Rethinking Lifestyle

Two weeks ago, I suggested that many thoughtful Steinbach residents recognize that car culture, as we currently experience it in Steinbach, is not sustainable.

Here, within Steinbach, were we to default to walking or cycling to get between two points, we would benefit in many ways. We would be healthier as we become more fit physically. Our city would be friendlier as we connect with one another on the street. The city ambiance would be more pleasant as green vegetation replaces black pavement. Our taxes would be significantly lower, because we would not need to develop and maintain an expensive auto infrastructure. Our city would become more compact. And our city, as well as we as individuals, would be more prepared for the future when the finiteness of our oil supply becomes manifest in higher fuel prices.

In Copenhagen, a city of half a million people, only 13% of all commutes and 20% of all shopping trips occur by car. Although buses are used in Copenhagen, most commutes and shopping trips occur by bicycle or walking. Where traffic congestion occurs in Copenhagen, the solution of choice is not to build more car infrastructure. The solution is to incentivise people to use the car less. A new word has been created. To Copenhagenize now means to promote bike culture in a city. Google for it.

A frequent argument against the promotion of bike culture in Steinbach is that cycling is not possible in winter. No doubt, summers in Steinbach are more conducive to cycling and walking than winters, but one does wonder why that is used as an argument against cycling in summer.

But winter cycling is not as unpleasant as it is made out to be. As Manitobans, surely we already know that “there is no such thing as bad weather; there is just inappropriate clothing.” Winter cycling is prevalent in Finland. Oulu, a city of 200,000 in Finland, is at the 65 parallel. Yellowknife, in Canada is south of that, at the 62 parallel. Oulu is known as the “Winter Cycling Capital of the World.” 12% of Oulu residents commute by bike in winter. In Finland they have found that there are no more biking injuries in winter than in summer.

There are a number of factors that already favour the development of bike culture in Steinbach

• The topography is flat
• Steinbach is small enough that even a moderately fit person can readily move between two points without a car, either walking or by bike.
• La Broquerie, Blumenort and Mitchell are within cycling distance of Steinbach, although the distance somewhat more challenging.
• The city already has the equipment to clear bikeways. Sidewalks in Steinbach are cleared remarkably quickly after a snowstorm.

Steinbach came to be known as “The Automobile City” because early in the development of car culture there were those visionaries in Steinbach who recognized the potential of the automobile and built their businesses around that potential. That was then. Today we can see the end of that era. Steinbach now needs leadership that will have the vision to take us to the next era: a city appropriate for the post car culture era.