By Kelsey Givens

The city of Westerville will be encouraging citizens to travel by non-motorized means on Friday, Sept. 17. In addition to leaving their vehicles at home, there will be a special lunchtime reception at city hall from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. with free lunch!

The first ever Westerville Car Free Day is an event designed to challenge the community to think about the impact cars pose to the environment. What's more, they'll hopefully be encouraged by the health and monetary benefits of using non-gas powered means of transportation to travel to and from work, community locations and home.

Citizens of Westerville can walk, ride their bikes or use any other non-gas powered mode of transportation to visit city hall during the event for free food, including hot dogs, chips and water.

In addition to free noshes, all of those who attend the event will receive a raffle ticket for a chance to win a bicycle, valued at $375, from the Westerville Bike Shop.

Mike Herron, Fitness/Wellness Manager, says that this event was inspired by a Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Committee (MORPC) event he attended last month that encouraged and promoted local communities to go carless.

Herron says that based on the time of day, and depending on the weather, he expects a healthy crowd of several hundred people to attend the car free event.

If the day is as successful as those planning the event hope it will be, it could become an annual event in Westerville, Herron says.
Those who chose to ride their bikes to City Hall there will find designated parking for bicycles only along State St. from College Ave. to 21 S. State St.

Herron says these spaces, usually designated for cars, will serve as another reminder for citizens of Westerville to go carless for the day.
For more information about the event, call Herron at 614-901-6524.