The kids in Hinsdale, Western Springs and Clarendon Hills appear to be bucking the national trend by doing just that

As reported recently in the Chicago Tribune through Associated Press, approximately 48 percent of the school-aged children who live within one mile of their school walk or bicycle to get there. The article reports that in 1969, approximately 90 percent of school-aged kids hoofed it.

The top four reasons for this trend:

1. Many municipalities lack sidewalks-so safety is a parental concern;
2. Some kids think walking and/or biking is uncool;
3. Many families have more than one car;
4. Some parents aren’t concerned about exercise for their kids;

As a parent of two elementary school-aged children and one who lives and works exclusively in the near western ‘burbs (I get lost west of Downers Grove), my un-scientific poll suggests a bucking of that trend around these parts. While the sidewalks in Hinsdale tend not to be everywhere and some of those which do exist are in questionable physical condition, kids use ‘em to walk to school. In fact, it appears that over 3/4 of the students who live in-town Hinsdale walk or bike to school. of course, that number diminishes during inclement weather.

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