Sudbury cyclist pushing for more secure bike parking downtown to increase accessibility, reduce theft

2 month_ago 15

Sudbury

Cyclist Andrew Way needs to usage his bicycle for proscription astir Greater Sudbury but says a deficiency of motorcycle racks and unafraid motorcycle cages makes it hard to find spots to securely parkland his motorcycle erstwhile accessing stores.

Andrew Way says determination are lone 2 unafraid motorcycle cages for nationalist entree successful Sudbury

Erika Chorostil · CBC News

· Posted: May 01, 2025 7:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

A antheral   stands with an orangish  bicycle.

Andrew Way relies connected his motorcycle for proscription but says uncovering a unafraid spot to parkland it is challenging successful Sudbury, owed to a deficiency of motorcycle racks. He is lobbying the metropolis to adhd much motorcycle racks oregon secured motorcycle cages successful the downtown. (Erika Chorostil/CBC News)

Andrew Way wouldn't beryllium capable to get astir Greater Sudbury without his bicycle. Way has epilepsy and relies connected biking arsenic his main signifier of proscription due to the fact that driving tin beryllium unsafe with his aesculapian condition. While helium says getting astir the metropolis isn't excessively difficult, uncovering a unafraid spot to parkland his motorcycle erstwhile going into businesses tin beryllium challenging.

"I'm hoping to spot much accessible motorcycle parking wherever theft is not an issue," said Way. 

"I privation to beryllium capable to locomotion up to a motorcycle rack, fastener my motorcycle and cognize it's harmless there."

Way says determination are not galore motorcycle racks successful downtown Sudbury to parkland a bicycle erstwhile needing to entree a business, and nary publicly-accessible locked motorcycle cages. He adds that theft successful downtown remains a interest and helium doesn't consciousness comfy leaving his costly motorcycle unattended oregon locked to a structure.

 "Downtown... it's the biggest, worst spot for theft," said Way.

Bike racks are seen hanging connected  a partition  down  a metallic  ligament  fence.

Many locked motorcycle cages, similar this 1 extracurricular the TD Bank successful downtown Sudbury, are for backstage usage and not accessible to the public. Andrew Way would similar the metropolis to unfastened much nationalist cages oregon instal much motorcycle racks for cyclists successful the downtown. (Erika Chorostil/CBC News)

When determination is nary spot disposable to permission his bike, Way explains helium often has to instrumentality it with him into a business, which tin beryllium met with hostility.

Way has been successful interaction with City of Greater Sudbury officials, asking them to instal much motorcycle racks oregon much locked motorcycle cages truthful cyclists tin parkland their bicycles securely.

He says determination are lone 2 publically disposable secured motorcycle cages successful Sudbury, located astatine Health Sciences North. The alloy boxes are shielded from the upwind and items successful them are not disposable from the outside, deterring theft.

Way says metropolis employees person entree to a secured motorcycle locker successful the underground parking store astatine Tom Davies Square. He was told by a metropolis councillor that opening it to the nationalist could beryllium an option.

"That'd beryllium a bully commencement from the city," said Way, adding helium would parkland his motorcycle determination and locomotion to the downtown promenade if helium had to.

"It's amended than nothing."

Way says helium has reached retired to the Downtown BIA and different businesses astir installing motorcycle racks, but hasn't been met with overmuch co-operation.

He says the New Sudbury Mall has told him it is installing year-round motorcycle racks astatine each of its secured entrances with cameras available, which Way says is simply a measurement forward. He's hoping the Elm Place promenade successful downtown Sudbury tin besides instal much motorcycle infrastructure either extracurricular entrances oregon successful its parking garage.

Ultimately, Way says motorcycle parking is an accessibility contented and should beryllium disposable for radical who trust connected it for transportation.

"There is simply a clause successful the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) that a motorcycle is simply a mobility assistance if you request it," Way explained. 

"If you're idiosyncratic similar maine who can't drive, can't walk, it's conscionable arsenic recognized arsenic a wheelchair oregon a scooter oregon a small manus cart and comes with each these aforesaid accommodations."

In a connection to CBC News, the City of Greater Sudbury said it is "committed to supporting progressive transportation, including the improvement of accessible and unafraid motorcycle infrastructure.

The connection said the city recognizes that "convenient bicycle parking plays a captious relation successful encouraging cycling arsenic a safe, sustainable mode of transportation, and we proceed to measure opportunities to amended cycling amenities crossed the community. We stay unfastened to constructive feedback from each members of the nationalist and are committed to moving toward a much inclusive and accessible proscription web for everyone successful Greater Sudbury."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Erika Chorostil is simply a reporter/editor with CBC News successful Sudbury. She covers quality passim northeastern Ontario. For communicative ideas oregon quality tips, email [email protected].

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