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Website: http://isabelmetcalfe.ca
Phone: 613-292-0326

Thank you for the opportunity to share my views on cycling and what we can do to improve cycling conditions in Ottawa.

I am committed to making Ottawa a safer cycling city. As I canvassed in Capital Ward I have heard from many residents who cycle regularly. It plays a key role in their personal fitness and recreation and reflects their commitment to the environment, and for many residents it is essential transportation to get them to school or work. Residents have also shared with me their concerns about cycling safety. In Capital Ward, we are lucky to be close to NCC paths along the canal and river. However, there are a number of hazards within the Ward and around the city that prevent people from getting on their bikes. From my personal experience and from what I am hearing at the door I strongly believe we must do a better job to make cycling safer in Ottawa. This would respond to the needs of current cyclists and also encourage more people to choose cycling as a mode of transportation and recreation.

Your organization has put forward practical solutions -- some immediate easy fixes and some longer term strategies -- that respond to what I am hearing from residents. As councillor I would want to work closely with Citizens for Safe Cycling to see what we could do jointly in Capital Ward and throughout the city to improve cycling safety and boost the number of cyclists in Ottawa.

Your initiative to take candidates for an escorted ride through their wards is a great way to increase awareness of cycling issues. I would be very pleased to take you up on this and look forward to this opportunity.