2240 Lakeshore Blvd West, Suite 227

Toronto, ON M8V 0B1 416 792-4964

HUMBER BAY SHORES
CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION

March 13, 2016

Dear Councillor Grimes:
CYCLING AND WATERFRONT DRIVE CONTRA-FLOW BIKE LANE
As representatives of the Humber Bay Shores area, we oppose the contra-flow bike lane on Waterfront
Drive. We believe the proposal gives undue weight to those who want to pass through our community as
quickly as possible and not enough weight to those who live in the community.
This letter is supported by representatives from the buildings that comprise the Humber Bay Shores
Condominium Association.
Reasonable Accommodation
Our community is not opposed to bike riding. Indeed many members of our community are bike
riders. However, we believe our community should be viewed as more than just a bike transit route.
Our community is rapidly becoming one of the most densely populated residential areas in the City, if it is
not already. Although the area encompassing Humber Bay Shores and the adjoining developments to
the west is relatively small, it will soon comprise about 30% of the population in Etobicoke south of the
Gardiner Expressway and this ignores what may eventually be built on the old Christie property. In
addition, many people from outside our community come to enjoy the parks in our area.
In sharing our limited space among thousands of people with varied interests, we believe there must be a
reasonable accommodation between the interests of bike riders and the interests of all the other users of
our community. Moreover, particular weight should be given to the interests of the approximately 25,000
people who will soon call the limited area around Humber Bay Shores home.
We believe reasonable accommodation would include the following:
Bike riders should be required to slow down when passing through the park in our community, especially
at points where pedestrians cross the path used by bikes.
Measures (e.g. speed bumps, rumble strips and curves in the path) should be put in place to ensure that
bike riders respect the rules and laws in both the park and on our local roads. As you are aware, it is very
difficult to get police to enforce the rules and laws in our community on an ongoing basis.
Bike commuters (i.e., those who merely want to get through our community as quickly as possible)
should be diverted away from the park and local roads to bike lanes on Lake Shore, or further north.
Impact of Proposal on Humber Bay Shores Community
In considering the contra-flow bike lane, it appears that Transportation Services limited their analysis to
the impact on Waterfront Drive and did not consider the impact on the total community, and in particular,
the roads that connect to Waterfront Drive: Palace Pier Ct. and Marine Parade Drive.
Palace Pier Crt.
Palace Pier Crt is a very short street; however, there are about 1,100 homes and 2,000 people living on
this street.

2240 Lakeshore Blvd West, Suite 227

Toronto, ON M8V 0B1 416 792-4964
HUMBER BAY SHORES
CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION

At Waterfront and Palace Pier Ct., bike commuter traffic would pass the Palace Pier drive way. Entering
or exiting the park at the south end of Palace Pier Ct, bike traffic would pass the Palace Place
driveway. Each of these drive ways serve between 400 and 500 homes.
A significant number of bike commuters, many of whom would probably ignore the stop signs, would pose
a problem for those entering or exiting the buildings on Palace Pier Ct. It may also create a safety
issue. These concerns do not appear to be addressed by Transportation Services.
It should be remembered that Waterfront Drive was originally created as a one-way street so as to avoid
traffic problems on Palace Pier Ct.
Marine Parade Drive
As development progresses, Marine Parade Drive is becoming a very busy street and a very important
part of creating a vibrant local community.
In addition to dealing with local car and bike traffic, both Marine Parade Drive and Waterfront Drive have
to accommodate a growing amount of pedestrian traffic as people cross the streets to access the park. It
should be remembered that there will soon be almost 15,000 people between Lake Shore Bld. and the
Humber Bay Shores Park, plus another 5,000 on the east side of Park Lawn Rd. Moreover, as the
number of shops and restaurants on the north side of Marine Parade Drive increase, there is a growing
amount of pedestrian crossings as people from outside the community cross from the park to the north
side.
Diverting commuter traffic through our local roads, whether it is car traffic or bike traffic, places an
unacceptable additional burden on our local roads. It is also inconsistent with developing a vibrant local
community that is to be enjoyed rather than merely passed through.
Conclusion
We strongly urge you to oppose the contra-flow bike on Waterfront Drive and to support a reasonable
accommodation between bike riding and all the other uses of our limited and densely populated
community a reasonable accommodation that will support the Humber Bay Shores area as a vibrant
community that can be safely enjoyed by its residents.
We believe that reasonable accommodation would include developing bike lanes on Lake Shore Blvd, or
further north, and moving to those bike lanes the high speed commuter traffic that merely wants to get
through our community as quickly as possible.
Yours sincerely

Don Henderson
HBSCA President
Copy: Stephen Buckley, General Manager Transportation Services