Taylor Clark

LJI Reporter

Petitions have been circulating online in favour and against adding close to 9,000 metres to Hull’s cycling network, specifically in the Saint-Joseph area.

As part of Gatineau’s Cycling Network Master Plan, adopted in 2018, the City proposed cycling links at four axes in Hull: downtown, Mont-Bleu, Gamelin, and Saint-Joseph. A public information session on all four proposals was held in late October 2023 to answer questions.

The proposal for Saint-Joseph included 8,775 metres of new cycling routes extending 13 streets, removing 339 of the area’s 601 parking spots. The additions to the cycling network would make Wìgwàs (Amherst) eastbound from Moussette toward Saint-Joseph, Berri southbound from Gamelin toward Montclair, and Berri northbound from Wìgwàs toward Montclair into one-way streets.

The prospect that portions of Berri Street would become a one-way came as a surprise to resident Alain Charlebois, who only learned about the proposal while candidates were campaigning for the by-election. Upon speaking with his neighbours, Charlebois learned he was not the only one out of the loop.

“When I did my door-to-door, 95 per cent of my neighbourhood (were) not aware of these proposals,” he said.

This led Charlebois to launch his Change.org petition strongly urging the council to review the proposal he deemed “overkill” and adjust the proposed cycling infrastructure to align with current projects and priorities.

“It’s excessive to have that many bicycle paths,” said Charlebois. “I’m not against cycling. I’m retired but when I worked in Ottawa, I did cycle in the summertime to go to work, and I never had issues. There’s no congestion on our existing bicycle paths.”

Along with what he considered insufficient consultation, Charlebois raised concerns about the reduced number of parking spaces and the proposed paths creating a negative impact on existing traffic, which would only continue to increase as more developments pop up.

Charlebois insisted the City consider less expensive alternatives like improving existing routes. “It would be much more economical to secure the bicycle path on Saint-Joseph by putting some flag on the lane and painting it to make it more visible … I think more people would be using it more if it was clearly marked.”

With what he described as no urgency to increase cycling routes, Charlebois asked the City to reprioritize the budget for the infrastructure to “more urgent needs such as public transportation, social housing, and homelessness.”

Although Charlebois’ petition has gained close to 400 signatures, not all residents were on board with seeing the money put toward another project. Avid cyclist Andrew Gibson welcomed the proposal to the neighbourhood as he already had concerns about the safety of pedestrians and cyclists.

“We love where we live. One of the issues is on Berri Street – it’s too fast. There’s too much traffic, it takes away the potential, precisely, of residential streets where people can participate in active transportation, get to know each other, all those good things,” said Gibson.

Along with the Association des résidants et résidantes du Quartier Wright and other citizens, Gibson was able to provide ideas and feedback during the consultation process.

“At this point, it would be nice to take a clear stand to show that it’s not just people who are residents of the neighbourhood. On the contrary, many people support the vision that was released by the City. We felt it was necessary to take action,” said Gibson.

The counter-petition supporting Gatineau’s decision was launched by Gibson in early August and has gathered close to 600 signatures. He noted the concerns laid out in the opposing petition were legitimate but stressed change was necessary to advance the roadways.

“At a certain point, (the opposition is) normal. We’re proposing changes. It disturbs habits. Some people are still dependent on their car. You have to respect that. You have to be open and be there to understand, support, and propose new ideas,” said Gibson.

This infrastructure provides the support and self-assurance needed to encourage people to take that leap to active transportation, said Gibson. “There are many, I think, who would like to do that but who are a little hesitant.”

According to the Government of Canada, the interest in cycling has been steadily increasing in many municipalities. The pandemic gave way to a “cycling renaissance” across Canada but much of this riding was recreational rather than for commuting purposes.

When it came to traveling to work, Gatineau’s residents preferred taking a vehicle. An Origin-Destination survey by the Comité TRANS found 66 per cent of the trips from the Gatineau territory were made by car while active transportation only accounted for 10 per cent. Public transportation and other modes made up the remaining 24 per cent.

Gatineau’s Sustainable Travel Plan, carried out in 2013, put significance on changing how the population gets around, by emphasizing walking, cycling, public transit, carpooling, and car sharing. From 2011 to 2031, the plan aimed to increase foot and bicycle traffic during the morning peak period from 10 to 15 per cent.

“There are several reasons why (cycling) infrastructure is important, but the main principles we’re building on would be safety, user-friendliness, and adaptation to climate change. For all these reasons, it’s good to bring in new infrastructure to encourage and facilitate active transportation whether on foot or by bike so that people feel confident,” said Gibson.

Both petitions can be viewed on Change.org.

Photo caption: Gatineau has revealed plans to improve cycling infrastructure in four areas of Hull but not all residents are on board with the proposals.

Photo credit: Ville de Gatineau presentation dated October 19, 2023