(Casper, Wyo.) – Biking, walking, health, and active living experts will join state officials and supporters of pathways and trails in a two-day conference starting Thursday, June 25, in Casper.
“Active Living” will be the theme of the 2015 Wyoming Bike-Walk-Trails Summit, which will emphasize the connection between the activities of biking and walking and improved health outcomes, better transportation options, and realizing recreation, tourism and economic development benefits in Wyoming.
“This Summit will offer a great opportunity for community and business leaders, planners, engineers, health care providers, biking and walking advocates from all over Wyoming to come together and discuss the vital connection between active living and health, transportation, tourism and economic development,” said Angela Emery, Executive Director of Platte River Trails.
Platte River Trails Trust and Wyoming Pathways will co-host the Summit, which will be held at the Tate Pumphouse in Casper. Sponsors include Wyoming Department of Transportation, Wyoming Department of Health, Wyoming State Parks and Cultural Resources, City of Casper, and AARP. The two-day conference cost is $100 for all sessions and 3 meals, with lodging discounts available for participants at the Ramada Plaza Hotel.
“Pathways are the modern town-square and are essential for how members of vibrant communities recreate, connect with the outdoors and connect with each other,” said WY Representative Tim Stubson, who will speaker at the Summit Thursday evening.
Among the mix of participants at the summit will be featured Wyoming experts on pathways and trails. The keynote speaker is nationally recognized expert Mark Fenton, a public health, planning, & transportation consultant and adjunct professor Tufts University.
“The Bike Walk Trail Summit will provide an opportunity for biking and walking supporters and agency leaders from around the state to connect with each other, and learn from top national experts,” said Tim Young, Executive Director of Wyoming Pathways.
The Summit will also feature a presentation from the Sonoran Institute’s New Mobility West program that will focus on new directions in community and economic development, including market demand for walkable places as well as the results of a new study called Place Value, which examines factors that attract entrepreneurs and an educated workforce to communities in the Rocky Mountain West.
The Summit covers both community biking and mountain biking. On Friday Joey Klein with IMBA with give a presentation on Next Generation Trails. Joey is one of the country’s top mountain bike trail designers, including award-winning trails in Wyoming.
In addition, top Wyoming leaders will share state agency efforts underway to support active transportation and recreation. Speakers include Department of Transportation Director John Cox, Department of Health Director Tom Forslund, and State Parks and Cultural Resources Administrator Dominic Bravo.
A facilitated discussion with leaders and Summit participants will help develop ideas for active living programs in Wyoming.
“Experts tell us regular physical activity can help us avoid heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, colon and breast cancer and weight gain,” said Tom Forslund, Wyoming Department of Health director. “It can be as easy as taking a walk or a bike ride right out the front door, and when we incorporate more active living like that into our daily lives, people and communities in Wyoming both benefit.”
The Summit starts on Thursday afternoon June 25th at the Tate Pumphouse, with an evening reception and speakers including WY House Representative Tim Stubson of Casper. Friday’s agenda goes from 8:15 AM – 3:30 PM at the Tate Pumphouse, with several panel discussions covering the interrelated topics of active transportation, health, recreation and tourism.
The Summit concludes Friday afternoon. There will be an optional mountain bike trail builders class and trail volunteer dig day on Casper Mountain on Saturday.
For more information and to register, go to www.platteriverparkway.org or www.wyopath.org or call Angela Emery at 307-577-1206 or email platteriver@wyoming.com.
-Platte River Trails-