Cycling Towards Justice
By Jacqueline L. Scott, Safina Center Fellow
Photo of the author. ©Jacqueline L. Scott
What better way to enjoy a sunny spring Sunday afternoon than a bike ride down to the lake? Leaving home I turned south, got on the bike lane and then followed a bike trail all the way to Leslie Spit.
The Spit is a wilderness oasis right in the city. I cycled slowly, stopping often to scan for birds. Ducks – red-heads, golden eyes, and long-tails – bobbed in the still cold waters of Lake Ontario. The spring migration was on, and Leslie Spit is a hot spot for birds on their way to their northern breeding grounds.
Scores of other cyclists were also on the bike lane and trail. As usual, I counted how many were Black. That afternoon, I spotted five others. My PhD research is on how race intersects with outdoor recreation. Whether it is cycling, hiking or camping, outdoor recreation is often a portal leading to concern and care for the environment.
There has been a huge increase in demand for bicycles due to the coronavirus pandemic. And more bike lanes are being added in Toronto, making it safer and easier to cycle on the city’s streets. However, bike lanes are not evenly distributed. They tend to be found in the downtown core and in richer areas. In Toronto, the people living in the richer neighbourhoods are mostly white. There are fewer bike lanes in the poorer outlying areas of the city. The people living in these areas are mostly Black.
Photo: Cycling to Leslie Spit. ©Jacqueline L. Scott
Leslie Spit is a cycling and walking haven as no cars are allowed in this urban wildland. I cycled passed a fallen tree, whose cone shaped stump looked like a sharpened pencil. A beaver had bought it down. The tree was as wide as my arm. A girdle of wire mesh protected the larger trees from the eager beavers’ teeth.
Bicycling at the recreational level is largely a white activity. It is the same story in professional cycling and in bicycle advocacy groups. The absence of Black people from cycling is an indicator that there are barriers blocking their access. This makes cycling a social justice issue.
People generally feel better, safer, and are more willing to try new activities when they see others who look like themselves doing so. Black people are interested and want to cycle. However, many are tired of feeling ignored or unwanted in cycling circles. They are increasingly using social media to find each other and to organize their own cycling events. Black people are doing so to bypass the whiteness of cycling groups and institutions. Other people of colour groups are following the Black example.
A familiar sound tickled my ear. I stopped, and scanned the trees until I spotted a hairy woodpecker drumming on a trunk. It made music not to dance to, but to dislodge a meal of insects from under the bark of the tree.
Cycling organizations must change if they want to attract Black, Indigenous and other people of colour. It is the similar issue faced by the broader environmentalism groups. The first steps in making change is acknowledging that there is a problem, being ready to hear different life experiences of cycling, and being willing to explore solutions.
Photo: Cycling to Leslie Spit. ©Jacqueline L. Scott
A cottontail rabbit froze and looked at me with its limpid eyes. Then it shot into the bushes as a trio of cyclists streaked by on their racing bikes. I prefer slow cycling, as this way I get to stop and watch whatever catches my eye, as well as notice the subtle changes in the nature around me. Last week the trees appeared to be just stirring from winter’s sleep. This week the leaf buds were open and sprouting.
The trail on the Spit ends at the lighthouse. I got off the bike, and sat on the rocks to sip my spiced tea and to bathe in the warm afternoon sunlight. Small knots of friends picnicked on the rocky beach. Children skipped stones in the azure waters. In the distance, the city’s skyline shimmered liked a mirage.
Typically I cycle about 400 km, or 200 miles, each month. The ride down to Leslie Spit is a weekly ritual, and a time to relax and rejuvenate. Best of all it is a chance to be in wild nature without leaving the city. My weekend rides are longer, and are to nearby villages and small towns. Cycling for me is the joy and freedom to explore.
Cycling can become more inclusive by outreaching and building relationships with Black cyclists and community organizations. The freedom to roam on two wheels must be available to all. Black cyclists matter too.