Ottawa students are braving the cold this winter as part of a program designed to keep them active.
Participants walk to school and take part in what the program is calling “active transportation.” The program, which just finished its pilot phase, is aimed at increasing the daily physical activity of Ottawa’s youth to the recommended goal of an hour per day.
The Walking School Bus is a joint venture between Ottawa Public Health, the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority, the Ottawa Catholic School Board and the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board. Walking school buses are currently available at six schools across Ottawa.
“We’re delighted to be a part of the program,” says Susuan Bouwer, vice-principal of Robert Bateman Public School. She says her school is encouraging students to walk to school because of the health and environmental benefits. While this isn’t the first time walk-to-school programs have been encouraged, this new program marks a distinct change in the way they are run.
Marie-Claude Lang, acting supervisor of the school health program for Ottawa Public Health, says the Walking School Bus is “more reliable and sustainable” than ever before because it runs with paid staff who have been trained in first aid.
“In the past, walking school bus programs in the city have only been run by volunteers,” she says, “once the volunteers are busy the walking school bus would be cancelled.”
According to Lang, only 24 per cent of middle and high school students get their recommended daily physical activity.
“We know only about 28 per cent of children in Canada walk to school, compared to the previous generation around 68 per cent,” she says. Groups behind the Walking School Bus program would like to see both of those numbers increase.
Vicky Kyriaco, general manager for the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority, says while she is optimistic about the success of the program, Ottawa’s winter weather can provide challenges.
“Certainly there are health and safety concerns for the school bus leaders and students because of the weather and icy conditions.”
Since students returned back from their winter break, the program has been cancelled on one day due to extreme weather concerns.
On days when the program is cancelled, Kyriaco says it is up to parents to find an alternative method of getting their children to school. When the program does run, she says that participating students are expected to be appropriately dressed for the walk.
“In almost every community there are students that don’t have proper outerwear,” she says, noting that schools often have programs to assist these children.
Ultimately, Kyriaco says, it is “not Ottawa Student Transportation Authority’s responsibility to ensure that they’re properly dressed.”
Ottawa Public Health notes that as one of the coldest capitals in the world, winter weather in Ottawa should be taken seriously.
“Kids are not too keen to walk to school in the morning when it’s -20 C” says Lang. Wearing proper outerwear, drinking warm fluids, and wearing layers are all ways to prevent feeling the effects of the harsh climate.
Ottawa Public Health will be releasing an evaluation of the first three months of the program in March. In the meantime, the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority hopes to expand the program to new schools.