Mornings in High Park could belong to cyclists under a new city proposal

Pilot program would give riders dedicated time to use the park during ‘off-peak, early morning hours.’ The plan would also close the park to cars on Sundays only.

Thestar.com
April 5, 2023
Ben Spurr

Speedy cyclists could take over High Park some mornings this summer, under an updated city proposal that would also cut back on how often the popular west end destination is closed to cars.

A “dedicated sport cycling pilot” is among the measures in the latest version of the High Park Movement Strategy, which the city released Monday.

The updated plan also shows the city is proposing to close the park to drivers on Sundays only. High Park has been car-free on both weekend days since March 2020.

The city hasn’t released details of the cycling pilot, except to say it would be confined to “off-peak, early morning hours,” and if approved by council could start as early as this summer.

Sasha Gollish said giving riders dedicated time to use the park would be a hit with local cyclists. She’s a member of the Morning Glory Cycling Club, which hosts group rides through High Park starting as early as 5:40 a.m.

She said High Park is an appealing training ground for riders because its broad, lightly-trafficked roads form a loop where they can do laps, while hills in the east and south enable harder workouts. With major streets nearby providing alternate routes to drivers, she said there’s no reason for the park to be a “thoroughfare” for cars.

“It feels like it should be a safe place to ride your bike, and it feels like it’s the right place to ride your bike,” she said.

Cycling in the park sparked tensions last summer however, after other users complained riders were disobeying rules and risking collision, and police launched a ticketing blitz that critics called heavy-handed.

According to Gollish, if designated cycling times were early enough they wouldn’t inconvenience other park users, and could be “a good step forward” toward reducing disputes.

But Diane Buckell, who has lived a block from the park for 40 years, sees no reason to give cyclists a dedicated time.

“They go at very high speeds, and they don’t stop at stop signs,” Buckell said.

“I don’t know why the cyclists are being pampered and catered to.”

She also opposes the city’s plan to keep the park closed to cars on Sundays. She said restricting car access any time is “unfair” and “elitist,” because makes it harder for people like her to use the park. She’s 83 and has had heart trouble, and walking in and out of the 160-acre green space isn’t an option. She said weekends are the only time she can visit High Park with her family.

An online petition Buckell launched asking the city to keep the space open to vehicles has more than 2,300 signatures.

Supporters of the weekend closures argue they’re popular -- according to a city survey 75 per cent of respondents reported the events had a positive impact on their experience in the park.

In a statement, the city said it proposed switching to Sundays only because during consultations it heard from many people who rely on vehicles to get to the park and “whose schedules only allow park visits on weekends.” That includes people coming long distances, those with young children or older family members, and participants in activities that require equipment such as sports or gardening.

Prohibiting cars on Sundays but not Saturdays “aims to strike a balance,” a spokesperson said.

Thomas DeVito, with the Car Free High Park coalition, said reducing the closures to one day a week is a “troubling clawback.”

His group wants to permanently ban vehicles throughout the park, arguing it would improve safety and have environmental benefits.

Local councillor Gord Perks agrees that allowing cars back in the park on Saturdays would be a “step backward.”

He supports High Park going completely car-free eventually, but says it can’t happen overnight. To ensure residents with mobility issues can still access the park, city staff say they first have to launch an accessible shuttle connecting to nearby transit stations, and improve TTC bus service.

“I think we need a path so that everyone can enjoy High Park for however they use it, without relying on their cars to get there,” said Perks (Ward 4, Parkdale--High Park).

The city launched the High Park Movement Strategy in 2021 to identify changes to the transportation network that would reduce conflicts between pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers in the natural attraction, which draws more than 1 million visitors a year.

As the Star previously reported, as part of the plan, which has yet to be approved by council, the city is considering permanently closing West Rd. and a southern section of Colborne Lodge Dr. to car traffic to allow more space for walking and riding. It would also add separated bike lanes, create a pedestrian plaza near the Grenadier Café, and remove parking spaces.

Staff are scheduled to issue a report with final recommendations on the plan this spring.