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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Guelph’s cycling strategy was never just bike lanes. It was 5 Es: Engineering, Education, Encouragement, Enforcement and Evaluation. Under-support one or more of those "Es" and the bike lane gets blamed. My latest Substack: What Happened to Guelph’s Cycling Momentum? #BikeSky #activetransportation

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Because when people feel like they belong, they participate. And participation changes what gets funded, designed, protected, challenged, and ultimately, what kind of community we become. #CivicEngagement #CommunityLeadership #Belonging #WomenInLeadership #Changemakers #Guelph #UnitedWay

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Community change isn’t reserved for politicians, professionals, or people with formal power. It happens when someone organizes the ride. Starts the group. Shows up at City Hall. Checks on a neighbour. Makes space for someone who didn’t think the city belonged to them. That’s civic power.

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

I’m excited to be joining United Way Guelph Wellington Dufferin for United in Conversation this September. We’ll be talking about something I care deeply about: how ordinary people build belonging, shape their communities, and change cities, long after the ballot is cast. 🧵👇

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

The Ward Rides are part of my BYCS Bicycle Mayor mandate: making cycling, local government and civic participation more approachable at street level. Thank you to everyone who rode, rolled, shared knowledge or joined the conversation. #ActiveTransportation #MobilityJustice

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Twenty-one riders participated, with four joining along the route and one person meeting us on foot at their favourite bridge. Different people also helped lead stops, sharing local history, advocacy knowledge, lived experience and hopes for future connections.

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

We toured historic crossings, new cycling infrastructure, active construction and future bridge and pathway connections. Moving through Ward 2 together let residents, advocates and civic leaders experience the same conditions and discuss what should come next.

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

What happens when civic engagement leaves City Hall and meets people in the street? On July 25, the Bridging Communities Ride turned Guelph’s Ward 2 into a mobile civic classroom, connecting people, places and pathways. #BikeSky #Guelph #BikeGuelph #CivicEngagement

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

June 24 Insurance: "I noticed there wasn't much clothing or furniture." Me: "..." "...the clothing tab?" "...the furniture tab?" "...the estimates?" "...the receipts?" "...the screenshots?" "...the other tabs?" I submitted in April

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

June 22 Insurance: "I'll be reviewing your file this week." Me: "...this week?"

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Me (a few times): "Has... anything happened? Things again are getting pretty desperate so I have some questions" Insurance: "We're working on it."

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

June Batch 7. Replacement Cost 1. Replacement Cost 2. Replacement Cost 3. Batch 8. Transportation ALE. Food ALE. Living ALE. Receipts. Receipts. More receipts. Even more receipts.

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

May Batch 1. Batch 2. Batch 3. Batch 4. Batch 5. Batch 6. Insurance: "Thank you. I will review and present to the insurance company."

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Insurance "Great. Start sending replacement receipts."

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

April Submit master inventory. 700+ items. Dates. Purchase orders. Receipts. Categories. Descriptions. Estimated replacement values for easy categories like clothing and shoes.

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Bonus mission: discover surprise unsecured lithium batteries (The cause of the fire) amongst the half a truck load of junk (including a single shoe for some reason) on your work's loading dock.

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Late January I discover my apartment has already been emptied even though I have been trying to arrange communication on it for weeks. Surprise!: Random soot-covered belongings have been delivered to your workplace in wet garbage bags.

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

January Insurance: "We're investigating the e-bike manufacturer." Me: "...can we pay for some of my lack of food access first?" Insurance: "We'll request that emergency advance that I told you in person at your burt apartment that it should only take 3 days (3 weeks later)"

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

January Insurance: "We'll request an advance." Me: "Amazing." Also me: "Rent is due. I need clothing for work... also I'm hungry." Also insurance: "We'll request an advance."

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

December 30 Insurance: "We're committed to prompt and fair claim handling. A licensed claims professional is reviewing your file right now." Me: "Fantastic." Narrator: It was, in fact, not prompt.

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

The Insurance Saga: A Timeline December 29, 2025 Apartment explodes. Spend two days in ICU. Escape with phone. Inventory now consists of: 📱 Phone 🩴 Borrowed slippers 👕 Borrowed clothes ✨ Trauma

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Speaking of which: My insurance claim currently feels like a group project where I've submitted all the work, all the references, all the citations, and someone just logged in six months later to ask what the assignment is about. Needless to say I've submitted my second formal complaint.

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Thank you - it's the second in the thread so sharing the first should pass the link on as well 🙂

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Six months ago, I was admitted to Guelph General after a fire, struggling to breathe. On June 28, I'll be riding in the Tour de Guelph, raising funds for the very same hospital. My lung capacity is back, my legs are carrying me 25 kilometres, and I'm fortunate enough to give something back.

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

There are other cuts that people tell me they take but I know it risks a trespassing charge and they have cameras up - I've also never done it myself - just Silvercreek / 39 (plus opportunity for salty french fries for a long ride 😂)

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Then it doesn't cut off very much but it's part of the most unpleasant part of Silvercreek / 39 - but I take this little cut here. You have a skinny part on Silvercreek but it widens up and most importantly wider and smooth space up and down the hill. Cross early before the trailhead if you like

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

The new trail ends at the end of the cemetery at Woodlawn Rd. There is a multi use path on both sides but I prefer to cross Woodlawn here.

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Follow until you hit a fork just before Speevale and head left to access the cycle cross over intersection that connects to the newest portion of the trail that was finished late last fall.

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Suggestion: downtown is under construction so head right from the train station to the downtown trail at the steam engine

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

We have finally moved to the design phase to make this connection less hostile (please support G2G how you can as they have made huge progress in even just a year and I was actually surprised!) There is paved shoulder of varying widths but still not comfy yet.

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

At that point, I was half-joking, half-serious that being arrested might somehow be less physically torturous.

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

In therapy, I was talking about how my workplace traps heat like a greenhouse and whether they may have a legal obligation to accommodate my medical needs. I said, “We might air-condition prisons, but we don’t even air-condition schools, so I’m not exactly hopeful.”

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Reposted by Bicycle Mayor of Guelph

Erin Caton @caton.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

Wow. @ootslibrary.bsky.social and Guelph Pride went all out this year. By far the biggest Pride in the Park yet. Fantastic to run into @leanneguelph.bsky.social and @cathydowner.bsky.social. Also happy to hand out Pride Ride leftovers from @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social. Happy Pride!

Pride in the park. Erin sitting with a lot of rainbow decor.

Cathy, Erin and Leanne at Pride in the Park.

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

Public input still matters. Support the EA + rehabilitation of McQuillan’s Bridge. May 29 by 10 a.m.: submit comments or register to delegate for Item 13.1 at the June 2 Committee of the Whole. Repair the bridge. Restore the crossing. Maintain it properly. haveyoursay.guelph.ca/en/projects/...

haveyoursay.guelph.ca

Citizen engagement platform

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

The City’s preferred option is the right one: Alternative 2 — Rehabilitate and Strengthen. That means repairing the bridge, preserving more heritage value, restoring a safer crossing, and avoiding the worse option of pushing people toward roadside workarounds longer than needed.

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

McQuillan’s Bridge is more than an old bridge. It’s a heritage structure, a trail connection, and a non-motorized crossing over the Eramosa River used by hikers, cyclists, community groups, educators, kids, and residents moving through the area. #bikesky #guelph

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

Don’t let construction, rain, or a big hill stop you. Hop on your bike, head downtown, and support the local businesses that make our community thrive. #guelph #downtownrenewal

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

Invisible people don’t get safe streets. If cities don’t measure how people move, they disappear from planning decisions. Pedal Poll helps collect real-world data on biking, walking, e-bikes, scooters, and #micromobility across #Canada. June 2–7, 2026 🚲 #bikesky

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

As Bicycle Mayor of Guelph, I care deeply about this kind of community data collection because it helps bridge lived experience and policy. Stories matter. But numbers often unlock funding, design changes, and political momentum. Pedal Poll runs June 2–7 🚲 #Bikesky

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

I miss mine - so much laundry amongst other things!

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

Upcoming events in #Guelph With the lack of funding and resources from the city this year please support our community efforts for #bikemonth (and beyond) where and how you can! #bikesky

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Bicycle Mayor of Guelph @bicyclemayorguelph.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

Newer developments are luckily starting to do more practical long term bike parking - I hope other properties can invest in their residents as well. I'm renting a room but previously had a studio where I'd lift my bikes up half a flight of stairs. Luckily for my back rn I have shed space

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