BURRILLVILLE -- Burrillville is one of eight communities statewide that's participating in an effort by the Rhode Island Statewide Planning Program to make neighborhoods and communities more pedestrian-friendly and walkable.
One of eight workshops held throughout the state this week will be today in Pascoag. The 1:30 p.m. meeting will begin at Pascoag Fire Station No. 2, located at 141 Howard Ave. It should last for much of the afternoon.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Statewide Planning Program paid for the workshops. They'll be run by trainers from the National Center for Bicycling and Walking.
As town officials and Pascoag advocates work to encourage future residential growth within walking distance of downtown Pascoag, town planner Thomas J. Kravitz said earlier this month that he saw a connection between the state's efforts to promote more walkable communities and the town's plans for Pascoag.
Today's workshop is open to the public. Participants will be divided into groups for walking tours of the Pascoag village area.
One effort by the town is to create the Pascoag Riverwalk, which will connect Hauser Field to Pascoag Main Street. That pathway is currently in the design and permitting phase.
West Warwick is also holding a "Walkable Community" workshop today, and Portsmouth will host one tomorrow. Earlier this week, workshops were held in East Providence, Middletown, Pawtucket, Providence and Warwick.
For information on the other meetings, check the Statewide Planning Program's Web site, www.planning.ri.gov/.
Reporter Kate Bramson can be reached at 277-7470 or by e-mail at kbramson [at] projo.com.
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