The walkway around Fountain Lake — completed with sidewalks during the AARP/Blue Zones Vitality Project in 2009 — may soon be named to honor The Blue Zones philosophy.

Albert Lea City Manager Chad Adams said the City Council is mulling naming the popular route The Blue Zones Walkway to honor Blue Zones’ founder Dan Buettner and to bring additional recognition to Albert Lea.

If approved, the city would install kiosks that feature nine principles for improving health and longevity featured in “The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who’ve Lived the Longest.” Buettner, a National Geographic explorer and author, compiled the book from interviews with the world’s longest-lived people.

The route around Fountain Lake is about five miles and is made up of sidewalks and paved trails. It is used by walkers, joggers and bike riders. Entrants in the annual spring race called the Fountain Lake 5 run the route.

In 2009, Buettner brought these principles to Albert Lea as part of a 10-month pilot project. He aimed to help residents live longer, healthier lives by making simple changes to their lifestyles. The project brought residents together to push for environmental changes that encourage healthy living. One result was the addition of almost 4,000 feet of pavement around the lake.

The project also spurred changes in business and personal choices, whether it was smaller dinner plates, finding a purpose, healthier menus at restaurants or bike racks at work, among other items.

The pilot project was sponsored by the Minneapolis-based Blue Zones organization, AARP and the United Health Foundation.

After seeing what Buettner described as “stunning” results from Albert Lea residents involved in the project, Buettner is now taking a similar plan to three cities in California and to 10 cities in Iowa. As he does this, many of these cities, along with other health experts across the nation and the world, are looking to Albert Lea as an example.

Adams said city leaders and residents showed a commitment to promoting longevity, and the goal is to take that another step further.

He said Buettner is excited about the opportunity and did not hesitate to grant a license agreement to allow the city to use the Blue Zones name. The paperwork for this agreement is being completed.

Adams noted that if the walkway designation is completed, the maintenance of the path would remain as is, with private residents and property owners continuing to maintain the same sidewalks they have in the past.

The council is expected to vote on the designation at its next meeting in December. The council held a public hearing about the change on Monday with no input.

Adams said city leaders hope to have a grand opening of the walkway in the spring, with Buettner in attendance.