On our way home after our visit to Italy in the spring, I mentioned to Yim that I wanted to spend the entire summer in Collingwood and be as local as possible. I was inspired by the community life in several of the small villages we visited in Tuscany and wanted to immerse myself in the town.
I wanted to slow down my life a bit and decided that this summer I would do our grocery shopping on my bike. The trail system in Collingwood, which is one of the reasons we located here from Victoria, is as good as it gets and I wanted to spend as much of the summer outside as possible.
I also had this idea that I would write this post at the end of summer, just like this, so I started photographing snippets of my daily bike rides/grocery trips as a way of illustrating what a great naturalized trail it is, how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful part of the world and to showcase photographically just how good a job the Town of Collingwood does in maintaining and continuing to develop one of the best biking communities in Ontario.
Since we have access to the trail at either end of our street, once on it, I can do an entire loop of the town, through very well maintained trails, and which provide me easy access to Walmart, FreshCo, Metro, Bulk Barn, Shoppers, Loblaws and Sobeys. If chores call for other options, I can also easily access Canadian Tire and Home Depot.
This summer-around-town attitude worked well for us. Yim and I got into a nice groove. On most days now, we feel like we are on vacation, waking up, having coffee and spending a few minutes discussing what we have planned for the day. Then I go for a long run and/or strength training and Yim heads out to a fitness class at the Y, a ballet class or to teach Zumba. By 11:30, we are both back home and have lunch together, often out on the back deck, talking about what our afternoons are like and what we might like for dinner.
After lunch, I head out for my bike ride, stopping along the way to do the grocery shopping. Yim is often busy with her sewing and when she is not, she spends her afternoons planning her choreography. It’s a content life.
By mid-afternoon, I’m back around the house and ready for chores or gardening or dinner prep.
We prepare dinner together most days and enjoy our evenings around the house, walking around the neighbourhood or attending one of the many concerts the town organizes in the summers. It’s a wonderful town to enjoy.
Because of our Trail System, I can honestly say that this has been one of the best summers of my life. Some days on my way home as I pass through Sunset Point along beautiful Georgian Bay and head through the woods, I feel just like a young boy on my first bike. Kids swim alongside the trail in the Pretty River, boys are out fishing and people are walking along the paths from neighbourhood to neighbourhood. I’ve often stopped along my rides to have a chat with someone I know who is also out. It’s very laid back.
Along the way, I have logged over 2,500 kilometres on my bike, which means I am out in the fresh air exercising and not driving a car burning fossil fuels, which makes this a big win – win scenario.
To put that 2,500 klm in other terms, @ $1.45 per litre of gasoline, we saved about $325.00 over the summer but that wasn’t really the point. More importantly, by cycling all summer, the total amount of carbon dioxide I did not release into the environment was 427,500 grams. A Subaru Outback emits roughly 171 grams per kilometre and I’m at the point in my life that I think there are far too many cars on the roads and that people depend far too much on them.
Like I said, little towns like San Gimignano and Cortona in Italy were inspirational. No cars in the centre of town, just locals catching up and having coffee with friends. Markets were always within a fifteen minute walk. Creating a town which is bike forward thinking is something I can get behind.
That said, trying to navigate through the center of our town is less than ideal and could use some significant development. There’s really no safe alternative route for cyclists within Collingwood other than the loop trails. Sure, there are bike lanes on Ontario Street but they vanish when you reach Saint Marie Street and yes, there are bike lanes on Sixth Street but it’s a narrow trail and no matter how experienced a bike rider you are, leaves you in almost direct contact with vehicles also using the road at greater speeds. Even for someone like me, Sixth Street is not a comfortable experience and once you hit Hurontario, there’s nowhere to go. The trail ends. That has to be developed through to the park towards and through the park between the YMCA and the Arena. That’s an obvious extension.
Some reference on my carbon savings: One ton of carbon dioxide contains 22730 moles of CO2 or 1,000,000 grams / 44.0g/mole. My savings of 427,500 grams by riding my bike is roughly a half ton of carbon dioxide.
So, from me to the Town of Collingwood Trails Committee – Well Done. You should be proud of providing our residents with such an under-appreciated network of trails through our Town.
After this post was published, Collingwood Today interviewed me. You can read that article here: Collingwood Today
12 Comments
Murray Knowles
September 23, 2024 at 5:49 pmThis post is the best endorsement of the town and the trail system that I have seen since moving here 20 years ago. Beautifully done.
Chair – Trails & Active Transportation Advisory Committee
Stephen Roper
September 23, 2024 at 6:06 pmThank you very much… for the comment and for your work.
Martha Edmonds
October 4, 2024 at 11:04 pmJust back from a month on our bicycles in Europe, where bike trails are a part of life almost everywhere. We have a lot to learn about making it accessible also in the heart of town, not just on our wonderful trails on the periphery. It takes long term planning and commitment. Thanks for your part in promoting this mode of transportation.
Lucy Kuhn
October 5, 2024 at 9:56 amWe retired up here 19 years ago and love cycling the trails in Collingwood as well! You inspire us to do more! Thanks for sharing. We have many if the same shots and are forever grateful for the trails that George Christie advocated for all his life and many work to maintain!
George Christie
October 5, 2024 at 11:37 pmVery good story Steve and greatly appreciated. You should consider applying to be on our Trails committee.
Stephen Roper
October 6, 2024 at 9:27 pmThanks George. I am grateful for all the work the Trails Committee does.
Skibum
October 6, 2024 at 3:19 pmI would love to see more development of bike infrastructure in Collingwood so it’s a viable transportation option year-round for all ages and abilities; not just for strong road bikers comfortable on busy, fast-moving roads.
The cwood trail system rocks, however it is mostly recreation focused. When you need to go to grocery stores, there is not safe, protected bike infrastructure to protect you fron drivers. As a result, most of Collingwood is not safely accessible to our children and you often see people on sidewalks due to a lack of protected bike lanes. Paint doesn’t peotect us from a distracted driver. I’ve been to Kitchener/Waterloo and it’s a great example of how to do this right so we have the freedom to choose our mode of transport and are not dependant on a car for 2km trips around town. Perhaps there is a need for active transport advocacy in our lovely town.
Stephen Roper
October 6, 2024 at 9:33 pmI agree with the year round suggestion and even more so with the access to grocery stores. Each one has the opportunity to improve their access for pedestrians and cyclists and yes, you do have to ride on the sidewalks in the downtown core if you want to cycle or on the streets, which have that ridiculous sideways parking that takes up far more space than is necessary for vehicles. Getting rid of downtown parking altogether for cars is a good option in my opinion. Thanks for your comment. I should visit Kitchener & Waterloo.
Catherine vDaw
October 7, 2024 at 1:06 amSteve what a great testament to what not only possible but entirely doable. Well done. We should connect, ride together and chat about the possibilities of more for Collingwood and region in active transportation. Sounds like from the posts there is interest in so much more.
Nothing ventured….
Catherine Daw
Collingwood Climate Action Team
Stephen Roper
October 8, 2024 at 6:41 pmThanks Catherine. I feel it is very important to continue being an advocate for a slower pace of life rather than continued growth. Bike paths, for me, represent a simpler form of transportation and I am hoping Collingwood embraces the opportunity to move in that direction. If my observations provide any sort of catalyst, I would be pleased but I am quite content simply enjoying what Collingwood offers being a resident and will continue to spend my days enjoying the beauty here.
I read a bit about the Collingwood Climate Action Team. Sounds like you have your hands more than full with a broad range of initiatives. Keep up the good work. I am sure our paths will cross at some point.
Andrew Alford
October 7, 2024 at 3:34 amAwesome post! The more of us making a presence on the roads the more support for cycling infrastructure and advocacy. Keep on rollin’ Steve!
Stephen Roper
October 8, 2024 at 2:37 pmThanks Andrew.