Tragedy on Avenue Road not an Anomaly
Last Wednesday, Miguel Joshua Escanan’s young life was taken while riding his bike on Avenue Road, metres beyond the end of ActiveTO bike lanes (and where a speedway begins).
Meet Scarborough Residents Calling for Protected Bike Lanes
Nita is a mother of two and had not started cycling until recently — like many, commuting in overcrowded buses during the pandemic led her to start biking to work.
The cycling community in Toronto continues to grow – and with that, so does the demand for a safe cycling network. As a Scarborough resident, I, along with thousands of others, want healthy transportation options to and from home, work, schools, parks, and everywhere in between. Our Connect Scarborough campaign asks for a network of connected, protected bike lanes in Scarborough.
No matter which part of the city you live in, you know how important it is to have high quality infrastructure in your neighbourhood. Right now, we need all hands on deck to make sure Scarborough isn’t left behind. Send the Connect Scarborough petition to anyone in your network who has a connection to Scarborough, and ask them to sign the pledge and become a member – a single click of the button can go a long way.
Sign the petition, Connect Scarborough
Scarborough Residents want Protected Bike Lanes
Meet Nita Goswami
Nita is a mother of two and had not started cycling until recently — like many, commuting in overcrowded buses during the pandemic led her to start biking to work. Having not biked in over 10 years since her arrival in Canada, she learned to use side streets to get to work safely. Now, she confidently bikes to get groceries, saving money on transportation while gaining a sense of independence. She’s excited to multi-use trails near her home, but would like to see a connected and protected on-street cycling network, not just for her, but for her children as well – be it for fun, exploration, or exercise!
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Nita bikes on trails with her children
“Protected bike paths on main roads will cut my travel time considerably. Having gained my confidence, I started biking to get my groceries. I am not dependent anymore on someone to drive me to work or to go shopping. [Cycling] saved a big part of my income. It was so much fun that I now bike with my kids and we started coming out more to explore and get exercise.” - Nita Goswami
Meet A.Y., Woburn Youth
A.Y was involved in Scarborough Cycles’ bike mechanic program which gave him the skills to fix his bike and educate other youth to do the same. As a Woburn resident, he only feels safe riding on bike paths such as The Meadoway.
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A.Y (on the right) helping another youth repair a bike
“Having protected bike lanes beside main roads would encourage me to use it as my main mode of transportation to places nearby like the shopping malls, Toronto PanAm Centre, libraries, and community centers." - A.Y., Woburn Youth
People like Nita and A.Y. need safe cycling infrastructure to ensure that their families are safe, and for their own independence. People in Scarborough deserve to have the option to move around their neighbourhood with confidence.
We hope you will join us in making the streets safer for people like Nita and A.Y. — there is no alternative solution.
Sign the petition, Connect Scarborough
Upcoming Scarborough Events
We have a couple of educational outreach events coming up in Scarborough. If you’re in the neighbourhood, swing by and say “Hi!”
- Saturday, July 31, come to our StreetSmartsTO Bike Safety Sation at Huntingwood & Midland (details here)
- Wednesday, August 11, visit us on the trail in Morningside Park for another StreetSmartsTO Bike Safety Station (details here)
- Sunday, August 22, join us for a group ride at Huntingwood Day to celebrate the ActiveTO project with Toronto East Cyclists and more (details here)
We’re always adding more events, so check our events page regularly and follow us on social media!
Let’s keep working together,
Kevin Rupasinghe
Campaigns Manager
Latest posts
Let’s make ActiveTO permanent
Over the long weekend, Councillor Ford suggested cancelling ActiveTO — eliminating space for people.
Essential Cycling Tips in Cantonese
We're expanding our educational offerings in languages other than English including a new series of videos in Cantonese.
