New Rules for Skateboarding on Main St.
Robert Thomas
If you have ever dreamt of catching some air, pulling a top gun or just boarding on Main Street, your days of doing it legally may well be numbered.
Under proposed changes in the new traffic bylaw skateboarding, in-line skating (roller blades) and roller skates on Main Street, between Manitoba Street and Saskatchewan Street, or on the sidewalk will be illegal.
In a report accompanying the new Traffic Bylaw, the reason for the new restrictions is due to safety reasons. The reasons given are the elevation of Main Street plus how busy both the vehicle lanes and sidewalks are.
The proposed changes will be part of the new Traffic Bylaw coming to Executive Committee this evening.
Other proposed changes to the bylaw include:
- Making it illegal to idle a vehicle for more than 20 minutes within 100 metres of a residential zone. A look at the proposed bylaw shows no exemptions.
- Driving a golf cart on any city street except the marked crossing on 4th Ave NW adjoining the portions of the Lynbrook Golf Course will be illegal. Previously, the bylaw was silent on golf carts.
- Making approved helmets mandatory for anyone riding a bicycle under 18. An attached brochure in the report from the Saskatchewan Brain Injury Association stated helmets reduce injuries for all riders.
- A restriction against bicycles carrying more of a load than they were designed for.
- Making it illegal to carry more people on a bicycle than what it is designed for. The practice of doubling or tripling with a bicycle will be against the proposed bylaw. Doubling is two people on a bicycle designed for one rider and tripling is three people on a bicycle designed for one rider.
- No more than two bicycles can be ridden abreast on a city street.
- Farm machinery may only be moved on city streets a half hour before sunset and a half hour after sunrise, unless there are pilot vehicles in front of and behind the farm machinery.
The proposed changes will only be discussed at Executive Committee and will still need to come to Council and be voted on to become a bylaw.
Writers note:
A bit of research and I found out the last time major useage changes for Main Street sidewalks for safety reasons was proposed came from Mayor Scoop Lewry. Lewry proposed one way sidewalks to help clear pedestrian congestion and ensure safety. In that proposal pedestrians on the west side of Main Street could only walk south whereas pedestrians on the east side of Main Street could only walk north.
A thorough check of the report made no mention of a Scoop Lewry inspired safety solution being discussed, such as dedicated pedestrian and skateboard only lanes to safely share Main Street sidewalks.
Executive Committee will meet tonight right after Council in the Scoop Lewry Room.