Comments on: A walk from Waterloo to the University of Waterloo

By: Recreation versus utility in urban issues « Psystenance

Recreation versus utility in urban issues « Psystenance — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 04:15:53 +0000

[...] recreational trails, why would anyone want to use them in foul weather? Presumably this is why the path through Waterloo Park is not paved, despite being extensively used as [...]

By: Michael D

Michael D — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:36:15 +0000

Agreed about there being plenty of options besides dirt. I considered attending the bike summit, but it was quite expensive! Thankfully, Take the Lane had some coverage of it.

By: Jason

Jason — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:17:36 +0000

I’ve been cursing that dirt path since 2002! If people don’t like the aesthetics of a paved path through the park, I see no reason it can’t be cobblestone or interlocking brick. Dirt is just plain dumb and obviously decided by people who only walk through the park in fair weather. Great to see you are taking up this small but important cause.

Did you hear about the Ontario Bike Summit? Waterloo was host to a conference with the goal of improving Bicycle access in Ontario ( http://www.sharetheroad.ca/ ). It’s a shame they didn’t advertise it well locally.

By: Ashley

Ashley — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:28:01 +0000

I am so glad someone has finally decided to point out all the flaws along this path. When I first came to UW I got lost so many times wandering around from UW to the park and uptown. It would be so much easier if the path was marked clearly. The city really does need to get on this!

By: Michael D

Michael D — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:25:53 +0000

Waterloo Park planners would like the path over the dam to be a proper one, but apparently the University of Waterloo will have no part of it. So the dam is not officially a bridge, and UW makes no provision for those needing to cross the parking lot, or go alongside it. I would like to see them do so and acknowledge that as a legitimate connection to Waterloo Park.

By: Michael D

Michael D — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:08:31 +0000

It is a pretty nice walk through the park in good weather. Not so much in the rain (especially on a bicycle), and when you have to traverse parking lots. My concern is with walking and cycling as transportation, and so I have pointed out aspects of the experience which may be hindering that. The positive aspects of the path's location are evident in the photos.

By: Kat

Kat — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:42:59 +0000

Wow – you are so negative! I think its great that to get from uptown waterloo to the university you walk mainly through a park. Its not nearly as terrible as you make it out to be!

By: Kathy

Kathy — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:35:36 +0000

Thanks for doing this. I have wanted to do the same for a while. I usually bike through the western side of Waterloo Park (by the grandstand and the baseball diamond) and there are some other great features there — either go cross-country or through the dirt parking lot (across from the Recc Centre) to get your bike in to the park. Then you cross the creek and enter the second half of the parking lot on the west side of Seagram Drive. The second half does *not* have yellow-lined spaces between cars for bikes and pedestrians to get through — I have no idea why. The first half (nearer University) does, but it’s not safe riding bikes in parking lots, I find. We need to encourage better bike access, and discourage people from using their cars all the time.

By: kscian

kscian — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 02:45:38 +0000

Good piece – I’ll share with my colleagues. Thanks.

By: kwinsider

kwinsider — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 18:10:33 +0000

Oh the times I’ve gotten my shoes/socks/feet wet in the huge muddy puddles that form on the dirt path!