I will advocate locally, for better active transportation infrastructure. Quote: “Cycling is ten times more important than electric cars for reaching net-zero cities”. Source
You may have already pledged to get out of the car more often. Now let’s double down on that pledge.
It’s good for your health, for the planet’s health, and for the tourist industry and that means it’s good for local business.
The picture here is from Florence, Italy. You can see motorized vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians all have their own lanes. It is possible.
Residents
For residents, comprehensive active infrastructure would allow you to leave the car behind for all or part of your commute to work, school, or shopping. It would also provide additional fitness and recreation possibilities.
In Muskoka that means a better network of sidewalks and paths for pedestrians, dedicated bike lanes and good bike parking in towns. It also means more hiking and safe bike trails outside of town, all connected to each other and to public transit.
Tourists
We can make Muskoka an international ecotourism destination by providing sustainable travel options that connect tourists with Muskoka’s natural habitat, accommodations, camping opportunities, and our heritage communities.
Just imagine this. Travellers from the GTA or those who fly in from abroad, board the train at Union Station, and arrive at a station in Muskoka for a bicycle getaway. They bring their own bike or rent one when they arrive. Additional supplies and services are available from local businesses.
They set out to explore, knowing the infrastructure is in place to make their adventure memorable for all the right reasons. Or they enjoy a personalized tour of Muskoka with all meals and accommodation booked in advance.
That’s a win for tourists, a win for local business, and a win for the planet as we fight to reduce our carbon emissions.
Talk to your local Councillor about what is needed to connect your neighbourhood to an active transportation network and remind MPP Norm Miller (now Graydon Smith) about Doug Ford’s promise to bring back the train.
References:
- Cycling is ten times more important than electric cars for reaching net-zero cities – Resilience
- Active transportation – Canada.ca
- What Is Ecotourism – The International Ecotourism Society
- NEORN – Northeastern Ontario Rail Network
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