Dear Editor:
First I’d like to acknowledge how fortunate the communities along the Elora Cataract Trailway are to have such a great multi-use resource close at hand.
On these hot, sunny summer days the trail is a shady, breezy location to get a little relief while staying active. What really surprised me was how hard the trail has become from all the use – it might as well be pavement – and the fast bicycles using the trail. If you want to call them bicycles. There are vehicles using this trail that at a quick glance look and travel more like a motorcycle. It is very unnerving to be passed by an e-cycle, especially when the rider doesn’t slow down blasts by on whichever side they think they have the most room to squeeze through. I’m sure a majority of these riders acknowledge other users on the trail and ensure they don’t interfere with their enjoyment. It’s the few that act entitled that give them all a poor reputation.
It’s not that I’m calling these users out – well, maybe a little – it’s more an observation of the lack of acknowledgment of other users. Maybe if they’d like to travel the speed of a car, they should be limited to the roadways.
Policing the trail is close to impossible, just like all thoroughfares. Even restricting the use would be difficult to enforce. I’d just like to ask my fellow cyclists to slow down a smidge and bring your bell to alert other users that you’re passing.
Happy trails. Here’s to the future enjoyment of the Elora Cataract Trailway and all other multi-use linear parks.
Heather Aitken,
Fergus