Starr Winchester

The increased volumes of traffic in the Comox Valley is a real concern to me.  I must confess, I am not an avid cyclist, but have the greatest amount of respect for all cyclists.  We visited our daughter in Amsterdam and were amazed at the use of bicycles in that Country.  Our daughter rides 8 km each way to work every day, it’s just a way of life for her and all her colleagues and friends.  She also feels very safe cycling everywhere she goes.

Although the City has made progress in the past 10 years with cycling infrastructure, unfortunately I think we were about 20 years too late.  It’s difficult to “un-do” what was done in the past, but we can make progress moving forward.  We must ensure that EVERY new development in Courtenay/Comox Valley has the infrastructure  to accommodate cycling and walking paths.  We should be proceeding with bicycle lanes on Fitzgerald Avenue.  I watched on TV the interesting proposal for a pedestrian bridge, and I would be in favour of exploring all options to make this a reality.  I read with interest the comments regarding Car Free Sunday.  In my opinion, we need to engage our community more with initiatives such as this.

I am very much aware that cycling and walking truly increase the quality of life for all communities.  As I previously stated, I am not an expert in the field of cycling, but I have much respect for the members of the Comox Valley Cycling Coalition, and would be willing to work with you, if elected, to improve our cycling and walking infrastructure in Courtenay and the Comox Valley.

Thank you for all the hard work you do to make our Community a healthier and safer place to live.

Sincerely,

Starr Winchester

Candidate for Courtenay Council