LOCKPORT — A new program that tries to tie walking for health and Erie Canal tourism kicks off here this week.

“Walk the Canal Villages” is the name of the promotional effort created by the Western Erie Canal Alliance.

It envisions visitors purchasing a backpack for $8.50 at the Erie Canal Discovery Center, Church and Ontario streets, and using the accompanying map and booklet to take off on a self-guided walking tour of the locks and the downtown area.

The alliance’s coverage area includes Erie, Niagara, Orleans, Monroe and Wayne counties, but Joan Delaro, project manager for the Canal Alliance, said Lockport was chosen to start the program for financial reasons.

“Lockport was chosen because they were sponsored by two grants, and one of them was sponsored by [State] Sen. George Maziarz,” she explained.

The state grants totaling $28,000 are being administered through the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. They were used to develop the program, including attempts to boost it through social networking sites on the Internet, Delaro said.

On Twitter and Facebook, the program is called CanalSteps.

Other expenses were the backpacks, which measure roughly 18 by 12 inches, and the booklet. Coupons for Lockport businesses also are included in the backpack.

The self-guided walking tour is centered on the locks and the towpath, but also includes the Main Street business district and some nearby attractions, including First Presbyterian Church and its Tiffany stained-glass windows.

“The idea of the whole program was that people would get to see the community. There’s no better way to get to know a community than walking it instead of driving it,” Delaro said.

“It’s a really nice program for people who don’t know anything about Lockport,” said Heather Peck, program manager for Lockport Main Street.

The Western Erie Canal Alliance oversees Peck’s agency and connected it to the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Main Street Program.

“When they approached me, I thought it was a great idea,” Peck said.

She added that the backpacks will contain pedometers, which will measure how far a person walks. They were provided by the Lockport Family YMCA.

“They were on board with promoting that healthy lifestyle,” Peck said.

A kickoff reception for the effort is scheduled for 3 p. m. today in the Discovery Center.