* Active-transportation strategy delayed eight times*

* Two years and counting… for report *

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/two-years-and-counting-for-report-47...

PRESENTATION of a long-overdue report to the public works committee is being delayed for an eighth time, leaving active transportation advocates wondering if they aren’t a priority for the City of Winnipeg.

Coun. Janice Lukes, who represents South Winnipeg-St. Norbert and is the former chairwoman of the infrastructure renewal and public works committee, requested a review of the winter maintenance strategy for the city’s active transportation network (including walking, cycling, wheelchair, in-line skating, skateboarding and more) in March 2016.

More than two years later, Lukes believes the review is ready, but Mayor Brian Bowman’s office is delaying its release.

“I am 99 per cent confident the report is done. There’s no way it would take longer than two years. There’s absolutely no way,” she said. “We just said, ‘Review the current processes, make recommendations and what would it cost.’ We didn’t ask them to implement it, so there’s no reason to hold it back.

“Ultimately, the mayor sets every single standing policy committee agenda. He determines what goes on that agenda... I was chair of public works. He always looked to see what was on that agenda.”

The public works committee will receive a report Friday detailing alternatives for snow clearing, such as adjusting sidewalk-clearing equipment to cut grass in summer months.

Lukes said she thinks the active transportation report will be presented next month.

Asked about the review’s delay Wednesday, Bowman said his office isn’t holding it back.

“There’s no truth to that. I’m glad it’s coming forward,” the mayor said. “The committee has done their work.

“I’m hoping they can look for improvements in quality of service to our residents. That’s, I think, a good discussion for the community to have and I’m looking forward to hearing what they have to say on it. And I would expect that at the coming (executive policy committee meeting), we can weigh in at that point.”

The public works department would not accommodate an interview request Wednesday, but a spokesperson confirmed it will ask Friday for a 30-day extension on the report.

It appears at least one community group that was to be consulted while the report was being compiled

has yet to speak on the matter.

Anders Swanson, executive director of the Winnipeg Trails Association, said the group has not had anything approaching “meaningful consultation” with the city.

Swanson helped organize a public event last week, Urban Brew —Sidewalks First, where some 90 people showed up to discuss the seriousness of Winnipeg’s winter- accessibility problems.

Lukes’ initial motion asked the department work with stakeholders during consultations, including the Winnipeg Trails Association, Bike Winnipeg, Manitoban League of Persons with Disabilities, and the City of Winnipeg active transportation advisory.

“We heard from somebody who can’t even make it to work, just because the side street in front of their door was not navigable in a wheelchair. We’re hearing about people being scared for their life having to cross the Osborne Bridge in a wheelchair. That’s messed up,” Swanson said Wednesday.

“Mobility is a basic human right, especially if you happen to be in a wheelchair or needing to push a baby in a stroller. It should be one of the top priorities of our municipal government in general, honestly.”

Mark Cohoe, director of Bike Winnipeg, said his group was consulted about a year ago, but hasn’t heard anything back about its input.

“I think it does make it hard for us to go out to the public and say, ‘The city’s looking for your input. Please help us,’ if people know that it’s potentially meaningless — which is what it feels like when it takes a year to move from that stage,” Cohoe said.

“It’s disappointing that we’re not moving forward on this (review). We’re a winter city. There’s no getting around the fact of providing people with options to walk, to bike, to bus or to drive. We need to make sure that they’re going to have an accessible route to get to their destinations... (the delay) tells me that we’re not really a priority.”

— with files from Aldo Santin

jessica.botelho@freepress.mb.ca