Justin Jones took his daughters Josephine and Annika for a slow bicycle ride on Monday down Maple Street, enjoying the freedom of very little vehicular traffic.
It gave him an idea to share the experience.
Throughout the month of September while the Maple Street Bike Priority pilot project is running, Jones is inviting other families to come out to the Maple Street Slow Roll on Sunday nights starting at 6 p.m. where families can experience a relaxed bike ride together.
“The first day it opened, I went for a ride on it with my daughters and my six-year-old, at the end, said, ‘Dad, I wish every street could be like Maple Street,’” Jones told CollingwoodToday.ca. “I realized it was the first time I’d ridden on a street with her in Collingwood where I didn’t have that low-grade anxiety just rippling through my body every second. It was revelatory.”
“The way that corridor just feels so safe is a really beautiful thing,” he said.
The Maple Street Bike Priority pilot project is running from Aug. 30 to Oct. 1. Maple Street is temporarily converted to a bicycle-priority street with barriers at each intersection from Third to Campbell Streets to reduce the amount of vehicular through traffic.
During the pilot, the road is closed except to local traffic, and space will be left on each side of the barriers for cyclists and so local residents can access their properties by vehicle. Emergency vehicles, waste collection, deliveries, transit and other services will also be allowed to pass the temporary barriers.
On the first day of the project, Jones enjoyed the cycling experience so much, he decided to plan a series of events to share it with others.
“I want us to get together to celebrate having mobility choices. I see so many parents and families... on the trail and at the parks but I don’t often see them riding bikes to school or downtown, because it doesn’t feel safe,” he said.
Jones said he was discouraged seeing some opposition online to the pilot project.
“I saw people posting on Facebook about it without even giving it a chance,” he said. “Sitting there arguing on Facebook is kind of like yelling into a void. Instead, I wanted to do something positive.”
Jones’ daughter has attended Cameron Street Public School for the past two years and will be attending this year again in the fall. He said Maple Street is the best route to get to her school from their home.
“There’s always heavy traffic and it’s the most stressful part of my ride,” said Jones. “Even if it’s just going to be a few weeks during school, it’s a great way of thinking about the street in a different way.”
Marcia Alderson lives on Maple Street, and had seen first-hand residents enjoying the new set-up.
“I thought it was amazing. The first night, I was on my deck and I was watching families with little kids with training wheels riding down the middle of the streets. It was wonderful,” said Alderson.
She said so far, she hasn’t had an issue with traffic and just cuts across to use one of the other tree streets when she is driving her vehicle.
“You don’t have to go bombing up and down Maple Street. I don’t see any negative to it,” she said. “I want this to be permanent.”
If the Sunday night events are well-attended, Jones hopes to build on them to perhaps incorporate live, but still socially-distanced music. Alderson said she might lend the talents of her band Motown and Marley to play a small concert from her deck on one of the Sundays to entertain cyclists as they wheel by.
“Throughout the month we’re hoping to have more fun and surprises for families,” said Jones.
Jones hopes the pilot inspires decision-makers to take a look at what other corridors around town might benefit from a primarily active transportation treatment.
The Maple Street Slow Roll will take place on Sundays in September starting at 6 p.m. Riders can meet up at the Collingwood Collegiate Institute parking lot facing Maple Street just prior to 6 p.m.
During the pilot project this fall, the town is asking for resident and user feedback through an online survey. You can read more about the pilot project or access the survey on the town’s website here.
