front door to a walk friendly environment where you can walk to the store, office and park are significant. It turns out that walkable places that new urbanists and smart growth advocates strive to create are one of the best solutions to many of the health issues that our country faces. We are getting better with places like Historic Roswell, Avalon, Alpharetta City Center and Milton Crabapple providing (or soon to be providing) moderately walkable lifestyles. But there is still a lot of work to be done. Let’s keep pushing for walkable town centers with a diversity of uses, connective paths between neighborhoods as well as parks that are our kids can safely walk to and steer clear of the sloth inducing, car oriented development of the past. ❍ Mike Hadden is author of the blog newurbanroswell.com. Would you like to comment on this article? Visit our website at www.thecurrenthub.com.
17 may 2014 | thecurrenthub.com
scale will start to cringe. Our car-dependent lifestyle is literally driving our increased inactivity. I would wager that most of us drive by necessity not by choice. Fortunately, that is something we can start to change. The sprawl fighting organization Congress for the New Urbanism has made healthy places one of its focal points. In 2010 they partnered with the CDC make health a focal point of their annual convention, which was appropriately held in Atlanta that year. The CDC has a Healthy Places program that lays out the guidelines for building places that help improve help rather than hinder it. If you live in a subdivision where it is a challenge to incorporate walking or cycling into your daily chores, your ability to maintain a healthy lifestyle for you and your family is going to be diminished when compared to a highly walkable neighborhood. The health benefits that come from being able to open the
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STRING YOUR KIDS ALONG… continued from p11
also meet Redina, a little red hen who learns how to follow directions, in a retelling of the classic story, The Little Red Hen. Friends Gripe and Bicker learn the value of working together when they are granted three wishes in a new version of The Three Wishes. June 30–July 3: “Aesop’s Fantastic Fables” gives you another exciting day at the races as the story of The Tortoise and the Hare weaves its way through tales of The Lion and the Mouse and The Boy Who Cried Wolf! With Lee Bryan—“That Puppet Guy”—presenting, you’d better get ready for some home-spun family fun with this cleaver solo “tour-de farce.” July 7–12: “Tangle of Tales” is Grey Seal Puppets’ production of three favorite folk tales from around the world. These tales come to life with a touch of the familiar and a taste of the new. Using a variety of puppet styles, The Frog Prince from Germany, Three Billy Goats Gruff from Scandinavia and The Three Little Pigs from England are each told with refreshing wit and wisdom. July 14–19: “Peter Rabbit Tales” is the collection of Beatrix Potter’s stories, and has been loved for generations. Tucker’s Tales will bring to life The Tale of Peter Rabbit, The Tale of Benjamin Bunny, and The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse in irresistible style with clever scenery and turn-of-thecentury costumes. Individual ticket prices are $5 for everyone (children under 2 are free). They also offer a Summer Pass for only $30, which gets you into all seven shows. These tickets are available online at www.roswellpuppets.com. The Roswell Cultural Arts Center is located at 950 Forrest Street in Roswell, Georgia 30075, (770) 594-6232. ❍
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