UTICA — In order to promote healthy living and the historical areas of downtown Utica, several local organizations have created the Bagg’s Square Mile, a walking project around the Bagg’s Square neighborhood.
On Saturday, July 22, there were three guided walks around the mile loop to celebrate the launch of the project, which is a collaboration between the Oneida County Public Market, the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County, SNAP-ed NY, the city of Utica and Oneida County. Farm Credit East funded the project.
The mile starts at Union Station, 321 Main St., and then turns onto Second Street and along Broad Street. It goes on to Genessee Street and Liberty Street, and then onto Hotel Street. The loop goes on Division Street, through Handshake City, and ends back at the train station. There are signs signifying the start and finish of the walk, along with quarter, half, and three-quarter mile markers along the trail. There are also signs set up that have nutritional messages.
Leah McCaskey, SNAP-ed senior nutritionist for the CCE of Oneida County, said that the purpose of the mile is to make it easier for people to make healthy choices.
“The local government is working to make Bagg’s Square more walkable, and so we wanted to partner to make a space that isn’t super walkable more walkable, so people can exercise in downtown Utica,” McCaskey said. “And the train station is a nice, safe place to start the walk, and people can buy fruits and vegetables after they’re done. So partnering that physical activity with eating healthy is important because both are important to improve health.”
Bagg’s Square is Utica’s first neighborhood, and has been a hub for transportation, commercial and industrial development since Utica’s founding. In recent years, the area has been undergoing massive revitalization, with the city and developers working to rehabilitate historical buildings and bring new businesses and housing into the neighborhood.
“It’s awesome to promote this district and all the history here, and hopefully be a part of revitalizing this area,” McCaskey said.
Along the mile-long loop, walkers can stop at local businesses like Rick’s Famous Burgers, Utica Coffee Roasting Co., The Tailor and the Cook, Utica Bread, Bagg’s Square Brewing Company and more.
McCaskey said that other qualifying census tracts can receive funding to establish similar walking projects in other areas of the Mohawk Valley.
“Exercise is fun, and just walking can be a great way to get exercise,” McCaskey said. “You don’t have to get a gym membership, or go out and do a bunch of things, just walking at a decent pace for about 15 to 20 minutes a day is all that you really need to do.”
