Walkable and Livable Communities Institute

Overview

The Walkable and Livable Communities (WALC) Institute is a non-profit organization determined to help create connected communities that support active and healthy living through advocating better built environments that are more walkable and livable for all residents. By educating, connecting and inspiring local leaders and planners, the WALC Institute ultimately aims to help communities determine a course of action for improving walkability and livability, and find ways to move forward effectively and efficiently with that plan.

Key Points

The WALC Institute’s website provides a number of resources, including guides, videos and articles, that can aid local planners and leaders in their efforts to increase the livability of their communities.

Resource highlights include:

1. The Walkability Workbook: A set of documents that provide guidance on everything needed to organize community walkability workshops, conduct walkability audits, and prioritize changes for a better built environment, including a facilitator’s guide, educational slide presentations with presenter notes, a walkability toolbox, and a walking audit survey tool.
2. From Inspiration to Action: Implementing Projects to Support Active Living: A community guidance document (co-authored by AARP) that provides information on how to actually create walkable and livable environments, with details from the beginning (simply wanting to make a change) to implementing that change.
3. Educational Videos: Three videos that explain the concepts and benefits of walkability, as well as tools for improving overall community health and well being.
4. Town-Maker’s Guide Posters: Images of livable school and healthy building placements.

How to Use

The WALC Institute, as well as the resources provided on their website, is a great resource for any local planners and officials interested in increasing the walkability, and overall livability of their communities. The Walkability Workbook is an excellent starting point, especially for those planners and officials trying to garnish support. Additionally, the WALC Institute can assist with a variety of community planner and leader needs in terms of increasing walkability, including organizing active living workshops, guiding walkability audits, and conducting policy analysis, amongst other things.

View the website: Walkable and Livable Communities Institute