merely Kate

Mom. Drummer. Ukulele novice. Urban person-on-cargo-bicycle. Homeschooler. Elder millennial. she/her

[Mayor Cam Guthrie @CamGuthrie]

My TOP 10 takeaways from my trip to Copenhagen to apply to #Guelph:
1. TRANSIT: More frequency & wider coverage area & times.
2. SEPARATED: The painted white lines will not provide the choice many are looking for if they want to ditch the car for their bike. Build them right & they will come.
3. CONNECTIONS: Building better connections for people through areas of nature & “play” right outside your door & neighbourhood.
4. DENSITY: Freaking density in housing. Get it done.
5. EQUITY: Equity in design for infrastructure & accessibility throughout areas of the city that needs it.
6. HEALTHY FOOD: The availability of local, fresh & healthy food is vital & interconnected to affordability, housing & more.
7. ASK: Are we planning a city for both the 8 year old & the 80 year old?
8. POLITICAL WILL: Decisions are tough. That’s why we’re elected. Make them.
9. PRIORITIZE: What is the overall greater good for the city to get better things accomplished? Departments need to seek out from others what is the greater good & be willing to drop their own list for others.
10. PARKING: There’s room in those spaces for people, housing, patios pop up parks or bicycle/micro mobility parking. There will be some need for the car, but reimagine those spaces & don’t default to the car all the time.

[merely Kate @Meeerkat2]

@cyclelobbywr @CityKitchener Excellent point!!!!! They’ll beg to have the light cycles changed to get the cyclists out of the way!

[merely Kate @Meeerkat2]

I love love love the new bike infra ⁦@CityKitchener⁩ is building…but these “waiting spots” are barely big enough for one bike! (Photos from winter and are of Krug/cedar/Weber with a bakfiets bike at the corner filling the whole corner!)

[merely Kate @Meeerkat2]

@CityKitchener @IronHorseKW My route to swimming now (includes sidewalk riding - much less stressful and I slow wayyyyy down when there are pedestrians I promise).

[merely Kate @Meeerkat2]

A few weeks ago I rode on the road on Queen street with my kids.
After staunchly refusing to be a sidewalk rider, this intense section of road and being honked at and told to get on the sidewalk was enough to…well…get my fam on the sidewalk on Queen since then.

[merely Kate @Meeerkat2]

PS @CityKitchener can we get a connection from the @IronHorseKW to Harry Class Pool please?

[merely Kate @Meeerkat2]

Birthday by bike :)

[Stephanie Fritz @MsFritzzle]

@Meeerkat2 @MarshKtown Better bike infrastructure is an amazing legacy to leave behind! We were so lucky to have you representing us, @MarshKtown!

[merely Kate @Meeerkat2]

@JL_Laurie @MsFritzzle @CityKitchener Same with queen/church/Joseph…

[merely Kate @Meeerkat2]

This is a video of the new protected bike lane on margaret ave over the bridge.

Important connection to @SpurLineKW

I’ve QT’d a thread from 2 years ago where I explained why a safe route over the bridge is needed to connect to the MUP that is being built. /1

[merely Kate @Meeerkat2]

A thread about the Otto/Margaret Ave MUT and how it will (not safely) connect to the @SpurLineKW trail. 1/12

[merely Kate @Meeerkat2]

You’re welcome!

I wasn’t along though: @MarshKtown was instrumental in helping me push for this change (thank you Sarah for putting up with all my emails!).

We were so fortunate to have you on council, Sarah! You did so much good in your two terms in office ❤️

[Stephanie Fritz @MsFritzzle]

@Meeerkat2 @CityKitchener I cannot thank you enough for advocating for this connection! My family are new cyclists (as of this year), and this specific plan to connect Frederick to Breithaupt & the Spur Line Trail was a major factor in our decision to buy bikes, because of the improved safety factor. 1/

[merely Kate @Meeerkat2]

@DanPic3 @SpurLineKW We do too and it’s why I was so vocal about needing a connection over the bridge. My kids have grown up riding that left turn and they are pretty reliable, but they shouldn’t have to making that kind of maneuver!

[merely Kate @Meeerkat2]

@Waterloonie1 @SpurLineKW @CityKitchener @GRR_KW Margaret is really difficult to cross here (at Breithaupt) for sure. I’m holding out hope for cycle infrastructure on Victoria some day!

[merely Kate @Meeerkat2]

That said, if the @CityKitchener or @RegionWaterloo felt like adding some traffic barrels for one block to make detouring to Ellen St safer, I think that would be awesome (especially since Victoria northbound goes down to 1 lane at margaret right now anyway. /3

[merely Kate @Meeerkat2]

Months of emails to my very supportive and patient @CityKitchener councillor and city staff eventually led to this change.

I think the emails were more effective than me complaining on Twitter…hmmm🤔 /2

[merely Kate @Meeerkat2]

Church/Queen st/Joseph st in #dtk is a little tricky to navigate.

I’m hoping that when the bike network is finished being built, the bike signal timing will be adjusted so I can go on green.

[merely Kate @Meeerkat2]

They fixed the parking at Harry Class Pool!!! Thank you @CityKitchener

(Probably a while ago, I just haven’t been there since last year!)

[merely Kate @Meeerkat2]

Where @CityKitchener thinks bikes should park at harry class pool (barrier curb prevents access). 1/3

[merely Kate @Meeerkat2]

@bwebste I was going to try that way Tuesday, but it seemed to be closed still so I just went a completely different way Wednesday!

[merely Kate @Meeerkat2]

I haven’t posted a ride video in a while, so here you go!

All the construction on margaret and the spur line trail means sometimes I just go a completely different route than I otherwise would rather than get dumped onto Weber as a “nice scary detour”.

[merely Kate @Meeerkat2]

Typo: that -> than 🤦‍♀️

[merely Kate @Meeerkat2]

If anyone has ever wondered why separated bike infra is better for biking that multi-use-paths, watch the last 10s of this video (there’s music overlay, but as I slowed then stopped I was calling out “excuse me, can I sneak past you?” but I ended up just stopping to be safe).

[merely Kate @Meeerkat2]

I haven’t posted a ride video in a while, so here you go!

All the construction on margaret and the spur line trail means sometimes I just go a completely different route than I otherwise would rather than get dumped onto Weber as a “nice scary detour”.