Healthy Maine Streets Rumford offers new walking map & guide

Sept. 10--RUMFORD -- A desire to get people out walking more in the downtown area and to develop healthier habits prompted the printing of the new Walking Map and Guide.

The six-page booklet developed by Healthy Maine Streets shows walking distances for loops on three inside pages using streets for the downtown island and extending outward beyond Rumford Hospital and Rumford Elementary School.

The map also shows three bridge crossings over the Androscoggin River. Also on it are Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox at the Information Center along Route 2.

The maps are free for the taking. They recently were placed on counters in local businesses and at the Town Office and are being well-received by businesses and people, Barbara Rajaniemi said Tuesday morning.

"We've had a fantastic response," Rajaniemi, administrative assistant for the River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition, said. "It's been really well-received. Business owners love it and they like that it's for free."

The map was created through a Healthy Maine Streets grant through local economic development group Envision Rumford and printed by Ink Plaza on Congress Street.

Rajaniemi said they had 500 made initially and have placed 200 throughout the area.

"I think it's exciting," she said. "We just want to get people moving and get our community healthy, and get people into our downtown."

Healthy Maine Streets concentrates on finding ways to increase downtown foot traffic.

Carol Emery, an RVHCC member, also wants to make another map booklet showing local indoor walking paths during the fall and winter. The group will also add the new Fitness Trail to the first map when it is completed. That trail along the Androscoggin River is currently under construction.

It will feature 10 fitness stations in 12- by 12-foot parcels on town land. Equipment such as monkey bars, pull-up bars or a bench for sit-ups will be placed in concrete at the parcels so people can exercise.

"Four stations are being put in right now, with two going into Morency Park along River StreetChisholm Walking Trail on the other side of the river," she said. "Once the fitness trail gets done, we'll revamp that map."

In other RVHCC news, the kickoff for the new 30/30 Challenge is 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11, at the coalition office on River Street. There will be a 30-minute walk afterward.

Rajaniemi said that is an activity to get people walking and/or being physically active for at least 30 minutes a day for 30 days. She said it's geared toward the community and smaller businesses with 20 or fewer employees. Many larger businesses already provide this option for employees to help reduce their insurance costs.

"This challenge gives people the same opportunity to get healthy," she said. "We'll all be winners when we create that healthy habit."

Last November, they held their fifth 100/100 Challenge for people to be physically active for 100 miles a day for 100 days by offering a conversion chart that helped people convert aerobic exercise, household chores and seasonal activities into miles.

Among the additional activity offerings during the challenge are park bench yoga, Zumba and Nordic walking.

They will also offer canoeing and kayaking at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, for the fourth annual River Run down the Androscoggin River from the Hanover boat launch to the Rumford boat launch. It's a 9½-mile paddle.

"We want to offer different things throughout the 30 days to try to give people opportunities," Rajaniemi said.

For more information about the 30/30 Challenge, call Rajaniemi at 364-7408 or stop by the River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition at 94 River Street.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com

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