Should it stay or should it go? Calgarians speak on cycle track

City councillors spent hours listening to Calgarians' opinions on the downtown cycle track network as the city moves closer to deciding the fate of the bike lanes.

City staff are recommending the 18-month pilot project should be declared a success for boosting the number of people cycling downtown.

On Thursday night, a committee listened to dozens of people with opinions on the project.

Some business owners on Eighth Avenue told councillors they want that particular cycle track taken out.

Darren Hamelin blamed the closure of Escoba Bistro and Wine Bar primarily on the removal of on-street parking outside his restaurant for the bike lanes.

He acknowledged the economic downturn and a higher minimum wage also played roles, but says the cycle track was by far the No. 1 culprit from what he's heard from clients.

"I had many chances to speak with my clients concerning the pilot project," he said.

"They regularly told me their clients were resisting invitations to come downtown for meetings since the installment of the lanes because of the effect the lanes were having on travel times, worsened by the lack of proximity parking."

Safer for cyclists

However, the committee also heard from cyclists, who said the lanes make it safer to bike through the centre of the city and want the network to become permanent.

Carolyn Fisher, who lives in the neighbourhood of Capitol Hill, told the committee that the protected cycle lanes make it easy for her family, including an eight-year-old son, to bike through downtown.

"It can be a scary prospect to teach your child to ride a bike on the road and we are so thrilled that the cycle track has offered us an opportunity to explore the city and get to where we need to go."

City council will discuss the future of the cycle track network on Dec. 19.