A guide to Jane’s Walks

Jane’s Walks are a series of free neighbourhood walking tours that get people out on the streets to discover unseen, under celebrated and unique stories about their city. Traditionally, the tours – named after the famed urban scholar and activist Jane Jacobs – are held on the first weekend of May each year, but here in NL for pragmatic weather reasons we have lately tended to schedule them in June. Happy City St John’s has been organizing the walks since 2014.
They are led by locals like you who want to create a space for residents to talk about what matters to them in the places they live and work.There have been many interpretations of the event as its changed hands from year to year: from dog walks to bike rides, from local lore to historical reenactment. By discussing what makes a city great, and what makes it tick, walk guides and participants are empowered to be better citizens, better stewards, and better neighbours.
The walks can be as varied as the people taking part, and they usually last about 90 minutes. We ask each walk guide to offer their perspective along the route, and to encourage the public to weigh in. Through the simple act of walking and talking, Jane’s Walks create ways for people to connect, share, and develop ideas about where their communities and cities are at and where they are headed.
Contact the St. John’s Jane’s Walk city organizer (and Happy City Board Member), Elizabeth Oliver, at janeswalks@happycity.ca if you’d like to volunteer to be a Walk Guide or to help out in other ways – eg by improving our online archives of past walks (eg earlier, 2024). Elizabeth is keen to hear your ideas for a walk theme, and she can help plan, promote, and share your walk! For more information about the worldwide festival, visit www.janeswalk.org.