Our Lady of Mount Carmel Primary School is to launch Park It, a walk-to-school initiative encouraging families to swap car rides for active travel, starting Friday 23 May.
Park It is part of a Victorian-wide effort to reintroduce walking into the daily routines of schoolchildren. The program provides designated drop-off and pick-up points within 1 kilometre of the school, connected by a student-designed, child-friendly walking route.
The initiative responds to a trend that shows the number of children walking or cycling to school has plummeted from 75% to as little as 15% during the last 40 years. Park It aims to reverse this by promoting the mental, physical, and emotional benefits of walking.
By participating, families help children gain independence, improve fitness, and strengthen their connection to the local community.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Primary School will have a pupil drop-off zone behind the Global Learning Centre, Macedon St, with a range of activities for children to take part in as they walk to school.
“This will alleviate traffic congestion around the school and encourage physical activity,” says the school’s principal Julie Freeman.
The Park It program was launched last year with the backing of Hume City Council and the state government.
