what are they thinking?

The Winnipeg MS Walk 2009 (coming up in April) is going to be different this year. I intercepted a phone call directed at Jason, as captain of Em's Slackers (our Walk Team), giving him/me the scoop on this year's walk. The purpose of the phone call was to encourage our team to pre-register for the walk, but at the same time, the coordinator shared with me the details of this year's REVAMPED walk.

Instead of having the walk in two different locations, at two different times, there will only be one location, and one time. Instead of holding the walk in either of the two previous locales: a beautiful tree-filled park or The Forks (a historic city location), it is being held in an affluent city neighbourhood. As well, there is only one distance available to walk: 6km. In the past, three different routes/distances were available.

I am shocked by this decision.

I can understand making changes to accommodate one location, and one time. By doing this, they are hoping for the largest MS Walk turnout in Canada. I have been known to say, go big or go home.

But if part of the goal is to be the biggest (often accompanied by the best) in Canada, shouldn't the walk be based out of the host city's well known, centrally located, federally designated, ever growing, beautiful park like location on the river...The Forks?

Surrounded by stories of our history, alive with the present, and building with the future.

The Forks represents community. Many argue that The Forks is the best part of Winnipeg! So instead of coming together for a cause in the city's historic meeting place, we're going to start and finish at a community high school, and walk 6 km through the streets of some of the most expensive houses in the city.

And don't get me started on the cutback of distance options!

Emily