The City of Calgary wants to remove a cycle track and locals are not happy

Some Calgary residents are heavily opposed with the city’s recent decision to remove downtown cycle track. City officials claim that the walking and cycling upgrades on Third Avenue South, which were implemented in 2021, were intended to be temporary. However, a grassroots group called Project Calgary is advocating to preserve the protected lane.

When discussions about the upgrades began in 2020, project manager Dennis Hoffart stated that the primary objective was to maintain a protected connection from east to west through downtown. This was motivated by planned construction which would impact the popular river pathway frequented by thousands of cyclists and pedestrians daily.

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According to Hoffart, the city was considering both permanent and temporary infrastructure options. However, after seeking public input, the feedback received was evenly split. Hoffart explained that there wasn’t enough time for thorough and comprehensive engagement to establish a permanent infrastructure solution. As a result, the decision was made to proceed with temporary infrastructure instead.

This information was conveyed by Hoffart in an interview with CBC News when the designs were unveiled in 2021. He says he explicitly referred to the temporary nature of the detour at that time.

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According to volunteer Peter Oliver, the city’s intention to remove the cycle track was not clearly communicated during the engagement process and project initiation. This lack of clarity led many individuals to believe that the infrastructure would be preserved in the long run.

Oliver is optimistic that a petition can influence city administrators or councillors to reconsider their decision. He believes that since the infrastructure is already in place and actively utilized, dismantling it without further consideration would be unjust.

You can check out the petition at ProjectCalgary.org