My hope is that you all get a chance to watch this video on the topic of making people-friendly cities, specifically by making them bicycle-friendly: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rwwxrWHBB8
It would be nice to make Guelph a prime example in Canada in the area of bicycle friendliness, and it seems like the obvious choice in the line of action of this city – there is a clear concern for water use and waste disposal, why not pollution-free transport?
Of course, the video suggests some serious infrastructure changes. Talk of Light Rail Transit in the area (Waterloo is working on theirs, and the advantages make LRT an exceptionally good idea), so perhaps if infrastructure changes get considered for one mode of transportation, they can be simultaneously considered for another?
Currently, bicycles seem to be a low priority, although it looks on the surface to be an important matter. The brand-new construction on Gordon in the downtown, with a bike lane on either side, is a good example of what I mean – going downhill, a block or so before McDonalds, there’s a bump in the bike lane that will set you airborne if you’re not expecting it, especially at typical downhill speeds. It appears bike-friendly, but in terms of functionality, it actually is not. OB