Canada's Most Walkable City 2010: St. John's
by Tom Gierasimczuk
April 29th, 2010
Find out why up! magazine ranked St. John's as the ninth Most Walkable City in Canada in 2010.
Much like Quebec City, this historic port is at the mercy of the elements. It's wet, cold and doesn't exactly overflow with parkland or pathways. But the charm of St. John's has been grandfathered in over the centuries.
"Winding staircases, historic streetscapes and brightly coloured buildings make downtown St. John's delightful as a pedestrian," says judge Amanda Mitchell. "That is, provided you have strong legs."
The city's dramatic rise out of the ocean by way of snaking stairways is daunting, but also serves up dramatic edge-of-the-world views of one of Canada's oldest settlements.
Despite the hills and weather, the hardy citizenry are some of the biggest walkers in the country, with very low vehicle ownership.
Neighbourhood Walks: George Street
At two blocks long, it's the shortest street in Canada, but it's also one of the most historic and, given the fact that more than 20 bars and pubs flank your every step, it's perhaps the most tempting. With a daily 6 p.m. street closure to cars, George Street is a tipsy trip back in time.
This story was originally published in the May 2010 issue of up! magazine as part of the Canada's Most Walkable Cities 2010 feature, profiling 10 of Canada’s most pedestrian-friendly urban centres. Take a look at more of Canada's Most Walkable Cities.
Map
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George Street
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Contributors
Tom Gierasimczuk is a contributing editor of up! magazine, which he founded in 2004. His work has appeared in a variety of publications, including the Globe and Mail, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer and OutPost magazine. He's now based in Toronto, Ontario.
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Oh, I would so love to get back out there one more time!! Want to come with me?! -Maman
George Street is NOT the shortest street in St. John's. Long Street is the shortest street by far!
Thanks for your comment, Wallace. I think what Tom meant is that it's the shortest street in Canada with pubs on it.
But I can't find anything online that confirms Long Street, or George Street for that matter, as the shortest street in Canada. I'll look into it and will let you know!
Kind of funny that Long Street is the shortest street in the city! :)
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