Small Victory Revisited

Apparently Russ Wyatt and Mike Pagtakhan would like to see the recently announced "small victory" for active transportation be a little less small. Sweet. Good luck, guys. Courtesy of the WFP.

In a surprising rebuke of the city’s 2009 capital budget, two of six councillors on Mayor Sam Katz’s cabinet rejected the $476.1-million public works plan today, saying the city could do much more to build bike paths and pedestrian trails.

At a meeting of Executive Policy Committee, Point Douglas Coun. Mike Pagtakhan and Transcona Coun. Russ Wyatt turned the budget down, signalling a split on council between bike-riding advocates and others.

EPC, Katz’s cabinet, added $2.35 million to the budget.

The $1 million the committee pencilled in though for biking infrastructure, sidewalks and pedestrian trails - so-called active transportation - wasn’t enough for Pagtakhan and Wyatt.

The divide is likely not large enough to stop the budget from passing before the full 16-member council next week. But it was unmistakable around the committee table.