Almost a year ago now Victoria council made the logical decision of allowing skateboarders to ride legally on city streets. With no action on this in Saanich, skateboarders are still forced to ride on sidewalks. This creates hectic and unsafe situations for pedestrians, especially seniors and dog-walkers.
I’m someone who’s skateboarded as a means of transportation - it’s incredibly efficient and affordable. However, being forced to do so on sidewalks can drastically decrease its effectiveness. This is caused by the constant cracks and having to repeatedly work your way around pedestrians.
An initiative by Saanich council to allow skateboarders to use bike lanes when available would benefit pedestrians on sidewalks and skateboarders themselves. Let’s follow the example of the City of Victoria and move our community forward on expanding and improving car-free infrastructure, after all, one more skateboarder is one less car on the road.
Ned Taylor
Saanich council candidate