Six Canberra suburbs are to have their footpaths upgraded as part of a program to keep the city age friendly.
Minister for City Services, Chris Steel said $1.65 million had been allocated for the project in Narrabundah, Isabella Plains, Stirling, Campbell, Aranda and Holt.
Mr Steel said the upgrades included pram ramps for parents and older Canberrans using mobility scooters, completions for connective paths to green space and shopping centres, and pedestrian refuge areas.
“Putting the focus on infrastructure that encourages physical activity and improves the wellbeing of our older population also benefits the community as a whole,” Mr Steel said.
“These improvements will encourage everyone to stay healthy and active.”
He said the Age Friendly Suburbs Program was a commitment to improve path network infrastructure and connectivity in suburbs that included a large proportion of residents over 55 as well as aged care and retirement facilities.
He said the program had been under way since the 2015-16 financial year and was funded until 2021 with six suburbs receiving upgrades so far: Weston, Ainslie, Monash, Kaleen, Page and Hughes.
Minister for Seniors and Veterans, Gordon Ramsay said there were now more senior Canberrans in the community than at any other time in the city’s history and seniors were more engaged than those in other cities.
“Feedback from the Age Friendly City Survey in 2018 told us that safe walkways were important to support the active participation of senior Canberrans and that is why the Age Friendly Suburbs Program and its associated improvements are so important,” Mr Ramsay said.
