Photo Credit: Anthony Price
On September 15th, TCAT, together with the City of Toronto, participated in the Thorncliffe Night Market, more commonly referred to as Thorncliffe’s Friday Night Bazaar, which took place at R.V. Burgess Park. This evening of fun was part of a series of outreach events within the communities of Thorncliffe and Flemingdon Park, where our local animators are engaging residents about new bicycle infrastructure proposed for 2018 by The City of Toronto. The proposed bike lanes and wayfinding aim to improve connections with the current ravine trail system and the rest of the City’s bicycle network.
The Flemingdon and Thorncliffe communities have long been in need of bicycle infrastructure. The two communities have generally higher rates of cycling and walking, and many of the younger members of the community in particular are heavily reliant on their bikes for everyday use. One area of particular concern that is being studied is Overlea Blvd Bridge – a narrow arterial bridge which is the only connection for these two very intertwined communities. Many children need to cross this bridge daily to get to and from school and must contend with fast-moving traffic and a very narrow pedestrian crossing.
The overall community interactions throughout the evening were pleasant, full of excitement, and supportive of more bicycle infrastructure. As a member of the Women’s Committee said while preparing the outdoor stone oven, “I’m happy to see any changes that improves safety and comfort for those on the road.”