As of this week, I have decided to suspend my Kelowna Parks Challenge. This is, of course, because of the current global COVID-19 pandemic. In light of consistent and correct public health messages to stay home as much as possible and eliminate all but the most essential trips from our day-to-day lives, I cannot, in good conscience, continue to travel far afield to discover new parks. Just as we must now not travel outside our own country and ought not to travel outside our own province or city, limiting our travel outside our own neighbourhood is the right thing to do. Let’s not wait for our continual misbehaviour to force the government to make it a legal requirement.
My Kelowna Parks Challenge was originally set to end in July, this year. By that time I had planned to see every city and regional park in Kelowna. I still intend to complete the challenge, but cannot say when. As far as I am concerned, the “stopwatch” has been paused. I still have three months to go, but maybe those months will come this fall or next year. You can be sure I will let you know when I feel it’s responsible for me to continue.
If you have been following my posts and YouTube videos, you know I knew this was coming. Hopefully, this announcement doesn’t come as a shock to you, either. I also hope you look forward, as I do, to my future adventures.
None of this means I no longer encourage walking! I still think walking is as great as it ever has been for physical exercise, spiritual meditation, and intellectual stimulation. I believe getting outside for physical exercise and mental health is still justifiable as an essential trip. For the time being, however, I intend to limit my ramblings to my own neighbourhood, and probably not the more popular parts of it. Perhaps it is time for a celebration of walking alone through lonely back alleys…
