Coun. Minnan-Wong takes heat for tweet celebrating the ‘killing’ of bike lane
Posted July 18, 2019 1:45 pm.
Last Updated July 18, 2019 4:22 pm.
Councillor and deputy mayor Denzil Minnan-Wong is facing a barrage of online backlash, including harsh rebukes from some fellow councillors, after he took to Twitter to celebrate the defeat of a motion to revisit bringing back the Jarvis Street bike lanes.
The motion, brought forward by Coun. Kristyn Wong-Tam, lost by a vote of 10-16 on Wednesday.
Mayor John Tory was among those who voted against it.
It lost 10-16. pic.twitter.com/4iu4F01MVf
— Kristyn Wong-Tam (@kristynwongtam) July 17, 2019
In the end, council voted in favour of expanding the city’s cycling network, with 120 kilometres of new bike lanes to be built over the next three years, but they won’t be coming back to Jarvis Street.
The contentious bike lanes were installed along Jarvis Street in the summer of 2010, but two years later council voted to have them removed.
In a tweet, Minnan-Wong celebrated the defeat of Wong-Tam’s motion.
“Killed the Jarvis Street bike lanes, again!” he wrote.
Killed the Jarvis Street bike lanes, again!
— Denzil Minnan-Wong (@DenzilMW) July 17, 2019
His apparent glee touched a nerve with many, who pointed out the disturbing rash of pedestrian and cyclist deaths that the city is trying to stem with its revamped Vision Zero 2.0 campaign.
Wong-Tam fired back, providing statistics that showed an increase in vehicle collisions involving pedestrians and cyclists since the lanes were removed, adding “No one should boast about putting people in danger.”
According to Police Traffic Collision Data, after the #JarvisBikeLanes were removed, collisions more than doubled to 30 collisions, 25 involving pedestrians & cyclists. Jarvis St cycling tripled when bike lanes were there. No one should boast about putting people in danger. https://t.co/tAuQEg9iZu
— Kristyn Wong-Tam (@kristynwongtam) July 17, 2019
Coun. Josh Matlow called Minnan-Wong’s tweet “shameful and disrespectful” to which Minnan-Wong responded: “How bout this Josh. Council keeps another important arterial road flowing while allowing cyclists to use Sherbournes (sic) safe bike lanes.”
This is shameful and disrespectful. He is Mayor John Tory’s deputy mayor. Toronto, we can do so much better than this. https://t.co/vy7TuUX5jr
— Josh Matlow (@JoshMatlow) July 17, 2019
How bout this Josh. Council keeps another important arterial road flowing while allowing cyclists to use Sherbournes safe bike lanes.
— Denzil Minnan-Wong (@DenzilMW) July 17, 2019
Matlow and Minnan-Wong clashed in council on Wednesday while debating the city’s cycling network plan. Matlow was booted out of council chambers after he refused to apologize for telling Minnan-Wong to “do your job.”
“He’s inferring that I’m not doing my job and I ask for an apology,” Minnan-Wong responded.
But Matlow wouldn’t budge, agreeing to retract the comment but refusing to apologize saying to do so “would be dishonest.”
“I actually don’t believe that he’s doing his job as a representative that should focus on safety,” Matlow maintained before walking out of the room.
While Minnan-Wong’s tweet found some support, the majority seemed to feel it was insensitive in light of the lives lost on Toronto’s streets.
Here’s some of the reaction:
Proud of that, are you? In a city known for dead pedestrians and cyclists. Nothing personal but you are deeply unqualified to be the Deputy Mayor. @nevetssetab @cityoftoronto @JohnTory
— Shane Christopher (@djshanec303) July 17, 2019
celebrating the removal of infrastructure that is proven to make it less likely Torontonians die — keeping it classy, as usual.
— Alex Mather (@AlexDRMather) July 17, 2019
Every Torontonian who drives a car thanks you Denzil.
Torontonians who think that kale is edible seem less pleased with you. #HatersGonnaHate #Toronto #Jarvis
— David Jacobs (@DrJacobsRad) July 18, 2019
Nothing to be proud of. In times of #climatechange and congested road a total #fail from your side. So sad!
— Andrew (@Andrew_Urbanist) July 17, 2019
Yeah lets totally celebrate the fact that the roads are now less safe for cyclists. Wheb someone is hurt or dies from this know that it is 100% your fault and could have been prevented
— Luke Schultz (@LukeTschultz) July 17, 2019
Good. Could you move on to Woodbine? Poorly used and causes congestion. But perhaps that’s the point.
— Lars Nordgren (@Ingemar4910) July 17, 2019
by promoting congestion DMW is effectively making the lives of #topoli motorists worse
if that’s not enough, DMW is celebrating bad decision making
oh well his lot will be the ones stuck in traffic while i outpace them on foot
— Michael Bennett (@Bennett000) July 17, 2019
How incredibly short-sighted of you! Toronto’s congestion is a direct result of lack of viable choices, such as protected bike lanes. Educate yourself and do better @CycleToronto
— Karen M Hartmann (@kmhartmann) July 17, 2019
How about killing the Eastern Avenue bike lanes that run for 300m that absolutely NO ONE uses and does nothing but bottleneck the drivers from Kingston Rd into downtown? The Lake Shore bike roadway is 100m south and the Dundas St. bike lanes are 2 streets north. Please.
— Stu Gatz (@StewartGatz) July 17, 2019
So you’re really going to joke about “killing” bike lanes when pedestrians and cyclists are getting killed on our streets?
— Serra Sea supports trans rights (@gimblerocket) July 17, 2019
hopefully you’ll be reminded of this sad and embarrassing tweet every time another cyclist or pedestrian dies.
— Rob MacKinnon (@robtmackinnon) July 17, 2019
Does this make you proud, councillor @DenzilMW? It’s dumb, arrogance & ignorance. BTW, each time a PERSON walking or cycling is killed and there was NO SAFE infrastructure, YOU and colleagues who vote like you are at fault. Not funny.
— G_Penalosa (@Penalosa_G) July 18, 2019
