By Katie Vasquez
EAST FLATBUSH, Brooklyn — Walking down Snyder Avenue from Ralph Avenue to Flatbush, Christopher Burke follows a route he has never taken before — and that is exactly the point.
The St. Dominic Church parishioner has made it his mission to walk every block in Brooklyn, turning an ordinary exercise routine into a multi-year journey through the borough’s neighborhoods, history and architecture.
Burke began the project in 2019 after growing bored with his usual walking routes and decided to challenge himself to explore unfamiliar streets.
“I saw the Williamsburg Bank Building, and instead of taking two bridges to get back to Brooklyn, I said, maybe I’ll try walking that,” Burke said. “It turned out getting from Williamsburg to Atlantic Avenue was only about a 45-minute walk.”
What started as a single detour quickly grew into an ambitious goal. Burke now plans each walk carefully, documenting every new route and milestone on his personal blog. He estimates he is about halfway through completing his borough-wide trek.
“Next thing you know, I’m moving my way south and moving my way east,” he said.
Along the way, Burke said he has gained a deeper appreciation for Brooklyn’s layered architecture — from historic homes and monuments to streets where century-old houses sit beside modern buildings like pieces of a patchwork quilt.
A Brooklyn native who grew up in Park Slope, Burke said many of the neighborhoods he passes through stir memories of his childhood.
“Anytime I walk down a tree-lined block with slate slabs instead of concrete, it reminds me of my old block,” he said.
For Burke, the journey is also a spiritual one. As a practicing Catholic, he frequently stops to photograph churches, drawn to their design and craftsmanship.
“I stop and take pictures of almost every church because the architecture is beautiful,” he said.
He also said the walks have sharpened his appreciation for Brooklyn’s green spaces — especially in contrast to dense areas dominated by concrete and high-rise buildings.
“You gotta love the nature that’s in Brooklyn,” Burke said. “I appreciate the green spaces a lot more.”
Despite the scale of his goal, Burke insists he is not trying to set records or outpace others who have completed similar challenges.
“I’m not trying to be that guy,” he said. “I’m just trying to be someone who’s out getting exercise, enjoying it. And if I see all of Brooklyn, that’s great.”
If you would like to keep up with his journey, you can check out his website.