Will Woodlawn Road get a sexy sidewalk?
OK, so sidewalks aren't sexy. But maybe I got your attention.
Over the past few years, Guelph has seen
some wonderful investments. There is the beautiful ice rink-splash pad
in front of city hall. The Hanlon Creek Business Park is open for
business. We have two-way GO service to Toronto. Costco has set up shop.
Each one of these events opened with a
ribbon-cutting ceremony. A photo op. An opportunity for Guelph to shine.
I get it. Who doesn't like the media attention?
However, are there other things also
important to Guelph residents? Mobility, for example? Mobility options
are key to keeping a city moving.
The most basic of all mobility needs is the
sidewalk. If you want to move around, in ways other than driving a car,
be it for leisure or for work, you need to have sidewalks. This is
particularly true for low-income earners and the elderly in particular.
Nowhere in the city is this need more evident than along Woodlawn Road.
Woodlawn Road houses a large number of
businesses, hundreds of employees, as it also services the large and
growing manufacturing sector in Guelph.
Let's face it. Most people employed in the
manufacturing, retail and hospitality sectors down Woodlawn Road are
earning low wages.
Many take transit or walk or bike to work.
On Woodlawn Road, there is no multi-use path for them to walk or cycle
on. So users made a goat path. There is a four-lane road for cars,
including those going on to Kitchener, but no safe travel for those
walking from the bus stop or cycling. It has been acknowledged for many
years, even by Guelph's former chief engineer, that Woodlawn Road is
unsafe for pedestrians.
Guelph had a $200,000 sidewalk budget for
many years. However, since sidewalks aren't sexy, that budget was axed,
starting about seven years ago. Other issues considered more pertinent
took centre stage. Last year, the Guelph Coalition for Active
Transportation lobbied hard for an active transportation line to be put
back in the budget.
The coalition got the ear of council. The
$300,000 a year for active transportation line was put back in the
budget, starting in 2014 to continue for 10 years. The Woodlawn Road
multi-use path was back on the books.
However, when the 2015 proposed capital
budget went public, the $300,000 active transportation line had been
removed. At the city council budget meeting, people from various walks
of life who had never appeared as a delegation in front of council
before put their fears aside and spoke about the lack of safe
pedestrian/cycling infrastructure on Woodlawn Road. And their voices
were heard.
Let's get this unsexy sidewalk/multi-use
pathway/active transportation corridor built, finally. Its design phase
is mostly complete. It already has $300,000 set aside from 2014. It
needs $600,000 more to complete Phase 1, from Nicklin Road to
Silvercreek Parkway. Many council members already have given verbal
support to the $300,000 reinstatement. If we get a second $300,000, we
can build this multi-use path in 2015.
The budget is being finalized at the March
25 council meeting on the active transportation budget and other issues.
You may want to bend an ear of your ward councillor if you think this
is important.
Will there be a sexy ribbon-cutting ceremony
when the Woodlawn Road multi-use path is finally built? I hope so.
Yvette Tendick is a member of the Guelph Mercury’s community editorial board.
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