Walk+Roll Lakewood 2008

Inspired merchants, homeowners, government leaders, corporations and large non-profits such as Lakewood Hospital, The Beck Center for the Arts, the YMCA, and the Lakewood Public Library, all got together to organize the first Walk+Roll Lakewood on Sat 7/19/08. They closed Lakewood's main streets to vehicular traffic, along Detroit Avenue, then up residential Belle Avenue to Lakewood Park on Lake Erie, for 5 hours. Thousands of pedestrians, bikers, sk8ers, baby strollers and curious onlookers gathered right in the middle of the busiest streets in town to explore shops, restaurants & bars, and experience entertainment, balloon twisting, belly dancing, and demonstrations by pilates, karate and fencing schools. And it's all caught on video by Cool Cleveland's Thomas Mulready, including an interview with organizer Mary Anne Crampton of Lakewood Community Progress, Inc., and an answer to the age-old question: "How many bikes does it take to pull a Humvee?"

Walk & Roll was started by Lois Moss, who, after co-founding and eventually departing leading area bike retailer Century Cycles, was looking for a way to achieve some profound goals: get people healthier by riding bikes, help reduce pollution, and put people in touch with their communities that they usually speed past in their autos. She created an annual event celebrating Rockefeller Park and the Cultural Gardens, and the 3rd annual version will take place on Sun 8/24/08. We'll see you there! http://www.WalkRoll.com

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