Mother-of-two Amy Felke makes sure her boys enjoy an active lifestyle and loves to take them on “picnics and adventures”, but living in the city means she is constantly on alert for dangers.

“When you’re out with the kids near roads it can be quite stressful,” Mrs Felke said. “I think a rail trail would be a great idea. It would provide a safe space for families to exercise together without the worry of traffic.”

Having a place where Mrs Felke could let her guard down a little would be a good thing according to her father, Paul Johanson, sho said he couldn’t wait for the rail trail to be built.

“It will be fantastic for the city, a real game-changer in terms of lifestyle and livability,” Mr Johanson said.

“I think kids naturally love to get out and run around, but they learn bad habits so if we can give them positive reinforcement in a safe and fun setting they’ll take it on board.”

According to a NSW Government report into childhood obesity, overweight and obese children became overweight and obese adults with an increased risk of developing chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes.

The obesity problem among adults in Wagga is particularly serious, with more than half considered overweight or obese.

However, physiotherapist Helen Hicks said exercising on the rail trail would not only improve Wagga’s physical fitness and reduce obesity, it would also strengthen the immune system and reduce mental health problems like anxiety and depression.

“We need to get people off their butts and moving,” Ms Hicks said. “Cardiovascular fitness is key to greater health.”

For Mrs Felke and her family though, there was an added benefit for her “city kids” – exposure to the farmland along the trail.

“Even though we’re in a regional city, we can be quite removed from rural life,” she said. “I think it’s important for kids to be exposed to farms and the rail trail could be a good educational opportunity too.”