GOLD: Speeding cyclists on collision course with homeowners

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For over three years, a St. Boniface homeowner has been trying to get his Councillor, Matt Allard to do something, anything, about improving signage in his neighbourhood so that animals, pets and pedestrians aren’t being put at risk by reckless speeding.

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But since it involves the behaviour of rude cyclists veering off a city bike route near his home, Phil Cottingham is left wondering if Allard is ignoring him the way he did residents of Norwood Flats who had similar complaints about Lyndale Drive. And he may be on to something.

Tucked in behind Happyland Park is the small Archwood neighbourhood, a small quiet mixed-income residential area. A bridge across the Seine River links the area near Youville on the west with Archwood on the east.

The path off the bridge lands near the corner of Tremblay Street and Deniset Street where Cottingham has lived for 19 years.

In April 2021, he wrote Allard “about the increased traffic on the boulevard and sidewalk out front of my residence along the Seine River.”

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“Several hundred on a busy summer day are coming off the bridge and turning using Deniset, the boulevard and the narrow sidewalk, many with reckless abandon,” he warned. “I’ve had way too many near accidents with these cyclists. Children are in and out of our front yards as are pets and it’s only a matter of time before a tragic, preventable, accident occurs.”

Cottingham suggested “better signage and probably some type of barrier to regulate these cyclists and to encourage them to use the proper designated route.”

Allard’s then-assistant Ryan Palmquist replied, “We will bring this to the attention of our AT and traffic staff and see what we can maybe do to beef up the wayfinding.” (Palmquist has since been hired as director of Save Our Seine.)

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After seven weeks of waiting, Cottingham pressed the issue:

“After polling my affected neighbors we’re all in agreement that something needs to be done to reroute this increased traffic to the designated route along Evans and Tremblay streets. The frustration, like the temperature, has risen a little. While an immediate solution is unrealistic, certainly some contact and dialogue should be expected.”

He told Palmquist, “There are multiple choke points that cause unsafe situations between pedestrians and cyclists due to their increased volume, lack of adherence to any rules of the road and often high speeds. Definitely not rectified.”

Cottingham had put up nine signs nearby “to encourage cyclists to stay on the designated cycling path on Evans and Tremblay … and woke up this morning to find seven of the nine removed.” Palmquist claimed the city had received a complaint.

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Cottingham wanted his signs back, and reminded Palmquist, “The issue of cyclists on the sidewalk down Deniset is both a legal and safety concern. I can’t stress this enough.”

“I am confident to say that I’m not the only person risking life and limb stepping onto this section of sidewalk. Young and old and all forms of creatures inhabit this area. It’s the city’s duty to ensure our safety.”

Palmquist replied, “We agree that cycling at speed down that portion of Deniset is inappropriate and continue to push for action to resolve this matter permanently.”

Instead, Cottingham says, he heard nothing more in 2022, and the dangers got worse.

“Electric bikes come flying around the path, off-road bikes, and Harley’s too. One gal comes over on her scooter. I’ve seen injured rabbits, birds, and squirrels.”

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Last summer, he reminded Allard of his complaint.

“A dangerous amount of cyclists (are) using the narrow, poorly lit, and well-used pedestrian sidewalk. I shouldn’t have to remind you that it is illegal to ride bicycles on City sidewalks. This and the fact that many animals and birds are in constant danger of being struck, as my front window can attest to … many cyclists are hurtling along this sidewalk at increasingly dangerous speeds, and a serious cyclist/pedestrian accident is only a matter of time.”

He also challenged Allard for failing to take action.

“I can’t overstate my frustration at the lack of discourse from yourself and your office over the last three-plus years.”

I asked Allard what’s been done to improve signage, if he’d gone to see the problem for himself, or asked bylaw officers to do so. He ducked all those questions.

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“The only thing he’s been active about was removing my signs within 24 hours,” Cottingham points out. “I’ve erected a sign on my own property pleading with cyclists to use the proper designated route. It shouldn’t have to come down to me personally, to help ensure the safety of my community due to lack of action by Allard et al.”

After three years, Allard set up a meeting, rescheduled it twice, and then Cottingham had a work obligation on July 16 and couldn’t go. He says there’s been no contact from Allard’s office since. Allard claims his staff were “in the process of scheduling a meeting and we were waiting to hear back from them on their availability, and I look forward to that meeting.”

In contrast, Allard held a meeting with Sophie Hildebrandt within 2 days of my column about her Norwood Flats petition to remove the bike route restrictions on Lyndale Drive. Hopefully, Cottingham’s meeting goes better than hers did.

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She told me, “He treated me like a second-class citizen; laughed at things I said, interrupted me almost every time I spoke, and refused to give actual answers to the questions. I left the room nearly in tears. I have never left a room feeling so belittled.”

As for city signage, Cottingham says, “Save Our Seine organized a clean up after an encampment fire left burnt debris and needles all over the place near my neighbours. Well done. However, they still have yet to pick up the cyclists sign from the river under the Tremblay Bridge – the sign that warns cyclists to give way to pedestrians.”

“They want us to share the road but they don’t want cyclists to share responsibility for safety issues. We should do a cost-benefit analysis. The bicycling coalition seems to be getting their way.”

— Marty Gold is a Winnipeg journalist. You can find more of his work at The Great Canadian Talk Show.

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