Organizers for the American Heart Association’s first Heart Walk at the University of Central Florida are expecting about 18,000 participants.
The heart walk, which will be held on Saturday, Sept. 7, aims to raise $1.5 million to help fight heart disease and stroke in people such as 5-year-old Brandon Malaret, son of Stacy Malaret, director of UCF’s LEAD Scholars Program, UCF said.
Malaret, along with nearly 500 other UCF staff, faculty members and students, will participating in the walk which will begin at 8 a.m. Participants are encouraged to park in garages C, D or H. Pets will not be allowed.
UCF has advised people traveling to or from UCF on Saturday morning to allow extra time and be aware of road closures and parking areas that will be inaccessible during the walk.
Several roads will be closed between 7:30 to 10 a.m., including the two inside lanes of the Gemini Boulevard loop, the two inside lanes of Greek Park Drive and all of East Plaza Drive and West Plaza Drive.
The two outside lanes of the Gemini Boulevard loop and Greek Park Drive will remain open to traffic, with all traffic moving one way in a counterclockwise direction.
From approximately 7:30 to 10 a.m., vehicles will not be able to enter or leave all parking areas inside of the Gemini Boulevard loop and along East Plaza Drive and West Plaza Drive. This includes all parking garages, as well as all C and D lots, most H lots and several B lots.
The campus entrances at McCulloch Road and North Orion Boulevard and at Gemini Boulevard North and Alafaya Trail will both be closed from 7:30 to 10 a.m. All other campus entrances will remain open throughout the day.
