The Gilles-Villeneuve circuit (the Circuit) is an automobile racetrack located on île Notre-Dame in Montréal. Except during the odd car race, a wide bike path is available to all. With very few cars on the course, smooth pavement and no traffic lights, the Circuit has become an ideal place for cyclists to train in Montréal. Every day, cyclists from all around town use the course. It is the safest place in Montréal for non-stop riding, peloton practice and to reach competition-level cadences. The Société du Parc Jean-Drapeau plans to install baffle gates on the bike path portion of the Circuit. These are used to slow the speed of users, making it impossible for athletes to train (La Presse published an article on June 6, available in French here). The Société wants to lower the number of accidents that occur on the Circuit. It will instead ask cyclists who want to train to do so along the perimeter of the Olympic rowing basin. We are firmly opposed to this decision. We believe this is a dangerous decision for cyclists and other users. This will force cyclists to move to higher traffic areas in and around Montréal, or on bike paths made for and used by leisure cyclists. We believe this decision impedes the development of local cycling athletes. In our view, the alternative course, the perimeter of the Olympic rowing basin, is inappropriate and dangerous for cyclists to train on. One of the sides is very narrow: any mistake will send the cyclist off the course, into the rock bed on the banks of the basin and into the water. Also, cyclists will have to negotiate four 90-degree turns and risk hitting other rowing and dragon boat athletes or their equipment.
An agreement in sightYesterday, Tuesday, June 16, representatives from the Société Jean-Drapeau and the city of Montreal met with spokespeople from various groups that use the Gilles-Villeneuve circuit, including the Fédération Québecoise des Sports Cycliste (FQSC), Triathlon Québec, Association Québecoise des Sports en Fauteuil Roulant (AWSFR) and Vélo Québec.During the productive and positive meeting, participants were able to agree to:
The barriers on the racetrack have been removed. The SPJD announced the official outcome of the meeting in a press release. PetitionIf you use the Gilles-Villeneuve circuit to train, if you are thoughtful about road and bike path safety in Montreal by choosing to speed train on the Circuit, or if you want to root for cycling and triathlon athletes who use the Circuit for their day-to-day training, we need your support! Please sign our petition and pass it on to all those who will support our cause.
DemonstrationSeveral cyclists showed up on Friday June 12th to to denounce the the SPJD decision. The cyclists rode around the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve and then met for the symbolic presentation of the petition. On June 12th, less than four days after its creation, the petition had accumulated over 3500 signatures. It will remain open for signature until an acceptable alternative solution is implemented.
Alternatives
We all want a lower accident rate on the Circuit. We ask the City of Montréal and the Société du Parc Jean-Drapeau to seek the input of cycling and other sport groups to find a solution. Several solutions could be considered to improve the safety on the Circuit while supporting the sport of cyclists. For example:
The Gilles-Villeneuve circuitA wide bike path is open on the Gilles-Villeneuve circuit from April to November. This path is mainly used y performance cyclists, roller bladers and wheelchair athletes. Cycling and triathlon clubs regularly meet on the Circuit for training sessions: interval training, peloton techniques, etc.
According to the Société du Parc Jean-Drapeau, 27 accidents involving cyclists occurred last year in parc Jean-Drapeau, several of which on the Circuit. We are confident that safety measures can be implemented without barring high performance cycling. However, these number must be put in perspective. In 2008, the SPVM recorded about 800 accidents involving cyclists in the City of Montréal, which means that the 27 accidents that occurred at parc Jean-Drapeau represent only 3% of all the biking accidents in Montreal. Considering the high use of the park and the popularity of cycling on the Circuit, this number is not disproportionate.
Reaction of the Société du Parc Jean-DrapeauThe Société du Parc Jean-Drapeau issued a press release after an emergency meeting stated that it stands by its position. However, they state: "[...] we must quickly meet with user groups to find new long term solutions".We are still waiting for concrete actions on the part of the Société.
Stay connected with updatesDo you want to receive emails to keep you informed of the latest developments on this topic? Whether it be news on the progress of this issue or information on upcoming protests or pressure tacticts. You have two options:
|