RE: Bloor “foremost a public space”?(July)

Thank you for your editorial “It’s really a village not a freeway” in the July edition of The Annex Gleaner. I can’t agree more!

The case for bike lanes on Bloor is strong: the route is flat and unencumbered by streetcar tracks, and many people continue to cycle along it, despite the absence of cycling safety measures.

In a 2013-14 study by Toronto Public Health as part of its “Healthy Canada by Design” initiative, Annex residents identified bike lanes on Bloor as their top “active transportation” priority.  An earlier study by the Clean Air Partnership found that motorists bring only 10 per cent of the business to local shops, and that parking in Green P lots could make up for most of the loss of parking on Bloor Street.

The gist of these studies, reports, and observations is that our community would see countless safety, health, environmental, and economic benefits with a bike lane on Bloor.

I am pleased to be working with community members from across our northern neighbourhoods towards a pilot bike lane on Bloor Street for April 2016.

—Joe Cressy

City Councillor

Ward 20