Continuous improvements in infrastructure and accessibility made to create a safer and friendly cycling community.
Cobourg, ON (April 23, 2018) – The Town of Cobourg recently received provincial recognition at the 10th Annual Ontario Bike Summit Awards with a Bronze Award as a new Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC).
With the recognition of the Bronze Award to the Town of Cobourg this brought the number of Bicycle Friendly Communities in Ontario to 42. With 3 Gold, 8 Silver and 31 Bronze BFCs across Ontario — representing 70% of Ontario’s population — the province is well on it’s way towards achieving a collective goal of becoming the most bicycle-friendly place to ride a bike in North America.
“We were thrilled to have received recognition as a Bicycle Friendly Community and look forward to continuing to making our roads more accessible for our fellow cyclists,” said Barry Thrasher, Director of Public Works for The Town of Cobourg.
The Town of Cobourg achieved Bronze after having been engaged in the BFC Program for years and receiving Honourable Mentions in 2015. The Town of Cobourg took the feedback prepared by an expert panel of judges and put that feedback into action by creating new programs and projects to make cycling more accessible.
Advancement up the BFC rankings is a pivotal part of the program — in the eight years that the BFC program has been in operation, a total of 17 communities have moved up the rankings, taking advantage of the application process and the feedback provided to make their community a better place for people who ride bikes. The BFC Program encourages continuous improvement and municipalities are taking advantage of the feedback, as well as provincial investments in cycling infrastructure, to make cycling safer and more convenient for residents.
“As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, we are encouraged to see so many municipalities taking these first steps and demonstrating a commitment to cycling,” said Justin Jones, Program Manager, Share the Road Cycling Coalition. We look forward to another decade of working in partnership with stakeholders across the province to build a province where everyone feels safer and comfortable riding bike.”
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
