Letter: Our Region Advertises Cycling But Do We Support It?
Letter: Our Region Advertises Cycling But Do We Support It?
Gene Cassidy shares an experience cycling in Quebec and questions our region's commitment to safe cycling in this letter to the editor.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Lloyd Lewis's recent letter to the editor on the poor condition of Grey Road 1 has given me the push to finally write in myself.
This past summer, four couples from Owen Sound spent six days in Bromont, Quebec. It is located in the Eastern Townships, about an eight-hour drive from here. We camped in a lovely campground, shopped locally for any equipment and supplies needed, and found a wonderful bakery. We also frequented various restaurants and pubs.
Why did we choose Bromont? Because of the cycling.
It is a tremendous area to have a cycling holiday. They have an appreciation of cyclists and understand the value in promoting an environment which encourages participation.
Quebec is well known for its cycling routes. The Route Verte, as an example, is a series of paved cycling trails criss-crossing the province.
Bromont has a couple of sections of it which run very close to the village. The routes are paved, with a centre line, and are well maintained. Lots of information is available on planning routes and the trail signage is very helpful.
The respect that motorists have for cyclists is shown when the trail crosses a road. Motorists are not expected to stop but they do, with a smile and a wave.
The trails are used by all. On one ride with my family, I did a straw count and noticed just about an equal distribution between regular bikes and e-bikes. E-bikes are encouraging people to ride who might not otherwise participate. There were also walkers, families with strollers or wagons, people on roller blades or scooters and wheelchairs, both being pushed and electric.
The trails were very busy. The towns they went through were well-equipped with parks, bike shops and places to get refreshments. Water stations and repair stations were frequent.
These trails are not the only draw. Most streets in Bromont have a dedicated cycle lane. Most highways in the area have a paved shoulder. Quebec is not noted for the quality of some of its secondary highways but the paved shoulders all seem to be well looked after. We felt safe cycling any of the routes that were advertised.
Eight Owen Sound residents spent a week in a small town in Quebec because of its attitude toward and support for the cycling community. We made our contributions to their tourist economy willingly. We had wonderful interactions with other cyclists discussing great places to go on a cycling holiday.
It would have been nice if we could have promoted our area but the same respect for cyclists doesn’t seem to exist here. There are very few paved shoulders or paved trails, very few dedicated cycling lanes. The relationship between motorists and the cycling community needs some work.
Our hope is that, as a community, we look to the future and improve this situation. We live in a beautiful part of the country and it would be nice to show it off. We would like to brag about it, but we need help.
Sincerely,
Gene Cassidy
Letters to the Editor do not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of The Owen Sound Current and its editor or publisher.
Thanks for sending this letter, Gene. Safe cycling in this area is something you'd think would be a 'no brainer' for a town hoping to attract tourists. I think city staff find it hard to think creatively and revert most often to spending on 'marketing'. But there has to be something to market!
Our family has cycled in Quebec for more than 30 years. Gene's article about his experiences in the Bromont area are very accurate. The infrastructure for cycling in our area has seen very little improvement during that time. Many roads have been repaved without much consideration for bike lanes or paved shoulders. You would think we could do a better job of this as a tourist attraction.