Young Women in Motion Share Ideas to Improve Bike-Friendliness of Windsor for Women with Municipal Election Candidates
Young Women in Motion – Breaking Barriers with Bikes shared their unique perspectives and ideas about how to create a more bike-friendly city for women in Windsor at a presentation and discussion with all candidates running in the City of Windsor Election at Charles Clark Square. The group is made up of young women from newcomer and racialized communities led by Women’s Enterprise Skills Training of Windsor, Inc. (WEST) in partnership with Bike Windsor Essex. Mentoring teams and experts have been coaching the 20 young women since May to help them build their confidence, mobility, cycling skills, and ability to contribute meaningful recommendations to municipal planners.
Young Women in Motion- Breaking Barriers with Bikes was one of 9 projects selected from across Canada to be funded as part of Kia Communities in Motion, made possible through the support of Kia Canada in partnership with Community Foundations Canada and in collaboration with the WindsorEssex Community Foundation. Through Kia Communities in Motion, Kia Canada is investing $1.4M over four years to fund projects in communities that will help build inclusive communities across the country. Kia Communities in Motion is supporting moving grassroots efforts forward to create a future where everyone flourishes.
Young Women in Motion Program participants Ishita Bhatia and Obaida Dabaja, announced seven recommendations calling on prospective municipal leaders to widen existing bike lanes, add warning lights for cyclists on bike lanes that end suddenly, have one day a month for roads to be for cyclists only, create barriers separating walkers from cyclists riding on riverfront paths, creating no-car pathways for students travelling to the University of Windsor, create a safe pathway with barriers from Wyandotte to Devonshire Mall to enable women to shop by bike and increasing bike parking at the Devonshire Mall.
The recommendations were based on the participant’s observations, in-person sessions with one of Windsor’s leading voices for cycling in Windsor: Lori Newton, Executive Director of Bike Windsor Essex, and research shared with them on Zoom calls with Kay Teschke, Professor Emeritus. University of British Columbia (UBC) whose Cycling in Cities program research investigated route infrastructure that encourages or discourages bicycling and increases or decreases risks of cycling injuries. And Dr. Anne Lusk of the Harvard T. Chan School of Public Health research on comfortable and safe environments for women, children, seniors, parents, individuals of color, and with lower incomes.
“I can’t be more grateful to this program as it has changed my life and made me feel like I can do anything if I wish to,” said participant Swathi Vyas. She added, “I believe that our voices can impact another girl and create a chain reaction of benefit for all the women in Windsor who want to come out and have their freedom and enjoy life.”
“There is only one woman among Windsor’s ten city council members. Therefore, it is crucial to keep the viewpoint of women in mind while creating new laws and regulations,” said participant Ishita Bhatia.
“This initiative has made active transportation accessible for these newcomer women through months of education, and the provision of bicycles, helmets, and locks, said Lori Newton, Executive Director of Bike Windsor Essex. “They are now prepared to add their voices to the plea for safe streets and for Vision Zero in the City of Windsor.”
“These women are showing how inclusion creates meaningful changes and benefits our whole community. It has been incredible to watch their progress as they experienced the freedom and independence which comes from being to ride a bike,” said Rose Anguiano Hurst, Executive Director of Women’s Enterprise Skills Training of Windsor, Inc. “But this program goes beyond biking, the young women have become empowered advocates playing a vital role in our community which would not have happened without the encouragement and support of our team of staff mentors at WEST, the team at Bike Windsor Essex and through virtual coaching sessions on media training, branding and academic experts.”
“At the WindsorEssex Community Foundation, our focus is on inspiring philanthropy and providing support to our community where the need is the greatest,” says Lisa Kolody, Executive Director of the WindsorEssex Community Foundation. “The Young Women in Motion – Breaking Barriers with Bikes program is helping to build community and create a lasting sense of belonging for program participants. It is truly inspiring to see these women taking part in these meaningful and impactful discussions, and contributing to the overall well-being of our community.”
On August 31st at 5 p.m. the Young Women in Motion will celebrate their accomplishments with a ride leaving from Bike Windsor Essex in Walkerville and travelling along the riverfront trail to the Ambassador Bridge on the refurbished bikes they will own. Women and girls who would like to join the ride are invited to take part.
