Rally and Ride for Eglinton

Last month, Toronto’s cycling community learned the City of Toronto would be resurfacing Eglinton Avenue without the promised bike lanes given the Eglinton Crosstown LRT continues to be faced with delays. This prompted me to prepare this action alert, while Cycle Toronto issued their own along with organizing tonight’s “Rally and Ride for Eglinton” which almost 100 people attended.

A decent crowd had gathered on Holly Street by the time I arrived.

The riders getting read on Holly Street as Cycle Toronto’s Executive Director Michael Longfield was announcing the ride plan.

Time to roll! The stretch from Holly to Avenue uses raised cycle tracks.

Lined up at Duplex.

I recorded a video which I counted 83 cyclists plus one power wheelchair user. A reminder why protected bike lanes don’t just benefit cyclists. 😉

Thanks to the almost 100 people who made it out to @cycletoronto.bsky.social's "Rally and Ride for Eglinton" this evening to call on the City of Toronto to build the promised bike lanes with the resurfacing under way. Here's a video of the ride on Eglinton at Duplex. #BikeTO #TOpoli #VisionZero

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— Robert Zaichkowski (@rzaichkowski.bsky.social) September 11, 2025 at 8:40 PM

At Lascelles Road. Note we stayed in the bike lane for the full 1.7 kilometres to Chaplin Crescent.

Approaching Avenue Road where the raised cycle tracks give way to quick build infrastructure which was supposed to be done for the parts between stations from Keele to Mount Pleasant.

A quick look backwards. Arkady (left) recently started a “Bikers of Toronto” Instagram page profiling various cyclists in this city.

The bike lanes from Avenue to Chaplin look like this.

The ride ended at Chaplin Station. We waited in front of the station before moving to the side for speeches.

Work on the road resurfacing is already underway with the pylons in place; hence why this rally was held.

Michael started off the speeches explaining what’s at stake if the City doesn’t build the promised bike lanes now. He says the City could come back in six months or a year and then claim they can’t do the bike lanes because of Bill 212, while acknowledging the City already sent some disappointing replies.

Unfortunately, this woman with a dog crashed the event yelling cyclists need to be off the sidewalks. Doesn’t she realize building protected bike lanes help reduce sidewalk riding? SMH!

Graeme and Yael of Marlee for Kids talked about their campaign supporting the Marlee bike lanes – which were recently paused via a motion from Councillor Mike Colle – and an event they are planning to host on Saturday, September 20. You can sign up for their e-newsletter at www.ourmarlee.ca.

Photo via Michelle on Bluesky

I then spoke on behalf of Community Bikeways (TCBC) which I stepped aside from this week to focus on the open streets campaign. (sign the petition) My speech emphasized the potential for Eglinton to become Toronto’s next great east-west cycling corridor, as well as the need to prioritize three short segments in the event the City of Toronto still refuses to install the whole complete street project.

• Holly to Brownlow (450 metres)
• Chaplin to Bathurst (650 metres)
• Yarrow to Bicknell (80 metres)

Jess Spieker of Friends & Families for Safe Streets not only brought some sobering statistics about the Keele to Mount Pleasant stretch of Eglinton, but she also lamented how “the wheels are coming off” from several cycling projects such as Marlee, Jones, Logan, and now Eglinton. Michael then wrapped up the rally after Jess.

One last shot of the crowd gathered before dispersing.

Thanks Cycle Toronto for organizing tonight’s rally, as well as to Graeme, Yael, and Jess for their excellent speeches. And of course, to those of you who attended the rally. 😊 Let’s keep the pressure on the City of Toronto to get those promised bike lanes installed NOW!