Cycling committee gets off to 'positive' start, chair

The Windsor Bicycling Committee for the 2018 to 2022 term held its first meeting Wednesday evening.

Members saidthey are looking forward to a productive four years in shaping Windsor's active transportation initiatives.

"We have a lot of people at this table who are passionate about active transportation in the community," said newly elected chair Coun. Kieran McKenzie.

"They want to see improvements. They understand there's an outcry in the community for these types of investments to move forward," he said.

Klaus Dohring is the only carry-over member from the previous committee. He saidhe returned because he feels more optimistic this council will act on committeerecommendations that were ignored by the previous council.

Twice under the new council, Dohring has made recommendations that have been accepted. "So I do believe we have a different council now," he said.

Dohringwants to see the committee spending its time advising council on big ticket issues such as segregated bike lanes and bike sharing rather than handing out pamphlets which he calls "busy work."

"Also taking action on some of the accident hot spots, addressing the Dougall death trap finally tunneling through there," he said.

"I am a very strong proponent of wherever possible complete physical separation of bike lanes," said Dohring.

• Segregated bike lanes open in uptown Waterloo

• Segregated bike lanes called for on Cabana Road

Bike Windsor Essexexecutive director Lori Newton also wants to see the committee spend its time on making recommendations on important changes in active transportation.

"There was really a different environment in the room tonight than we've seen before and that we've heard before. I think there's much more interest in policy and that's where we would like to see the committee go," said Newton, adding she would like to see the committee recommend to council it make mandatory bike parking at all events licensed by the city.

"We create the future. So what we need to do is consider how we want our infrastructure to be in 20 years, 30 years, 40 years because we are building are building today. And what we build today is going to be around decades down the road," said Dohring.

Among its first orders of business, the committee voted to give Bike Windsor Essex $1,000 to help put on its annual Bike to Work Day on May 27. It also gave the organization $250 to use its bike racks for bike parking at Charles Clark Square on fireworks night June 24.