By Cassie Smith, EnviroCentre
As spring rolls in, we see more sunshine, flowers, birds, and people riding their bikes around the neighbourhood. This year, you may want to explore even more of the city by bike, thanks to an important new connection near the Rideau Centre and Shaw Centre.
At the end of 2023, the City of Ottawa completed a project to improve trips between Lowertown and the Rideau Canal. A new cycle track with physical separation from vehicles has been installed between Daly Avenue and Rideau Street along with improvements and dedicated signals at the Mackenzie Avenue and Rideau Street intersection. This track is bi-directional, which means that people riding bikes are travelling north and south are next to each other, not on opposite sides of a street. Using this new connection, you will be able to access the Rideau Canal Eastern Pathway along Colonel By Drive that takes you to the University of Ottawa, Old Ottawa East, Lansdowne and the Glebe (via the Flora or Corktown bridges), Dow’s Lake, Little Italy, and much more on low-stress and comfortable bike routes.
Connections like the Mackenzie project can open cycling up to those who are less comfortable or unable to ride when mixing with vehicle traffic including children, new riders, disabled people, and older adults. It’s always wonderful to see the variety being used on these routes including balance bikes, walking bikes, children’s and adult tricycles, cargo bikes, hand bikes, recumbent bicycles, and more. There are options for almost everyone!
While you’re busy exploring the city’s bike lanes, be sure to join EnviroCentre for Let’s Bike Month starting June 1st! All you have to do is sign up for a free account and simply log each ride (you can do this on our website or app, it’s up to you!). We celebrate and encourage biking for all sorts of trips in the city. You can track your bike commutes to work or school, a sporty ride around town, or biking to your local park or swimming pool.
Biking is a fun, healthy, inexpensive, and sustainable way to get around. Last June 1,725 people completed 282,500 km of biking during Let’s Bike Month. That would be equivalent to biking the entire way around Saturn’s rings! By participating, not only are you having fun, getting exercise, and helping our planet, but you are also entered to win some of our amazing prizes, including tickets to Ottawa Bluesfest!
Sign up to participate and see all our tips, tricks, resources, and events at letsbike.ca. The website will continue to be updated as events are added.