I am writing to disagree…

I am writing to disagree with Bill 212's proposal to over-ride the democratic, well-researched decisions of municipal councils (such as Toronto City Council) concerning removing bike lanes on the "Complete Streets" that are designed to keep motor vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians safely separate fro each other.

I am a 71-year-old resident of Etobicoke Centre and I no longer own a car; frankly, on my limited income, I couldn't afford to own and operate one. I am happy to walk, cycle or take transit to ALL of my destinations. I am healthier for it, learn more about my neighbourhood by travelling through it more slowly, and I know I am not contributing to a child's asthma or a senior's lung or heart condition.

I see people of all ages in Etobicoke Centre beginning to cycle more: a family of 4 on Bloor St., a father teaching his two young children to ride safely on a sidewalk, a senior couple shopping together on Bloor St., two teenage boys riding on a bike path in Wincott Park but judging it too dangerous to bike on nearby Dixon Road or Kipling Ave.

In short, the development of a bike NETWORK doesn't immediately bring out people who've been hiding bikes for fear of using them. They've been told that they're not welcome on city streets and deserve any injury that comes to them: "streets are for cars." Anywhere in the world where safe cycling lanes and networks have been installed, the number of cyclists increases OVER TIME, but within 1-3 years as people gain the confidence to buy a bike for the first time since they were children.

For the life of me, I don't understand why the merchant members of The Kingsway B.I.A. are not preparing to welcome the thousands of new residents who are and will be moving into the new high-rise developments being built on Bloor St., where the bike parking spaces are outnumber car spaces by 2 or 3 times. Why are these merchants expressing little care for welcoming and keeping safe these new customers, and instead concerning themselves with the cars that simply drive through their shopping district on the way elsewhere?

AFFORDABILITY should be a concern to Premier Ford and the Ontario Government: each of those new apartments and condos will be $30,000-$100,000 cheaper because the basement car parking spaces will be so much fewer. Many of those new residents will want to enjoy walking or cycling to nearby stores, churches, libraries, and they will have more money in their pockets because they aren't spending thousands of dollars annually owning and maintaining a car.

If all those new households in Bloor Street high-rises included one or more cars each, our traffic problems would become even more problematic.

The first duty of a government is to keep its citizens safe. Bill 212 promises harm to those who cannot or choose not to drive cars everywhere.