Our neighbourhoods can influence behaviours by creating places where it’s easy to walk. This in turn, on a population level, can increase physical activity. For example, if the design of a neighbourhood supports active modes of travel such as walking or bicycling, more people will feel encouraged to be outside and move about their city. These neighbourhood design elements may be in the form of a separated bike path, curb-cuts on sidewalks at intersections, or even a rapid bus line.

We were provided a unique opportunity to capitalize on a “natural experiment” that yielded a better understanding of what constitutes healthy, mobility-focused community design. The City of Vancouver sought to create an urban environment that prioritized the mobility of pedestrians and cyclists (active transportation) and emphasized the role of place-making (social spaces that encourage community participation and interaction). The Active Streets, Active People (ASAP) study was a before and after study evaluating the impact of a greenway development in downtown Vancouver. ASAP had multiple study arms focusing on different population groups: ASAP-Senior (community-dwelling older adults), ASAP-Junior (children and youth), and ASAP-Foreign Born (foreign‐born older adults in South Vancouver, not part of the natural experiment study design).