MOHAWK — Signs for a one-mile walking route will be posted in the village of Mohawk as part of Herkimer County HealthNet’s efforts to encourage people to make exercise a part of their regular routine.
The Mohawk village board approved the plan presented by Elyse Enea Bellows, program coordinator for Herkimer County HealthNet, during Monday’s village board meeting.
She said the route will start and end at Weller Library, at the intersection of Grove and West Main streets. There is a weekly farmers’ market in front of the library on Wednesdays, she pointed out.
Walkers would proceed east on West Main Street, south on Columbia to Michigan Street and continue from Michigan onto Green Street, then take Center Street to Grove Street and head back to the library.
HealthNet would provide the signs directing pedestrians along the route.
The program, which is being called the Mohawk Valley Mile, is based on the Monday Mile program in Syracuse that encourages people to get out and walk.
Enea said research shows that people who exercise at the start of the week are more likely to continue exercising throughout the remainder of the week.
HealthNet has already received approval to set up walking routes in other local villages, including Herkimer and Ilion.
Herkimer County HealthNet also collaborated with the village on a couple of other projects recently. HealthNet provided the village with funding to repaint more than 70 village crosswalks and pedestrian signals. Most of the painting has been completed, according to Superintendent of Public Works Michael Shedd.
HealthNet also provided the village with tick awareness signs to erect in two community parks to educate and protect park visitors from Lyme and other tick-borne diseases.