NMC Commentary
07.30.2019

Did I hear there is a Ride with Governor Scott & RiseVT?

Yes! Did you know that Governor Scott shares my enthusiasm for cycling? Riding his bicycle is one of the ways he fits fun healthy physical activity into his busy life. As I shared in a recent column, RiseVT is working with municipalities across northwestern Vermont to help make them more walkable and bikeable, so even more people can enjoy active transportation and recreational biking. Through the momentum of the RiseVT movement, we are bringing those two things together in what we are calling ‘The RiseVT Prevention Ride.’

On Saturday, August 10, Governor Scott will be joining members of the RiseVT team and other local cyclists on a bicycle ride through Franklin County with three stops to discuss plans for walking/biking infrastructure improvements with municipal officials and community leaders. You are welcomed to join us!

We will be meeting at Northwestern Medical Center (133 Fairfield Street in St. Albans) at 8:50 am on Saturday, August 10. Cyclists will depart NMC at approximately 9:00am and ride to the Bay Park in St. Albans Town, arriving about 9:15am. At the Bay, we will pause and discuss plans for continued improvements in walking and biking in both the Town and the City. There will also be an opportunity for families with children to enjoy a bike ride around the Bay Park with the Governor.

Cyclists will then depart the Bay Park and ride along the lake to the Rail Depot & Museum in Swanton. Here, at approximately 10:20am, we will commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the Dick Thompson Fit & Healthy Path which is a great walking and biking resource and discuss Swanton’s continued improvement efforts. We will have another opportunity here for families with children to enjoy a bike ride with the Governor on the path.

From there, the cyclists will ride to Highgate for an anticipated 11:15am arrival at the Town Municipal Offices. Here we will have a discussion of the Highgate’s plans for Lamkin Street and the Village Core Project. Cyclists will then ride back to NMC in St. Albans to complete the route.

I appreciate the Governor joining us for this tour – and hope you will join us either a cyclist for all or part of the route; as a family participating in the two family sections; or as an individual participating in the discussions. This is a wonderful opportunity to show the Governor first hand some of the improvements that Franklin County communities have invested in and the need for continued efforts to enhance walkability and bikeability. The positive energy, advocacy, expertise, and resources brought to community partnerships by RiseVT is helping make the healthy choice the easy choice here in our area. This is a great opportunity to celebrate those efforts and further engage our Governor and State Government as an important partner.

Please join us on August 10 for the RiseVT Prevention Ride with Governor Phil Scott! For more information, please contact RiseVT Program Manager Denise Smith at 524-8825 or [email protected]. I hope to see you there!\

It is an amazing ride being part of this community!

— Jill Berry Bowen, RN, NMC’s Chief Executive Officer