This was occasioned by a message from my own councillor, Sam Austin, and then covered in the Halifax Examiner. It has also made CTV. It seems to be grumble that irritates people in cars across the country. If only our public transit were more reliable, I would be using my car less often.
Just sent to the Members of Halifax Regional Municipality Council
I wish to express extreme disappointment at our new Mayor’s proposed motion for a “temporary pause on awarding new bike lane design and construction contracts”, given it comes from a Harvard educated city planner who was quoted in Mar 2021 when he was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities.
“Today is a great day in Canada for climate action, human health, and livable communities. With the launch of the fund for active transportation with support for an Active Transportation Strategy, the path is set for more Canadians than ever to choose cycling, rolling or walking as safe and enjoyable alternatives to motorized transport. Today is the day we put active transportation networks within reach of every community.”
This is a man whose own father is an inspirational cyclist. I‘ve been noticing an increase in commitment to bicycle use as friends and neighbours acquire electrified cycles. Use of existing bike lanes seems to be increasing where they are available. At a social event last evening this motion by the Mayor was the main topic of conversation. Though I am old and can no longer ride a bicycle due to health issues, I support their concerns and regret that I am not mobile enough to come to support our concerns at tomorrow's demonstration.
My husband and I have been pleased by the improvements in the terminal at Scotia Square with its heated waiting room and display screen, but we still seem to be encountering enough delays and cancellations to make us nervous to use the bus, when we really need to be somewhere on time.
This morning I drove my little old Honda Fit down Portland Street to an appointment on Baker Drive in awe of the cyclists who brave that fear-inducing intersection. A friend out for a morning walk was killed near there, trying to cross at a pedestrian crosswalk in 2020. The area always feels to me like a giant temple dedicated to the worship of the private automobile. Is it just my imagination, or are people buying larger and larger vehicles lately? Is our mayor perhaps pandering to the people who think that ownership of such vehicles entitles them to total control over the roadways for which we all pay? We must all contribute to reducing our reliance on the Religion of the Car and the enormous costs of maintaining the infrastructure to support it.
I shall add this disappointment to a few that I have not forgotten in the past few years, though they came from another level of government. Jurisdictional blaming is counterproductive, and everything IS connected.
· Our premier’s cancellation - without any explanation - of the hard work and bi-partisan efforts that went into creating the Coastal Action Plan. Inquiring minds have not ceased to speculate.
· The same premier’s whimsical cancellation of bridge tolls, which had been budgeted for major maintenance of the bridges and for repayment of a loan from the province toward that maintenance. This debt has now been added to the Provincial debt to be paid by the next generation. Will they thank us for this “free ride”? This came shortly after an increase in public transit fares.- Duh!
Why do I recall that old maxim known as Hanlon's razor which reads: "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." In the world of politics, there are many other more concise, but less polite, words which could be substituted for both malice or stupidity.
I urge you to vote against this motion.
Elinor Benjamin Dartmouth, NS
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