Ward 25

The essay below is from Veronica, a cyclist active in Bike 25, a group working towards implementing the bike plan in Ward 25.

On Wednesday March 10, 2010 the City of Toronto will be holding a Public Open House to discuss planned bike lanes for Lawrence Avenue East, from Yonge Street to Bayview Avenue.

At first glance, it would appear that this is another 'bike lane to nowhere'. But viewed in the larger context of the Bikeway Network, this is the first piece of a planned bike lane on Lawrence Avenue stretching from Avenue Road to past Port Union Road. While it's unfortunate that this bike lane is being assembled in pieces, I think that its important that cyclists keep their eye on the prize.

Even in its truncated version, this piece of bike lane links Lawrence subway station with the Toronto French School, York University's Glendon Campus and intersects Bayview Avenue quite close to Sunnybrook Hospital, the destination for a large commuter cycling contingency. If one continues further east along Post Road, it links to the existing Don Valley trails.

As for the argument that money should not be wasted on bike lanes in the suburbs because nobody cycles there, consider the following:

• residents do cycle in the inner suburbs, often under much more hostile conditions. Getting buzzed by a vehicle is not pleasant. Getting buzzed by a vehicle traveling at 70 kph, is even more unpleasant. Cycling infrastructure is even critical in these neighbourhoods;

On Monday, I went to the public consultation meeting for the Bike Plan implementation in Ward 25 (Don Valley West).

Lawrence and Mt Pleasant Public Meeting

I arrived at the public meeting with the special treat of starting the conversation on the sidewalk outside the school. A motorist was eager to let me know that the way I was riding was going to get me killed. I'm used to hearing this speech now, but usually it's heard while riding on Yonge Street. This time, I had been on Blythwood, a neighbourhood through street, where I was simply riding clear of parked cars, and apparently keeping someone from some cherished red light time. A friend arrived seconds after the conversation started to give me some appreciated points of support.

Three Torontonians were already talking. Democracy at work.

Things were much more civilized inside. The wall was covered in drawings. People were looking at them intently, and gathering in small groups to talk about the details.

Location Correction: The meeting is at 2 Strathgowan Crescent (at the corner with Blythwood)

This coming Monday, there will be a public consultation meeting about bike lanes to be installed in a part of the city that has yet to get a taste of the Bike Plan. If approved, the lanes will be on Lawrence Avenue and Mount Pleasant Rd. The lanes need your support, especially those on Mount Pleasant.

Ward 25 Bike lanes for 2008

After years of lobbying and advising, the local cyclists, including members of Bike 25 and the Sunnybrook ICES BUG, have reached this key stage in the procedure. They need any support you can offer, especially if you can attend the meeting.

Bike Lane Design

Details of the designs will be presented at the public meeting. I can give an overview from what I remember from a recent meeting.