Ride with Candidates: Jeff Donkersgoed – Cambridge Ward 1

For the 2026 municipal elections, CycleWR volunteers have been taking municipal electoral candidates on bike rides to show off the best and worst of the cycling infrastructure in their ward/city/region.

Below is a summary written by municipal candidate for Cambridge Ward 1, Jeff Donkersgoed on their ride with CycleWR volunteer Ryan Eagles.

Disclaimer: CycleWR is a non-partisan organization that does not endorse a 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.

My name is Jeff Donkersgoed and I’m running for Ward 1 Councillor in Cambridge. A proud community organizer, I’m a dedicated advocate for social justice, in particular in the realms of public education, health care, housing, workers rights, and the environment. I am running to be the next Ward 1 Councillor for the City of Cambridge because I believe residents deserve a community that supports fairness for everyone – both now and in the future.

I had a great time riding with Ryan, who is President of the Cambridge Cycling Club. I recently got back into cycling because my nine-year old son became more comfortable riding a bike. He got confident enough that we rode the Mill Run Trail from Hespeler to Riverside Park for the first time and it was awesome. We are blessed with many multi-use trails in our city.

Cambridge currently struggles to encourage cycling for everyday transportation due to our unique geography – the three core areas are separated by distance, rivers and Highway 401 – and because many residents do not feel safe sharing roads with motor vehicles. Cambridge will need to continue to invest in a connected network of protected cycling infrastructure, including separated bike lanes and multi-use trails, so that our cycling is accessible in all areas of the city. My son will only ride on streets that have separated bike lanes; otherwise, he rides up on the sidewalk.

But we will need to be mindful that such active transportation is properly planned. Ryan and I biked the perimeter of the Lang’s Farm area in Preston, where I quickly learned that many problems exist with multi-use trails crossing streets, such as poor visibility and sightlines, as well as trail crossings set too far back from intersections. The city must conduct regular safety audits at trail-road crossings, prioritizing locations with high traffic speeds, poor visibility or reported near-misses to reduce safety risks for trail users, pedestrians and drivers.