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What makes a city walkable? Free event teaches elements of a livable community.

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What happens when we design the human habitat to take walking out of daily life? Over 35% of Americans are now clinically obese. That's partly because of diet, but also because cities are now designed for cars. Interested in learning how to build healthier neighborhoods? Join leaders from AARP, Healthy Polk 2020, the City of Des Moines, and the Greater Des Moines Age Friendly Cities Initiative for a presentation by national walkability expert Dan Burden.

What: Building a Walkable and Livable Community presentation by Dan Burden of the Walkable and Livable Communities Institute

Where: Amos Hiatt Middle School, 1214 E. 15th St., Des Moines, 50316 

When: Wednesday, July 30th 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Why: Learn how to make you neighborhood more walkable and livable. It is free and open to the public.

How: Register in advance (optional) at http://aarp.cvent.com/MLKWALK or by calling 1-877-926-8300. 

“The Greater Des Moines community has made great strides in becoming a more livable and healthier place for all ages,” said AARP Iowa state director Kent Sovern.  “We’re excited to bring Dan Burden back to Des Moines to help fine tune best practices that will help accelerate the work of the Greater Des Moines Age Friendly Cities initiative and partners to meet our shared goal of making Central Iowa one the most “livable” cities in the country,” said Sovern. 

The goal of the event is to bring citizens, elected officials, and municipal services leaders together to build capacity for livable communities by promoting shared understanding of how the built environment impacts community health and wellbeing.

Burden, who has received lifetime achievement awards for his innovative approaches to community planning and health from the New Partners for Smart Growth and the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals, was named by TIME Magazine “one of the six most important civic innovators in the world” in 2001.  Burden has personally helped 3,500 communities throughout the world become more livable and walkable. In 2009, he co-founded the WALC Institute to create a focus on education, capacity-building and training to support communities in becoming more engaged and healthier through active living.

About AARP States
AARP is active in all 50 states and Washington, DC, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Connect with AARP in your state.