Leading up to the 2022 municipal election, CycleWR volunteers have been taking municipal electoral candidates for bike rides to show off the best and worst of the cycling infrastructure in their ward/city/region. For a full list of completed rides, click here. CycleWR is a non-partisan organization that does not support any particular party or candidate. Summaries are written by volunteers or candidates and may not reflect the mandate or views of CycleWR. For more information, contact us at hello@cyclewr.ca.
CycleWR volunteer Shelley MacRae took Matt Rodrigues, candidate for Regional Council, Kitchener, out for a ride. Here’s what they had to say about the ride:
Last Sunday morning I had the pleasure of joining Matt Rodrigues, candidate for regional council, for a bike ride along the route of our family’s weekday commute. We travelled from our home in ward 1 to the local elementary school, discussing how safe and comprehensive cycling infrastructure directly supports health, independence and a sense of community for school age children. From there we travelled to Grand River Hospital, a neighbourhood that sees an influx of thousands of employees and students daily. We explored both high-speed arterial roads and slower side streets, receiving a history lesson in the evolution of the Regions approach to cycling infrastructure.
Matt, an Urban Planner by training, Chair of the City of Kitchener Active Transportation and Trails Advisory Committee and an all-season cyclist was well acquainted with the current challenges of our cycling infrastructure. As a transit user himself, he expressed enthusiasm about the recent strides the Region has made in working towards a more comprehensive multi-modal transportation plan with an eye on meeting the needs of a diverse Regional community.