TORONTO – When it snows in the city, work doesn’t stop for bike courier Gary Joseph.
“I love it. It’s fun. It’s winter in Canada, you got to come out and enjoy the day,” said Joseph who’s been riding his bike almost every day for the past 16 years.
“It’s just a different element for us guys. I’m a bike messenger. It’s a job right? We don’t stop work for a little snow.”
And for many diehard cyclists ice, snow and slush are a part of winter cycling in the city.
Toronto has a budget of $650,000 set aside for bike lane snow removal services for downtown priority routes which include routes like Sherbourne Street, Richmond Streeet , Adelaide Street and Simcoe Street.
“We do have dedicated pieces of equipment that look after the bike lanes,” said Hector Moreno, with Transportation Services for the City of Toronto.
“We also have regular routine patrols to ensure the bike lanes are free of ice and snow.”
Jared Kolb, executive director of Cycle Toronto said cars need to remain cognizant of cyclists, especially during the winter.
“I think there’s a lot of people who brave all conditions and are riding 365 days a year,” said Kolb.
“If you’re driving a car and there are snowy conditions, what you want to make sure is when you are passing cyclists is that you are giving them a lot of space.”
If you want to try your hand at a cold ride, Cycle Toronto will be hosting a “Coldest Day of the Year Ride” on Jan. 30 at 1 p.m. at the Sherbourne Common.
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