Join the grannies and cycle for safer roads

A group of Nickel City seniors are gearing up for a unique rally to raise awareness about the lack of sidewalks and bike lanes on Kelly Lake Road — and their doing it astride bicycles.

The Cycling Grannies invite the public to join then at Robinson Lake Playground on Sept. 7 starting at 10 a.m. for the event. The groups aims to provide input to the city on road infrastructure that will increase safety for pedestrians and cyclists and encourage alternative forms of transportation.

The group invites young and old alike to join them for a three-kilometre loop from Robinson playground on Southview Drive to Kelly Lake Road, up to the Copper Cliff Trail near Lorne Street and back to the playground. All you need is a red T-shirt and a bike helmet.

The event is expected to wrap up by 11:30 a.m.

“While doing upgrades to Kelly Lake Road, or any other public roads, the city must ensure safe, non-motorized transportation by incorporating sidewalks and separate, paved bike paths,” the group stated in a release. “This is not only our need — it is our right.”

The Grannies argue that edge-line bike allowances are inadequate, inappropriate and dangerous. Only “strong and fearless cyclists” will use them, they said, which they estimate accounts for only about 1 per cent of all cyclists.

Kelly Lake Road is the connecting road for the Junction Creek Waterway, and the Copper Cliff and Trans-Canada Bike Trails

For more information, contact Ursula Sauve at (705) 674-5348.