Trent Lakes staff will work with Peterborough County to investigate creating a bicycle route in Buckhorn.
Staff were responding to a delegation made by the Citizens for Alternative Transportation in Trent Lakes (CATTL) in September regarding Adjacent Road Infrastructure.
In September CATTL representative Karen Shearer told council that limited cycling infrastructure in and around Buckhorn is creating a barrier for individuals to walk and cycle in the hamlet.
Most of the changes they asked for were on county roads, so council asked staff to talk to county staff to find out what Trent Lakes can do on its own and when it needs to work with the county as the roads involved are county roads.
Evan Grieger, Director of Public Works, presented a report to council at this week’s meeting
In the report he said staff do not support some of CATTL’s requests for minor construction improvements for various reasons including high costs, a lack of room, and no infrastructure to accommodate users.
The requests that staff support include creating a bicycle route in Buckhorn, putting up a stop sign at Ode’Naang Park and creating an asphalt walkway from Lakehurst Road to the Buckhorn Library.
Councillor Peter Franzen asked Grieger if it was normal to have a stop sign when leaving a parking lot and how much bicycle traffic is there?
Grieger said the stop sign was an easy win because CATTL had asked for it and the municipality can do it. The municipality does not have any numbers relating to bicycle traffic in the area.
Franzen said that he thinks bikes are a form of recreation and that because of rural distances and topography that “no one thinks “I’m going to go shopping and take my bike”.
Deputy Mayor Carol Armstrong said she wanted to clarify that some groups such as CATTL provide input and not direction to council.
Greiger told council that CATTL is a passionate group and that he would be happy to talk to them to get their perspective.
He said the county will be updating their Active Transportation Master Plan in 2027 and have said staff from Trent Lakes could be involved in the process.
Shearer sent council a letter responding to the staff report in a letter and addressed some of the issues mentioned in the report. She also said that CATTL would appreciate an invitation to attend the county Master Plan discussions.
