HALIFAX – Controversy is brewing over news of Halifax’s first protected bike lane.
On Friday, the province announced it was giving $150,000 for a pilot project on Dalhousie University’s campus to create an on-street, protected bike lane on University Avenue between Robie Street and Lemarchant Street.
The bike lane will be separated from car traffic with plastic delineators. It is a pilot project that is part of Dalhousie University’s Campus Master Plan.
Current on-street parking will be removed and metered parking could be implemented on side streets such as Seymour, Edward, Henry and Lemarchant.
“It’s something our government sees as a priority,” said Energy Minister Andrew Younger. “People at the end of the day are going to make choices and we need to encourage active transportation and sometimes that means bumping the car out of the way.”
The announcement is good news for George Kitching, 22, who often bikes to Dalhousie University. He describes the ride on University Avenue as “hellish”.
“It’s a treacherous route,” he said.
He notes that a protected bike lane would make him feel safer.
“The more bike lanes, the better, and protected ones, even better.”
Ben Wedge, the co-chair of the Halifax Cycling Coalition, said the move is a small step forward for the car-centric municipality.
“Protecting cyclists is the only way to really encourage new riders who are of all ages and abilities,” he said.
Wedge notes the new bike lane on University Avenue will connect current bike lanes across the peninsula.
“Four blocks will be a start. That’s a great connection and a great spine that will get people downtown,” he said.
But not everyone is happy with the plan – the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium sits on University Avenue and there are some people in the arts community who worry about what the bike lanes could mean for access to the building.
Bryan Crocker is the principal conductor of the Dalhousie Health Professions Choir and an associate conductor of Nova Voce, the provincial men’s choir.
He performs in the Cohn about six times a year and said he often tries to attend concerts there.
“I’m a full supporter of bike lanes. The issue with putting the bike lane in front of the Cohn is that it is a major performance venue,” he said.
“A lot of the people who go to these events at the Cohn are elderly, disabled or even me who’s carrying a large instrument. Trying to find somewhere to go and park near the venue, it’s gone. I think it will really affect the attendance and who can actually go to concerts at the Cohn.”
Peggy Walt has worked in the arts community in Halifax for 30 years and has worked with Symphony Nova Scotia in the past.
Her husband is a cellist for the symphony and she worries about the impact the bike lane could have on his fellow musicians.
“For the musicians who work there, that’s their place of business. They have to come there to rehearse. They have to carry instruments, music, all kinds of things you can’t necessarily put on your back on a bike,” Walt said.
“I think it’s great to increase the number of bikes on the Dalhousie campus but right there, we have a really important theatre that serves the whole community.”
Councilor Waye Mason responded to criticism over the plan.
“There’s no way to implement any kind of bike plan that isn’t going to impact automobiles somehow in some way,” he said.
“It’s unfortunate but I think, in the end of the day, we’ll all have a net gain with more people biking.”
Mason said council still needs to approve the funding model but if it is accepted, the bike lane could be implemented before the end of the month.
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