for health, safety, climate, equity & transportation

Spring 2021

It's a good time to reflect on the challenging year behind us, to highlight the accomplishments of our small group of volunteers. We’d like to think we’ve not only managed to navigate this strange new world, but contributed something positive. In particular, we’re proud of the May 14, 2020 open letter signed by 120 community groups calling for utilitarian cycling infrastructure, especially for essential workers.

2020 may have been “historic” for cycling in Toronto, boasting the most temporary and permanent bicycle lanes ever installed in a single year, but we want to ensure this is a trend - not an anomaly.

Barbara Gray, General Manager, Transportation Services, says:

“Cycling is one of the fastest growing transportation modes in Toronto – more people are riding bicycles in Toronto than ever before, especially where new or improved cycling infrastructure has been provided. The City of Toronto remains committed to improving the cycling network in order to improve the safety of, and support the growing number of people who choose to travel by bike in the city.”

It's also important to recognize who is cycling; many of the people on bikes at night are essential workers, delivering take-out food to people ordering from the warmth of their homes.

As such, we are resolute in holding the City of Toronto accountable when they say they are “committed to improving the cycling network.”

Top of their Class

““This bridge is our community sidewalk,” said Zanib Zaakia, a 17-year-old student presenter. Why shouldn’t the Overlea Bridge be a nice place? The students pointed out that 3,000 pedestrians cross the bridge daily and that the sidewalks are so narrow there’s no way to physically distance. With poor drainage, vehicles routinely splash them with water and slush. Students also said the bridge is their only connection between family and friends on opposite sides of the bridge.”

Why shouldn’t the Overlea Bridge be a nice place? High school students’ ideas soar despite city councillor’s snub, Toronto Star

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For a class exercise led by their teachers, Tim Langford and Giselle Cordova, students at Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute researched solutions and created opportunities for an improved Overlea Bridge. The lesson was personal, and gave students an opportunity to learn about engineering, public space, problem solving and politics. Ultimately, the exercise grew beyond the classroom walls, leading students to give remote presentations to community stakeholders, advocates, politicians, urban planners, and an architect.

Whatever they got from their teachers, these students get an A+ from us!!!

But we also have to grade the politicians who heard the students’ presentation…

“It’s a complicated problem,” said Ward 16 City Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong to the students. “I would say that our councillors, the elected officials here, need you to send your plans over to your financial literacy class because this is going to be an expensive, expensive project. Quite frankly, we have to find a way to pay for any of these things.” Minnan-Wong’s ward includes the east, Flemingdon side of the bridge where the students’ school is located.

Other city officials, although attentive, appeared more concerned about motor traffic on the bridge, even though motorists heading downtown could easily divert to the Don Valley Expressway. And what about the 55,000 residents of Thorncliffe and Flemingdon for whom the bridge is the only connection between the two neighbourhoods?

The students, soon to be voters, are committed to continuing advocating for a safe bridge connecting their communities.

The students were interviewed regarding this effort by CBC Metro Morning Interview.

You Belong on Bloor

Bike lanes are finally in place on Bloor Street, from the Viaduct to Runnymede Road – but what about the stretch west to the border with Mississauga? It’s time to transform the Bloor (Dundas) motorway into an appealing place to walk, shop, and cycle.

We’ve begun reaching out to merchants, residents, community groups, city councillors, Business Improvement Areas, and Residents’ Associations to identify who supports changing the street’s character to that of a thriving place for people, instead of a thoroughfare for machines.

Stay tuned for more on this critical Bloor Street West extension to Six Points and beyond, to ensure that bikeways are a safe option for all ages and abilities.

Will you join us in this goal?

Email us at community.bikeways.toronto@gmail.com

A recent report from the Canadian Public Health Association supports our efforts:

“The COVID-19 pandemic has many people thinking about how our communities are designed. Do they support walking and cycling? Do they give easy access to jobs, essential services, or greenspace? With everyone needing to maintain physical distance from others in public spaces, there is a demand for more space for pedestrians and cyclists.

Communities across the country have temporarily opened streets for pedestrians and cyclists and installed bike lanes along major travel routes. Statistics Canada reports that nearly 7% of the 2 million commuters who used to take public transit are now walking or cycling. These changes happened rapidly even in cities such as Toronto where there has been resistance from drivers to sharing the road.

Now is the time to make some of these changes permanent. Let’s build on the momentum created by the walking and cycling experiences of the public to re-design our communities so they are more supportive of active travel. There are so many good reasons: walking and cycling can reduce chronic diseases and health care costs by improving air quality and increasing physical activity; they can decrease social inequities; and they can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that cause climate change.”

Also: the Canadian Public Health Association’s Active Travel Factsheet.

GET OUT OF MY BIKE LANE!

We weren’t satisfied with social media venting about the lack of bike lane parking enforcement. Even if it relieves some frustration, going to the decision-makers for action is a more effective solution.

Our volunteer Marc - driven nearly to madness watching cars block the Richmond St. W bike lane daily - set up a virtual meeting for February 17, 2021, with the Toronto Police Service Parking Enforcement Unit to discuss enforcement of Toronto’s bylaw prohibiting cars from parking in bike lanes, and other ways to curb illegal bike lane parking.

In the meeting, we pointed out, among other things, that delivery drivers obeying the law (by parking on side streets, in alleyways, in legal spots) are put at a business disadvantage by complying with the law when there is no enforcement to punish noncompliant drivers. We also noted that many of the food delivery persons Torontonians have relied on during the pandemic are cyclists put at risk by illegal bike lane parking, which deprives them of dedicated road space.

(You can read our meeting follow-up letter here.)

On February 22, 2021, the Toronto Police Service tweeted that they would deploy more Parking Enforcement Officers (PEOs) dedicated to keeping bikeways safe! Toronto Parking Services also broadcast the following:

“We hear #bikeTO concerns, and we are putting additional resources to keep bike lanes safe as possible. We want to advise everyone that more officers are being assigned to strictly bike lanes, around the clock. Do your part, we will be out there and we will ENFORCE $150 fines.”

Additionally, Inspector Rinkoff wrote: “We are committed @ParkingTPS to keeping our cycling community safe!”

To the Toronto Police Service, we say: thank you! We are looking forward to seeing more PEOs on bicycles and less cars in bike lanes.

And the Winners Are…

On April 9th, we hosted a very special Community Advocacy Awards ceremony. It was an evening to (safely) come together and celebrate people with energy, passion, commitment, creativity, and love for their city.

Congratulations to all the winners:

• Wayne Scott Community Service Award: Hijabs & Helmets and Women’s Cycling Network

• Emerging Road Safety Leader (Individual): Elijah Nangwale

• Emerging Road Safety Leader (Group): Students of the Overlea Bridge Project

• Business Road Safety Champion: Liza Lukashevsky of Nuthouse on Bloor Street

• Suburban Champion of the Year: Daniela Hernández Cuadra of Cycle York Community Bike Centre

• Advocate of the Year: Jun Nogami of Cycle Toronto, Parkdale High Park Bikes; Advocacy for Rights of Cyclists; Biking in the Big City.

You can watch the full virtual awards ceremony here.

ActiveTO

We were pleased to see City Council vote almost unanimously in favour of bringing ActiveTO back again for the summer of 2021. Components of this program include the addition of bike lanes and on-street patios on Yonge Street from Bloor to Davisville Avenue. 

We’d also like to give a special shout out to Councillor Mike Colle who brought forward a motion last October for Transportation Services to explore this for Yonge Street from Bloor to Lawrence Avenue.  

Although what passed did not include the stretch from Davisville to Lawrence, it will allow for more residents to experience the transformation of part of Yonge Street a la Destination Danforth, and see how it can invigorate a neighbourhood for the safety and benefit of all.  

It was also great to see Councillor Bradford’s motion passed to extend Destination Danforth from Dawes Road to Victoria Park Avenue. Next steps are for Transportation Services to find a way to fit in temporary road closures on Lakeshore West on some weekends, as requested by Mayor Tory.

Let your community voice be heard!

Email us if you’re interested in recording a video message for the Community Voices page on our website.

Wishing you safe travels!

Mary Ann, Janet Joy, Albert, Marc, Michael H, Michael B, Robert, Pamela, Mark, Donna, Arthur, Jonathan, Elizabeth, and Danielle.