A great thing about the COVID-19 is seeing all the people out walking in my neighbourhood. A street walker for decades, I usually only see people walking their dogs, but now there are people of all ages out walking. It has always seemed strange to me that people would drive to their gym or to a park or pathways when they could just explore their neighbourhood to get their exercise.

But then I am strange!

I am not sure if the happy face on this ball is intentional or not, but it made me smile when I saw it.

Urban Planners should know better!

Love history notes on the utility boxes in Hillhurst and West Hillhurst.

Today, I also find it stranger than ever that people would go to busy pathways and streets - to walk, when the residential streets have so few people, making it easy to practice social distancing.

I also question why cities are opening up roadways to pedestrians and bikes, as all that seems all this does is encourage people to drive from their neighbourhood to these special places which quickly become over crowded.

The same urban planners who advocate that if you build more road capacity, you don’t solve the problem of traffic gridlock - you just encourage more driving and soon the gridlock is back. The same holds true for pathways and road closures - creating greater capacity in popular areas won’t solve the over-crowding problem – it just attracts more people to go there.

What we need is to encourage people to discover the joy of exploring the neighbourhoods near where they live. I know some of you will say that your ‘hood is boring, but I beg to differ. Read on!

Flaneuring Fun

For me “flaneuring” means walking the streets, alleys, parks and pathways of a city with no specific destination and no other purpose than to acutely observe the beauty, colour, peculiarity, ornamentation and blight associated with the ever-changing urban habitat.

For the past few years, I have taken photos of the fun things I see while flaneuring (random wandering) in my ‘hood and then when I return home, I tweet out my “Fun Flaneur Finds!” I now have people reciprocating – sending me their “fun finds” as they walk their neighbourhoods. The more “fun finds” the merrier.

Found this abstract artwork in a spring-time puddle near West Hillhurst Recreation Centre.

Never Get Bored

It is amazing how even though I might have wandered a street dozens of times, I always seem to discover something new.

Sometimes it is a new Free Little Library; other times it’s the retro street numbers still on the mid-century houses their decorative porch railings and front doors.

Placing painted rocks in gardens seems to be popular these days in Calgary – and of there are a few fun fairy gardens too.

Sidewalk chalk art has become a popular activity for young children. Finding front yard artworks is especially fun for me.

Over the past six weeks, since COVID-19 rules say “stay in your ‘hood”, I have collected dozens of new “Fun Flaneur Finds.” I hope they not only create a fun virtual flaneur of some of Calgary’s northwest communities, but also give you some ideas on how to make your neighbourhood walkabouts more fun.

It never ceases to amaze me what I find. So next time you are out walking perhaps try picking one or two things fun things to look for – gates, yard art, railings, doors, numbers, furniture etc.