Topham Students Get Painting to Promote Active Transportation
October 17, 2022
The route to school for students at Topham Elementary looks a lot different, and in a good way. Sidewalks in front and adjacent to the North Langley school are painted with bright, coloured shapes like circles and squares.
On Friday, October 14, students, staff, and families at Topham Elementary took part in a tactical urbanism event to help promote active transportation.
As part of this event, students painted sidewalks and brightened up the spaces to help promote walking, rolling, and cycling to and from school.
“We are excited to be taking part in this activity. Students are thrilled to get outside, get creative, and work together as a community to make the space around their school more inviting and travel-friendly,” said Vanessa Jaggi, Principal of Topham Elementary.
Jaggi says the school community is reminded to walk, bike, and roll to and from school. She believes the finished project will be encouraging.
“Topham Elementary continues to promote a healthy, safe, welcoming, and positive learning environment. Having students get involved with this hands-on activity and then seeing the artwork every day on their way to school, will be a good motivator for our students and families to consider active transportation to and from school,” she explains.
For the project, students painted some interactive games like “follow the line” and other unique designs on the sidewalks along 216 Street and 91st Avenue, with assistance from staff from the Township of Langley and Urban Systems, which is a consulting firm.
The Township of Langley and Urban Systems were the lead organizers of the event, which is part of the Topham Elementary Travel Plan, a Township of Langley led initiative, that has been in the works over the last few years. The school is grateful to all the community partners that have collaborated to support the school.
“Thank you to the Township of Langley and Urban Systems for this opportunity. We want to thank our students, staff, parents/guardians, and PAC (parent advisory council) for their support in this initiative. We would also like to acknowledge the Topham School Travel Plan Committee Members for their work over the years in helping contribute to making this a healthy, safe, and positive learning community,” commented Jaggi.
“I look forward to seeing more bikes, scooters and students walking to and from school throughout the year,” says Jaggi.