Guelph sets sights on 21st century

Guelph (#11) is taking the bold steps needed to de-throne Burlington as Canada's best medium sized city to live in.

This article in the Toronto Star caught my eye.

Guelph - more than 100 km. of bike lanes in existence with another 110 km. in varying stages of approval!!

By contrast, Burlington's 2009 Cycling Master Plan called for 40 km of bike lanes & 9 km of new paved shoulders in total by 2015.  We're going into the 6 year mark.  In that time Guelph added more than 100 km of bike lanes.  Burlington will be hard pressed to add 40 km.

Proposed additions to cycling infrastructure in Burlington - CMP.

Studies continue to show that younger generations aren't driving and won't buy cars in the same amounts their parents did.

Which forward looking city do you think the younger generation would choose to live and raise their families in?

Surrounded!

At the 2012 Ontario Bike Summit, a peloton of communities received awards designating them as Bicycle Friendly Communities.

To win the award, a community must complete an intensive questionnaire regarding the state of cycling and cycling infrastructure in their community.  It is not an easy application.  You are required to answer a comprehensive cycling centred inquiry focusing on engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement and evaluation of cycling facilities in your community.

The completed application is reviewed by a panel of municipal planners, transportation engineers and bike experts.  Depending on the level of commitment in your community, your municipality will receive a platinum, gold, silver or bronze award.  It will also have in its possession a roadmap of strengths and weaknesses that must be fortified if the community wishes to advance its standing.

Bicycle Friendly Communities realise the benefits of cycling and have taken concrete steps to improve the quality of life in their municipalities.

Burlington is surrounded by Bicycle Friendly Communities!
        Hamilton - Silver
        Waterloo - Silver
        Guelph - Bronze
        London - Bronze
        Mississauga - Bronze
        Oakville - Bronze
        Oshawa - Bronze
        Welland - Bronze

             


Did I mention it's FREE!  And even if your community does not receive an award, it has a list of deficiencies, a roadmap outlining exactly what steps it must take to become Bicycle Friendly.

Come On Burlington!!!  Despite hosting the 2009 Ontario Bike Summit, Burlington has not yet submitted an application!  If Hamilton, Guelph, London, Mississauga, Oakville, Oshawa, Waterloo and even Welland can put in the time, effort and resources to become Bicycle Friendly, what are we waiting for????

E E E E E - the 5 Es.

Safe cycling is about more than just bike lanes.  Its more than a complete bike network across the city.

 It also includes:

• Education - teaching our children and adults how to ride their bikes safely.  Traffic 101
• Encouragement - giving people the comfort, confidence and inspiration to get on their bikes and go to where they've never gone before by bike, even if that trip is to the library or corner store.  Bike maps, community bike rides and Safe Routes to School program.
• Enforcement - its a two way street.  Cyclists as well as motorists have to obey the laws.  Enforcement means keeping bike lanes free from parked vehicles and cyclists from cruising through red lights.
• Evaluation & Planning - you've got to continually evaluate cycling levels in the community as well as the collision statistics, the bike network and where its going.

Which will it be?

You can learn more about the Canadian Bicycle Friendly Community program at the Ontario Bike Summit.  Its FREE to participate and our self-assessment program guides your community towards reaching the goal.

Does our community have what it takes to achieve Platinum status???  Burlington will have complete the comprehensive questionnaire to find out if they can be Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze or honourable mention.