wendy about sidewalk regulations before Wendy points out some overgrowth on the sidewalk across the street. (Kathy takes notes while Fall River Mass In Motion Coordinator Julie Kelly points something out to Wendy. (Bottom row) The group heads to William Canning Boulevard where Wendy points out the lack of adequate crossing lights and more overgrowth on the sidewalk as they head back.