The October Canberra Community Champion is parkrun. parkrun is an organisation that hosts free, weekly community events where people can join to walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate.
As Nick Terrell and I wrote in our book Reconnected, inactivity is a health problem and a social challenge. parkrun has found a way to address both challenges: it gets people exercising outdoors, while making friends with members of their local community. The group post parkrun coffee is always an added bonus.
It’s a positive, welcoming and inclusive experience that is entirely organised by grassroots volunteers. All you have to do is register online and show up.
 Ginninderra parkrun
The concept began in London there are now 401 locations around the world, including several in the Bush Capital. An incredible 9,00,000 people have finished a parkrun globally. It has been called the 'most significant public health initiative of the 21st century.'
parkrun in Canberra restarts this Saturday (31st of October) with a COVID safety plan.The event will take place in large open areas with social distancing. All attendees must sign in with the Check In CBR app to ensure effective contracting tracing if necessary. The organisers have stripped the pre-run briefing down to the safety essentials to minimise a crowd gathering.
If you're a Canberra local, you can find a parkrun near you every Saturday, at 8am:
- Burley Griffin parkrun at Weston Park Road, Weston Park, Yarralumla;
- Ginninderra parkrun at John Knight Memorial Park, Lake Ginninderra, Belconnen;
- Gungahlin parkrun at Yerrabi Pond, Wunderlich St, Gungahlin;
- Mount Ainslie parkrun at Remembrance Nature Park, Treloar Crescent, Campbell;
- Coombs parkun at Kirkpatrick St, Weston; and
- Tuggeranong parkun at Lake Tuggernong.
The parkrun website is available here.
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