Many cycling advocates in Ottawa say bikes shouldn’t be written off so quickly as winter recreation – especially when they fit well with the tight-knit layout of downtown areas such as Centretown.
“It’s especially great and more convenient because you have parking at the door,” says Tom Trottier, president of Citizens for Safe Cycling in Ottawa.
But others say they aren’t entirely convinced.
Marc Walters, a University of Ottawa student, says he had to use his bike six separate times in December due to the transit strike.
Walters says cycling is a pastime he rarely opts to do in the winter months, but he needed his bike to get to school for his exams. He says it wasn’t easy.
“It got the job done but it was hard to steer a bike in the snow,” Walters says. “If I could avoid it, I would.”
Despite such concerns, cycling is encouraged as a year-round means of transportation by the City of Ottawa as well.
“Whether it’s January or June – rain, snow or shine – cycling can be both a fun and practical way to get where you’re going,” the city says on its website.
The city also boosted its promotion of winter cycling during the bus strike that left many commuters stranded.
According to its website, the city has stepped up maintenance of key cycling routes in busy areas like Centretown. Bank, Elgin, Slater, Albert and Somerset streets are among the roads where snow clearing has increased to accommodate cyclists. But most bike pathways remain unploughed.
Trottier says Citizens for Safe Cycling is concerned bike lanes on main roads will be used as snow dumps and will be made even narrower than they should be.
But Michael Powell, a member of the blog, Cycling in Ottawa, and the city’s roads and cycling advisory committee, says main roads like Bank Street are kept reasonably clean. Cyclists should be more careful on side roads that are not cleared right away.
“It normally takes a day or two for [the city] to get to the side streets but it’s unrealistic to expect them to be entirely cleared of snow,” Powell says.
Meanwhile, Trottier says his organization suggested the transit way be opened to cyclists during the strike, which would have made “a big statement” to the Ottawa cycling community. But the city didn’t accept the proposal because of potential injuries and liability issues, says Trottier.
Despite the dangers often associated to winter cycling, it does have advantages, he says.
“It’s healthy and it doesn’t waste resources,” Trottier says.
“There are a lot of cyclists who love bike riding in the winter because it’s an aerobic exercise. It’s really good.”
There are also safety precautions cyclists should take to stay safe in the snowy and icy conditions, says Trottier. He says the hands, feet and face should be kept warm and well-protected; studded tires keep a bike balanced in slippery conditions.
But while Powell admits winter cycling isn’t for everyone, he says residents should keep it in mind as a practical alternative.
“It’s a valid option that people should remember,” Powell says. “And if you’re living downtown, it’s an even more real option.”