One of my favourite summer activities is to hop on my bike and head to a local beach for a refreshing swim. If there is a more pleasant way to spend an afternoon, I might need some convincing of it.
I bought my 10-speed racing bicycle almost 40 years ago from a friend of a friend. He was selling it for $100. I substituted the slim racing tires with ones more suited to city riding and touring and replaced the racing seat with a more comfortable padded one.
So let’s say my total expenditure was $200. That works out to $5 per year – an investment that has allowed me to enjoy day trips in Sarnia-Lambton and occasional rides in other areas of Ontario as well as Quebec and Michigan. In the process I have accumulated many memories and enjoyed the physical and mental benefits of cycling and the joy of being outdoors in Nature.
When I came to Canada in the 70’s Sarnia was a cyclist’s wasteland. Very few adults owned a bicycle. Our city was typical of most Canadian cities by prioritizing cars and trucks. Automobiles ruled and pedestrians and cyclists were very much an afterthought when it came to designing neighbourhoods and business districts. There were no bike lanes and if pedestrians had access to a sidewalk it was often unusable in winter after a snowfall.
On this Canada Day you could see how much the city has changed. The numbers of adults and children who cycled to Canatara Park was quite simply amazing! To encourage travelling to the park by bicycle there were “pop-up” bike lanes to supplement the multi-use trails and existing bike lanes which have been spreading across the city. On arriving at Canatara cyclists were able to safely park their bikes in a large “bike corral” installed by Bluewater Trails, providing the freedom to stroll around the park and enjoy the Canada Day activities.
Thanks must go to NuSarnia Foundation, Bluewater Trails and the City of Sarnia for the Canada Day “pop-up” bike lanes and the “bike corral.” NuSarnia Foundation and the City of Sarnia are also developing the new “Mid-Town Trail” which runs from Lambton College to the downtown waterfront. This trail will be a welcome addition to the city’s trail network.
As a young Northern Irish boy in the 1950’s I was aware that many men and women belonged to cycling clubs. Cycling was a popular sport with road and track races, time trial events and uphill sprints. For those who simply preferred a leisurely ride it was not unusual to see twenty or more cyclists from a cycling club on a Sunday morning riding along rural roads to a scenic spot or a seaside town for lunch.
In Sarnia we are fortunate to have the annual Bluewater Granfondo which takes place this year on August 4th. This very popular event is a wonderful opportunity for riders of all ages and skill levels to put their love of cycling to the test while raising donations for palliative care needs in Sarnia and also for Big Brothers-Big Sisters.
There are many benefits to making cycling more popular besides the obvious ones of exercise, improved health and enhanced sense of well-being. Bike lanes not only make the roads safer for cyclists, they make the roads safer for everyone. By calming traffic and slowing speeds, bike lanes reduce car crashes and save lives. And in addition to the safety benefits, getting people out of automobiles reduces harmful air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, essential to our efforts to limit global heating, i.e. climate change.
In my youth cycling was a safe sport or hobby and car drivers acted with respect and courtesy to those of us on two wheels. In Sarnia that respect and courtesy has often been lacking, something I have experienced too often. That is why a city that promotes the many benefits of cycling has an obligation to make safety a priority.
As bike lanes and other cycling infrastructure continue to expand across the city more and more children, youth and adults of all ages will be encouraged to embrace “the joy of cycling”. And as we increasingly recognize, the benefits are priceless!
Allan McKeown is a member of Climate Action Sarnia-Lambton.