The ghost bike located just south of the corner of Bronson and Holmwood avenues stands as a memorial to Krista Johnson, a cyclist who was killed last year.
A permanent memorial for cyclists who have died on Ottawa roads may soon replace the so-called “ghost bikes” that are causing safety concerns, according to Capital Coun. David Chernushenko.
The idea for a permanent memorial was first suggested to Chernushenko by Brent Naçu following the annual memorial bike ride held in honour of his younger sister, Danielle, who was killed in October 2011 after a cycling accident along Queen Street.
Chernushenko, an avid cyclist himself, then contacted Naçu after some Ottawa residents raised concerns about the deterioration of some ghost bikes.
One memorial in particular, located at the corner of Bank Street and Riverside Drive, has raised concerns because that intersection already has a narrow sidewalk. A 56-year-old woman was struck and killed there in July.
Ghost bikes, which are spray-painted white and typically secured to a post or other object near the location of fatal accidents, are makeshift memorials erected by family and friends of a cyclist who has lost his or her life in a collision.
Another ghost bike is located on Bronson Avenue, honouring Carleton University student Krista Johnson; she was struck and killed a year ago. The city’s newest ghost bike has been set up at the West Hunt Club Drive and Merivale Road intersection to mark where Mario Théoret was killed in October.
Local residents were interested in contributing to a memorial that wouldn’t be a potential hazard, Chernushenko says.
“The genesis of these ghost bikes is cyclists and friends of the deceased cyclist wanting to draw the public’s attention to someone who was killed on a bike, and we need to take steps to make cycling continually safer,” he says.
The permanent memorial is still in the planning stages and a formal proposal has not been released.
“We have not gone to the community as of yet,” Naçu says. There has already been some private fundraising done by friends and family.
“It’s a work in progress and the process has been well-received,” says Lynn Kelly, mother of Brent and Danielle Naçu.
“We’re trying to move forward in order to recognize all of the bikers that have died in the Ottawa area,” says Kelly.
The memorial, says Chernushenko, would ideally be situated in a fairly visible location in the downtown core to provide a place for reflection and provoke interest among passersby. It would also contribute to the discussion of bicycle safety and environmental sustainability.