The city is certainly not utilizing the park to the extent they could. Victoria has a large, beautiful park that has been dissected into pieces that aren't connected well. Not to mention the horrendous street conditions leading to the park from every direction. It has the potential for excellent hike & bike trails but the council has to open previously closed areas & work on access, IMO.
What would you like to see done to make the city more hike-and-bike friendly? If the city set out the goal of being known for its trails, what would it take in your mind?
Victoria is the least bike and hike friendly town I have ever lived in or visited. Many cities and towns have embraced their riverfront by building hike and bike paths along them and then constructing a network of trails to link the city to the riverfront. They also link commercial or downtown areas to the pathways. Those that have done it right have seen a number of businesses spring up along the paths or near the pathways. The paths also cut down on the number of motorists on the roadways.
We rode our bikes to Riverside Park yesterday and saw more cyclists than we've ever seen in Victoria. I did realize, though, several people drove their bikes to the park. There's nothing wrong with that, of course, but we would never ride in the park if we had to drive to drive there. Getting to the park could be frightening for people who are nervous riding in traffic or people with kids, unless they live downtown or on Vine. Which is too bad, because it's such a nice park.
Thanks for filling in some of the history. My contention is the park would get used more if its trails connected in a circle around the city. You can't easily hike or bike to Riverside. What are your thoughts on how bike-friendly Victoria is?
Maybe all vehicles should be banned except for tee-tiny ones like that red and white peep-mobile I keep seeing in town. What is that? It makes "minis" look like SUVs. Can you imagine how safe our roads would be? We'd have to warn pedestrians to yield for cars. Oh, you meant something practical?
The park was a big draw back in the 80's before city council decided to put up those annoying posts & make all the roads one way. They also completely cut off the circle in the back. After that, people quit going, it felt as if the city leaders didn't want us regular folk using the park anymore.
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The city is certainly not utilizing the park to the extent they could. Victoria has a large, beautiful park that has been dissected into pieces that aren't connected well. Not to mention the horrendous street conditions leading to the park from every direction. It has the potential for excellent hike & bike trails but the council has to open previously closed areas & work on access, IMO.
January 19, 2009 at 11:12 p.m.Jack,
What would you like to see done to make the city more hike-and-bike friendly? If the city set out the goal of being known for its trails, what would it take in your mind?
Thanks.
January 19, 2009 at 7:53 p.m.Victoria is the least bike and hike friendly town I have ever lived in or visited.
January 19, 2009 at 12:25 p.m.Many cities and towns have embraced their riverfront by building hike and bike paths along them and then constructing a network of trails to link the city to the riverfront. They also link commercial or downtown areas to the pathways.
Those that have done it right have seen a number of businesses spring up along the paths or near the pathways.
The paths also cut down on the number of motorists on the roadways.
We rode our bikes to Riverside Park yesterday and saw more cyclists than we've ever seen in Victoria. I did realize, though, several people drove their bikes to the park. There's nothing wrong with that, of course, but we would never ride in the park if we had to drive to drive there. Getting to the park could be frightening for people who are nervous riding in traffic or people with kids, unless they live downtown or on Vine. Which is too bad, because it's such a nice park.
January 19, 2009 at 9:39 a.m.Thanks for filling in some of the history. My contention is the park would get used more if its trails connected in a circle around the city. You can't easily hike or bike to Riverside. What are your thoughts on how bike-friendly Victoria is?
January 19, 2009 at 7:22 a.m.Maybe all vehicles should be banned except for tee-tiny ones like that red and white peep-mobile I keep seeing in town. What is that? It makes "minis" look like SUVs. Can you imagine how safe our roads would be? We'd have to warn pedestrians to yield for cars. Oh, you meant something practical?
January 19, 2009 at 1:42 a.m.The park was a big draw back in the 80's before city council decided to put up those annoying posts & make all the roads one way. They also completely cut off the circle in the back. After that, people quit going, it felt as if the city leaders didn't want us regular folk using the park anymore.
January 18, 2009 at 11:01 p.m.