More people could be walking and cycling in the near future, and county council has decided that is a good thing.
Council voted unanimously on Aug. 12 to participate in the development of a county wide active transportation plan, to support a Healthy Communities Partnership grant application by Wellington Dufferin Guelph Public Health, and will consider contributing financially to the preparation of a county wide active transportation plan as part of its five year capital plan.
Council made those decisions after hearing from Karen Armstrong, or Wellington Dufferin Guelph Public Health and Centre Wellington Recreation Director Andy Goldie.
Armstrong told council active transportation means body power instead of a vehicle. She said they were asking county council to consider bicycle lanes for county roads, which could lead to better health for people who cycle.
She said the risk of obesity increases six per cent for every hour spent in a car, and the average Canadian spends one to 1.5 hours in a car every day.
Armstrong added there is the possibility of economic spin-offs, and in Quebec, such bike paths generate $95-million in tourism spin-offs, and that means $15-million in taxes to the government.
She said extending the roads for bicycle paths would provide structural support for the current roads, and move water farther away upon discharge from roads.
Armstrong said the Upper Grand District School Board spent $13-million on buses in 2008, and “It would be great if we got those kids out of the busses and biking to school.”
However, that statement comes after one issued in June by the Upper Grand District School Board, which is leaning the other way. It announced that more students in grades 7 to 12 will be eligible to ride the bus to school this year as a result of a decision by trustees of the Upper Grand District School Board to revise the transportation policy and “improve” walking distances for these students.
Currently students in those grades must walk 4.8 kilometers to school before they can be considered for bus transportation. The board’s decision means that those distances will now drop to 3.2 kilometers for grades 7 and 8 and 3.5 kilometers for students in grades 9 to 12.
The board also noted its walking distances are among the highest in the province, and had not been revised for more than 20 years.
Armstrong told council that 48% of seniors in Ontario have no cars, and another 19.3% of children are under age 14, and that is a lot of people without a vehicle. She added that if only nine families’ children walked to school next year, it would reduce emissions by 1,000 kilograms.
Armstrong also explained that all around Wellington, municipal governments are working on active transportation plans. She cited Waterloo Region, Caledon, Bruce, Grey, and Dufferin Counties and said “We’re like the hole in the middle, with no plan.”
Goldie said it would cost about $60,000 to develop the plan, and he is hoping for a $10,000 grant from the province.
The deadline to apply was on Monday, and he hoped to get started on the work in September, and finish the plan by October of 2011.
He said the need is for staff to sit on a committee working on the plan, and $25,000 to support it. He added he is hoping for $2,000 to $3,000 from each municipality, as well.
Goldie said the committee would develop a terms of references, with the county calling tenders, working on the plan, and holding the grant money.
Armstrong said it is “a great opportunity for municipalities in the county to work together, and the result will be increased physical activity in the community.”
Councillor Bob Wilson said asked if the Wellington Dufferin Guelph plans would be integrated. “It makes a great deal of sense.”
Goldie said that would be the case, and Dufferin County is considering its plan this fall.
County council also received a letter from Minto Mayor David Anderson stating that his council supports the Wellington Dufferin Guelph In Motion regional and local committees as the group to assist with the preparation of grant applications and the undertaking of community consultation towards the preparation of a terms of reference.
Anderson said that on April 7, several municipal staff and representatives from various organizations met in Minto to discuss a request that was made to the county’s roads committee regarding the possibility of bike lanes.
That group supported the motions that the county was considering at its Aug. 12 meeting.
Councillor Mark MacKenzie said that meant that there was something in writing from at least one municipality and it was in support of the proposal. Goldie said each municipality has trails, and the committee had approached each municipality for support.
Councillor Barb McKay was pleased the group had worked “with all municipalities.”
Later in the meeting, council supported all the requests.
