Thank you for being bike friendly but please do not ride your bike!

PoliticsRecipient of Bike Friendly Business Award is a little perplexed as to why he received award.

October 6th was the Bike Friendly Business Awards presentation at City Hall.

La Palette restaurant in Kensignton Market received an award. When Shamez, the owner of La Palette, accepted the award he thanked the city for the recognition and told the crowd that he was receiving this award for bike friendly activities such as: 1) using a rickshaw to deliver product to his restaurant 2) organizing the PS Kensington pedestrian zones in the market this summer and 3) organizing the car-free day parade on Queen St. But he then went on to say that the City appears to be a two-faced in giving him this award because: 1) Council made it illegal for him to drive his rickshaw in Toronto 2) Council refused to fund PS Kensington and are doing little to advance the creation of viable permanent pedestrian zones in the city and 3) Council gave no funding for car-free day this year. It’s great that the city staff support cycling and recognize pro-cycling businesses, but unless there is political support at Council for real change the Bicycle Friendly Business Awards risk becoming an example of how the City talks the talk but doesn't walk the walk.