On Tuesday, UnityPoint Health — Trinity Regional Medical Center unveiled an indoor walking path through the hospital’s main floor for community members to use. The walking path hours will be from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day.

The loop is approximately one-third of a mile, so a walker will need to walk three laps for a mile.

“The loop starts by Trinity Gifts and takes walkers around campus, staying on the main level,” said Alyssa Stanek, senior marketing communications specialist. “It utilizes many back hallways that patients don’t often use.”

Walking icons are also located along the path to help keep walkers headed in the right direction.

While the indoor walking path at TRMC is open to anyone, Stanek said that the hospital’s target audience started with the current mall walkers and knowing their wellness routine is going to be impacted when the mall is demolished.

“Walking for fitness is a great health choice,” said Leah Glasgo, president and CEO of UnityPoint Health — Fort Dodge. “As a partner in health, when we learned that the mall was going to be demolished, UnityPoint Health wanted to be a part of the solution in continuing to offer a safe, climate-controlled walking path.”

Each hall walker is given an orientation to the route and the hospital, and are required to sign a consent before walking. The walkers wear a lanyard so staff know they are hall walkers.

Stanek said when deciding the walking path route, TRMC made sure the route was in areas that would align with privacy law guidelines.

“There is one hallway on the route that when in use by patients will be closed with a sign on the door,” she said. “We have also made improvements to lighting to make sure the path is well lit and signs are up to help hall walkers on their walk find their way.”

Individuals can call 515-574-6505 to schedule a time to get oriented, or they can come any Tuesday morning from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. in the hospital’s cafeteria, where the community health nurse will be doing weekly blood pressure checks.