Westworld Alberta
Issue link: http://westworldmagazine.ama.ab.ca/i/365611
40 w e s t w o r l d A l b e r t A | f a l l 2 0 1 4 justin sullivan/getty images, claire takacs/getty images 3 Boston Long dubbed America's Walking City, Boston has the highest percentage of commuters who walk in the U.S. It helps that much of the city was built before the automobile became a transportation mainstay. e narrow, winding roads that impart quaint, colonial flavour to the downtown also keep traf- fic to a minimum and amenities tightly packed. Not to mention waistlines slim: the American Fitness Index cites the city's high Walk Score, and the number of commuters who walk, bike or take transit, as contributors to Boston's position as ninth fittest city in America. 4 Vancouver With glass skyscrapers reflecting the towering North Coast mountains, plen- tiful parks and tree-lined streets, Vancouver takes the cake for being a downright pleasant place to walk. But its walkability is also due to urban planning that combines densely packed residential and mixed-use buildings, shops at street level, high accessibility stan- dards and traffic-calming measures such as roundabouts and speed bumps. e result? Air twice as clean as Toronto's, and the double- edged distinction of being the most livable – and most expensive – city in the country. 5 Philadelphia Much like Boston, Philadelphia's walk- ability is largely due to its older, compact form. There are just four kilometres between the Schuylkill River and the Delaware – the west and east boundaries of the down- town core. The city also has plenty of walk appeal, thanks to a distinctive mix of modern skyscrapers and historic Georgian, Federal and Victorian architecture. A local "active space" zoning law intentionally makes the downtown more interesting to walk in, forbid- ding boring, blank walls in favour of varied facades with windows to peek into, as well as green strips between sidewalks and parking lots. Jeannette Brugger, transportation plan- ner with the Philadelphia City Planning Com- mission, puts it simply: " You don't have a reason to walk if it isn't interesting." W (Continued from p. 39) Boston Brahmin walking tour: Starting at the Old South Meeting House, where revolutionaries hatched the Boston Tea Party, you'll stroll the historic sights of the city with a small group. From US$70. Plus: Save 10% on food, non-alcoholic beverages and swag at Cheers Boston. Vancouver art walk tour: Wander through the cafés, shops and galleries of downtown and Yaletown, then hop a boat to Granville Island to explore studios and more. From $30. Plus: Save 10% on regular-price green fees, clothing and accessories at GolfBC courses. Philadelphia constitutional walking tour: See more than 20 historic sites and attractions, such as Liberty Bell Center, Betsy Ross House and the National Constitution Center. From US$18. Plus: Save 15% at Bistro Romano. Foot traffic on San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge; (right) New York's High Line, a 1.6-km-long elevated parkway on a former freight-rail line in Manhattan.