Last weekend saw one of the biggest walks organized in an American city not noted for walking, as the song goes “LA is a great big freeway”, but a two day 35 mile walk through the city and used over 100 stairways that have been kept in use and reclaimed by enthusiasts who wanted to maintain some of the city’s history. They even managed to organize a Friday night warm-up walk too.

The event was organized by ‘Los Angeles Walks’, which is a pedestrian advocacy group that is trying to make walking safe, accessible and fun for all those who live in the city. It is a volunteer organization which has set out to promote walking and including pedestrian infrastructure in the city. It looks at educating everyone, especially the city’s policymakers, concerning the needs of all pedestrians, whatever their abilities so that a safe environment can be created.

Some of the stairways that can be found need to maintained as they feature in several classic films. One instance of this is a flight that Laurel and Hardy famously tried to get a piano to the top of in the 1932 film ‘The Music Box’. Looking at it now it has buildings on either side of it and is a little unkempt, but is still recognisible from its film heyday. Locations such as this are parts of LA’s forgotten history. Here at least there is a defaced granite plaque inset into one of the lower steps.

Here is a great opportunity to expand both areas that are accessible to residents and as a potential tourist attraction. This seems like a great idea, and with the weather conditions that the West Coast of America offers, shorts and t-shirts are definitely the order of the day. Lets hope this group of walkers receive the support they deserve.