Results tagged “waronthecar”

Streets are a big problem in Toronto lately, and not just because they're so riddled with potholes that they rate among the worst in the province. Beyond simple maintenance issues, they've become the battleground in an increasingly divisive struggle to define how their space is allocated and used: are streets primarily for cars to get from A to B unimpeded, or are they for the use of people, whether in cars or not? It's a worthwhile discussion, but ultimately, it's counterproductive to have the discussion every single time paint is laid to asphalt. Jarvis, Queens Quay, Bloor, Annette, The Kingsway, St. Clair, Cherry, Lawrence, Roncesvalles—these are just some of the roads where the same questions have been asked over and over and over again: should we accommodate bikes, should we have nice sidewalks, should we prioritize transit. But during any road rebuilding or redesign, the question shouldn't be whether we're going to accommodate any of the above, it should be how we're going to accommodate all of them. Enter complete streets, the idea that roadways should be designed "for everyone, whether young or old, motorist or bicyclist, walker or wheelchair user, bus rider or shopkeeper."

Sure, Toronto, you heart your bikes, but there are other cities just as cycle-centric as you are. Tonight at CineCycle, the Toronto Coalition for Active Transportation presents a screening of VEER, a critically approved documentary that examines Portland’s (at times) wacky bike culture and shows that for many, two wheels aren’t just a choice of transportation; they’re a way of life.