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The divide between cyclists and drivers may never have been larger in Kelowna, in the wake of two recent cycling fatalities on city streets.
An upcoming event is looking to move past the blame game when it comes to bike-car relations, and open a dialogue between the two worlds.
Most recently, 62-year-old Imre James Nagy, was killed while biking on Belgo Road after a collision with a car.
On July 14, Patricia Keenan, an office manager at Urban Systems, was riding down Bernard Avenue in Kelowna when she was hit by a driver opening their door. Despite wearing a helmet, she died from a head injury two days later.
The response to the two deaths online was polarized, with people taking strong pro-bike or pro-car sides.
“These tragic events have inspired very different responses and strong emotions, we’ve seen a lot of finger pointing,” said Martin Bell, Urban Systems CEO, in a statement. “What we’d like to facilitate is a discussion about how we as a community want to share public roads, ensure safety, and treat one another. It’s not about whether cars or bikes are the problem, it’s about people and how we want to treat one another.”
The speaking event, titled ‘The end of bikes vs. cars,’ will take place on Oct. 15 at the Laurel Packinghouse and will include three speakers discussing how bicyclists and drivers can coexist safely.
“For us this is about people and the need for all of us to come together, be constructive, have conversations about things that matter, engage collectively in possibilities thinking, and build our community together,” Urban Systems wrote on their website.
Kelowna’s Mayor Colin Basran will be speaking at the event along with Martin Bell, and Chris Bruntlett, of Vancouver’s Modacity, a consulting group aimed at promoting different forms of “urban mobility.”
An open forum discussion will follow the formal presentations.
Tickets for the event are $5 and will go towards a scholarship fund for Keenan’s 10-year-old son.
