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Bike lanes and endless delay
WENDY VAN LOON
https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/2026/03/06/bike-lanes-and...
ON June 6, 2024, my husband Rob Jenner lost his life while cycling to work on Wellington Crescent, one day after his 61st birthday. In July that year, the biking community installed a ghost bike at the site of the collision. Rob’s bike was Winnipeg’s first ghost bike.
Installing the ghost bike was an unusual experience. The biking community reached out to me so quickly that it made my head spin.
I am incredibly thankful for the kind and compassionate individuals who entered my life. They came to my home, cried with me, fed me, listened as I spoke about Rob — how much he loved to cook, what a talented artist he was and how much he enjoyed his bike rides.
They welcomed me into their community, helped me buy a bike and took me on group rides.
I hadn’t been on a bike ride in ages and it felt amazing to grieve Rob in this way.
I received condolences from many councillors and Coun. Sherri Rollins answered my call to action.
Rollins understood the importance of improving the safety for pedestrians and cyclists along Wellington Crescent. Chair of Public Works, Coun, Janice Lukes, voiced her support.
The public servants went to work and presented an interim solution. The Wellington Crescent Walk Bike Pilot Project would see a temporary bike lane installed by spring of 2025.
But that did not happen. In an unprecedented move, the city council voted to hold public engagement and stakeholder meetings prior to implementation of the pilot project.
Only Rollins and Coun. Cindy Gilroy were in favour of immediate safety improvements.
The past years have been filled with grief, court hearings and city hall meetings.
I am exhausted. Many people tell me, Wendy you don’t have to do this; step back and take a break. How can I?
For me, it is knowing that I have done everything possible to ensure safety on Wellington Crescent and to honour Rob’s memory so that his death is not in vain. After almost two years, the court hearings have not yet been completed as the passenger in the car that struck Rob is still awaiting sentencing.
Additionally, the city hall meetings are ongoing.
I do not understand the delays. In December 2024 it seemed that the call to action was progressing positively.
While many argue that this tragic killing is not a city issue, I challenge that it is. A bike lane would have provided Rob with a chance. The car could have hit the curb and veered off; the driver would have seen a narrower street making it harder to speed.
I drive down Wellington Crescent each Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. to meet my grandchildren in Osborne Village.
Rob was killed at 7:00 a.m. on a Thursday morning while riding to work. Currently, when I drive down Wellington motorists are tailgating or speeding past me. Each time this happens, I tense up and look around hoping that there are no cyclists or pedestrians nearby.
I have attended all the meetings where delegations passionately advocated for safer streets.
The beautiful community, concerned citizens of Winnipeg and residents of Wellington have spoken for hours, presented global studies, shared deeply very personal experiences and bared their souls.
Their dedication to making our city a safer place for everyone is truly remarkable.
We need to implement safety improvements, we require dedicated bike lanes all over Winnipeg. I refer to “we” because now I’m a cyclist as well, often riding with my granddaughters in a bike buggy. I want them to be safe, too.
On Tuesday, March 4, the standing policy committee on public works discussed the Wellington Crescent Bike Walk Project again. The public servants recommended the immediate implementation of the interim solution.
But Lukes made it clear that she is willing to delay safety measures even further, scrapping the interim solution completely.
Another broken promise. I am not going away; I will see this through. I know that once the safety improvements are in place, we will recognize that together we made Winnipeg a better place to live in.
Wendy van Loon is Rob Jenner’s widow. She writes from Winnipeg.