I’ve dropped the ball miserably when it comes to helping promote a fascinating event today: an “Environmental Justice Bike and Walking Tour,” put together by the Springfield Institute with the assistance of a number of local community groups.
The tour will highlight the institutional barriers that make it that much harder for low-income people to live safe, healthy lives. “What are these structural barriers?” the Springfield Institute asks in an announcement of the tour. “They are all around us, but noticing them and interpreting their impact does not come naturally. It’s a skill, and it requires practice.”
The tour (which begins at noon at Christopher’s Package Store, at 2803 Main St., if you happen to be in the area with some free time) will hit both the bad news—schools located in industry-heavy areas (Gerena, Chestnut), fast food joints, the site of one of the city’s 13 murders this year—as well as hopeful signs: a North End community garden, Baystate’s free Brightwood Health Center, a senior fitness center on Plainfield Street.
If you miss the tour, but still have a hankering to get out and see the city on this hot, hot day, the Citywide Violence Prevention Task Force will hold an event called “Springfield Unites”—in the words of organizers “ to celebrate peace and neighborliness and the positive, resilient spirit of Springfield.” Bring a picnic dinner and gather with fellow city residents, including Mayor Domenic Sarno and members of the task force.
The event will run from 4 to 6 p.m. at Forest Park, at the picnic area near the grandstand. Organizers also intend of hold monthly “walking days” around the city.
And while you’re at Forest Park, don’t forget to stop by the excellent farmers’ market, held at the park’s Cyr Arena every Tuesday from 12:30 to 6 p.m. Parking is plentiful, and shoppers can get into the park for free. And if you don’t make it this week, remember: the market will be there every Tuesday through October.
