Reviewing “If You Want to Win, You’ve Got to Fight”

Over the years, I have read a number of books about cycling and active transportation. These included changes made in various places such as “Streetfight” in New York City and “Building the Cycling City” in the Netherlands, the harms of car dependency such as “Life After Cars”, historical takes like “Wheeling Through Toronto”, and niche topics such as “Frostbike” about winter cycling. However, I hadn’t come across an advocacy focused book until I heard about Carter Lavin’s “If You Want to Win, You’ve Got to Fight” on social media including a video on Tom Babin’s YouTube channel (at the end of this post) which highlighted five advocacy mistakes. Let’s dive in to see what that book’s about.

Scarborough Bluffs West Project

With the Scarborough Waterfront Project having started construction last fall for the Brimley Road South Trail and the western segment to follow next year, this leaves the Eastern Beaches to Bluffers Park as the last major gap in the Waterfront Trail to fill in. The City of Toronto hosted a public consultation on Monday evening for the Scarborough Bluffs West Project which aims to fill that gap through an environmental assessment. Let’s dive in to see what’s in store.

Rally and Ride for Eglinton Redux

Last week, members of Toronto’s cycling found out about the eglintonTOday Complete Street project being scrapped because of not just provincial legislation, but also the City’s own refusal to install the bike lanes at the same time as last fall’s resurfacing. There was also a public consultation for the Eglinton and Allen Intersection Study held this evening at Forest Hill Collegiate. Given these developments, Cycle Toronto hosted the Rally and Ride for Eglinton Redux this evening which ended at Forest Hill Collegiate near Chaplin station.

New Bikeways on Portland and Blue Jays Way

Recently, it was brought to my attention on multiple social media platforms that some new bikeways were installed on Portland Street and Blue Jays Way. Since I had some errands to do nearby anyway, I decided to check them out. I will also mention a few upcoming events given tomorrow marks the start of Bike Month.

East Don Trail Finally Done!

On May 11, 2026, the TRCA updated the East Don Trail project website to say work on the Phase 1 trail is expected to be done by early July. However, I was notified by Tom on Strava last weekend that the trail is now fully paved from Taylor Creek all the way to Bermondsey. This morning, I used my day off work to check it out.

RANT – Toronto’s Betrayal Over Eglinton

On Monday, I was informed by city staff that the eglintonTOday Complete Street Project website was updated to say the project can no longer proceed due to changes in the Highway Traffic Act. Something which Aidan Chamandy of Toronto Today reported on yesterday. With all due respect to the courteous and professional staff within the Cycling and Pedestrian Unit, we need to call out this recent news for what it really is: an outright betrayal of Toronto’s cycling community by the City of Toronto! Let’s go through to explain why that is the case.

Roasting the Eglinton & Allen Intersection Project!

The City of Toronto recently announced two public drop-in events for the Eglinton & Allen Intersection Study to review a long list of design options for that intersection. The first will be on Saturday, May 30 (12 – 3 PM) at Fairbank Public School (2335 Dufferin Street) and the second will be on Tuesday, June 2 (6 – 9 PM) at Forest Hill Collegiate Institute (730 Eglinton Avenue West). My initial impression was that most of the options were clearly car oriented. Let’s go through them and give the project the roasting it deserves! 🔥