It was the only Canberra district without a Parkrun, but now the capital’s missing Parkrun has finally arrived. Photo: Thomas Lucraft.
Since Parkrun arrived in Canberra in April 2012, there have been upwards of 3500 events, but not one has been in Woden — until now.
Following a successful soft launch last week, with support from local businesses including Geocon, Woden Town Parkrun now invites the public to join the fun every Saturday at 8 am.
The Woden chapter was organised by Parkrun veterans Andrew Dempster and Lili Mooney, fulfilling a long-time hope for dwellers in Woden.
“Until now, people in the Woden Valley have had to travel outside of the district to participate in a Parkrun, and have happily done so, but with the flourishing of residential developments around the Woden Town Centre in the past few years, we thought it would make a marvellous place for Canberra’s newest Parkrun — and it has,” Andrew says.
Over 500 Parkrun events take place around the country every weekend. Woden joins nine others in Canberra, including Lake Burley Griffin, Coombs and Tuggeranong. Hundreds are expected to join the free weekly 5 km community event. No one needs to take the “run” part of the name too seriously.
“One of the myths about Parkrun is that it’s only for runners. We love runners, joggers, walkers — some people will happily take an hour to stroll the 5 km loop, and that’s wonderful,” Andrew says.
“We have regulars who come who have never participated in the run itself. They simply enjoy volunteering for this incredible community event that gets them out of bed and moving on a Saturday morning, and connects them with their community.”
Governed by strict rules, such as not crossing any roads, the Woden Town Parkrun is a unique course starting from Woden Town Park, just south of the Callam Offices, right beside Yarralumla Creek.
The route follows the creek, crossing beneath traffic under the roundabout where Yarra Glen, Yamba Drive and Melrose Drive intersect, then passes under the Carruthers Street overpass before returning along the same route.
“I’ve done a lot of Parkruns, and I don’t think I’ve ever crossed a roundabout,” Lili says. “Canberra’s known for its roundabouts, and I think the fact that we cross safely under one is a pretty iconic feature of this run.
“It can be quite tricky to find a safe 5 km route in a town centre location, but it’s a lovely run,” Andrew adds.
“Many Parkruns are what we call an ‘out and back’, and a nice feature of that is you cross paths with fellow Parkrunners, so you can say hello, cheer them on and encourage them. It creates a really good atmosphere.”
But it takes a bit more than identifying a runnable 5 km route — Parkrun organisers must raise money for Parkrun Australia, which covers expenses such as a defibrillator for emergencies and volunteer equipment.
Geocon was the first local business to step up and support the Woden Town Parkrun.
“We could not have done this without their generosity,” Andrew says.
Geocon CEO Damon Smith says it makes sense for Geocon to be a founding supporter of the Woden Parkrun.
“Having worked in and around the Woden area for many years through projects like WOVA, this initiative felt like a meaningful way to give back to a community we’ve become deeply connected to,” he says.
“When Andrew and Lili first approached us with their idea, their energy and commitment to creating a welcoming, inclusive space for people of all ages and abilities to come together through fitness and friendship was genuinely inspiring.
“We could immediately see how the Woden Town Parkrun would contribute to the health and social fabric of Woden, and we wanted to help make it happen.”
For Geocon, the support stretches beyond funding. Through its local partnerships and businesses, the company provides Woden Parkrun with everything from promotional support to complimentary post-run coffees for participants each week at No.10 Restaurant + Bar Woden.
“Initiatives like Parkrun are about strengthening community connection, encouraging wellbeing and celebrating everything that makes Woden such a vibrant place to live,” he says. “That’s something we can get behind.”
Woden Town Parkrun takes place every Saturday at 8 am at Woden Town Park.
