YEAR-IN-REVIEW: The New Year can’t quite come quickly enough. The past year has shown us the value of community resilience, that we can design for health, and that the change that is necessary is possible.
In no particular order, here is Better Ennis’ top 10 inspiring happy healthy streets stories of 2020:
Inspiration from the Silke family and Co in Galway >>>
Bringing joy and busting myths were Mrs. Marie Silke, her friend, Mary Farrell, and the entire Silke family, who continue to prove that age is truly just a number when it comes to keeping active in #Galway.
Less traffic, more trikes is the future.
📷 @SilkeRichard #BETop10 pic.twitter.com/NGpWqmQNia
— Better Ennis (@BetterEnnis) December 22, 2020
Pedestrianisation in Ennis, Co Clare shows that the healthier streets concept does not have to be confined to cities >>>
Our own @ClareCoCo was quick off the mark with the Ennis Mobility Plan in May.
It gave residents and visitors alike some wonderful stress-free, noise-free, fume-free experiences – for young, old and everyone in-between🤸♀️
📷@brendanredmond #activetravel #healthystreets #BETop10 pic.twitter.com/mPA818hRf1
— Better Ennis (@BetterEnnis) December 22, 2020
The food-focused pedestrianisation of Princes Street in Cork City was one of many examples which showed Irish people are interested in eating outside >>>
Cork traders showed how cooperation can get things done!
Foodies flocked to a vibrant, newly pedestrianised Princes Street in the heart of the city, and everyone else wondered why we had thought that people in Ireland wouldn’t enjoy outdoor dining 🌦️
📷 @CorkPrinces #BETTop10 pic.twitter.com/mcAm17FTBm
— Better Ennis (@BetterEnnis) December 22, 2020
As countries went into lockdowns, more people than ever were working from home and the use of social media and webinars exploded, taking the exchange of ideas across the world to a new level >>>
From around the world and criss-crossing Ireland, people involved in mobility, placemaking, healthier streets, accessibility, public health, government, research and business traded ideas, knowledge, experience, and inspiration online – and elevated us all in the process #BETop10 pic.twitter.com/SAaHMHbUeE
— Better Ennis (@BetterEnnis) December 22, 2020
Kildare Town, Co Kildare showed our towns can make better user of prime space than car parking >>>
Towns and cities reallocated space from car sitting to people sitting and we are all the better for it.
Public seating, parklets, inclusive benches welcomed people to outdoor public spaces – to stop, rest, meet, and enjoy a sense of place. #BETop10 #placemaking
📷 @KildareCoCo pic.twitter.com/4GjxWTqeI2— Better Ennis (@BetterEnnis) December 22, 2020
Children were cycling in higher numbers around Ireland and a boom in Cycle Buses to help them get to school safety while infrastructure is still lacking >>>
2020 was the year that kids nationwide rediscovered the joy of two wheels.
Waiting for infrastructure, rural and urban alike, they won’t be stopped now – so they followed the wonderful, inspiring @cycle_bus and School Cycle Buses popped up all over the country 😊🚲#BETTop10 pic.twitter.com/Tykjo8PoCU
— Better Ennis (@BetterEnnis) December 22, 2020
School zones put a focus on the streets outside schools in the Dublin City area >>>
A Proven Theorem: Dots + Pencils = Happier Kids!
Schools zones for cleaner air, safer streets and more active children, were spotted around the capital with @DubCityCouncil @GreenSchoolsIre @Fingalcoco leading the way in their roll-out.
📷 @canalwayetns @GreenlanesNS #airquality pic.twitter.com/TkqUbXOqvS— Better Ennis (@BetterEnnis) December 22, 2020
The year allowed us to see what’s nearby through different eyes >>>
This year brought us closer to what was already nearby, the journey and the destination took on equal value, and we took to the open road to find the green and the blue🌳🌿🌊
📷 @GalwayUrban @laurshannon #nature #greenspace #healthycities #publichealth #activetravel #BETop10 pic.twitter.com/P09oUkOfJe
— Better Ennis (@BetterEnnis) December 22, 2020
Knocking it out of the park was the @dlrcc team who raised the bar with their elegant Coastal Mobility Route and who underpinned the point that quality means inclusive. Their work enables everyone – of all ages, genders, abilities – have a better quality of life
📷@robertburns73 pic.twitter.com/jVLMpNhJLg— Better Ennis (@BetterEnnis) December 22, 2020
Pictured are one of the Ardú murals in Cork City, filtered permeability enabling children to cycle to school in Grangegorman in Dublin City, and parklet seating in Limerick City >>>
Although the new year ahead can’t quite come quickly enough, the past year has shown us the value of community resilience, that we can design for health, and that the change that is necessary is possible. #healthystreets #BEtop10
📷@ArduStreetArt @StephDickenson @wearecanteen pic.twitter.com/mrSQfKzX7r
— Better Ennis (@BetterEnnis) December 22, 2020
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