After only three months in Waterloo, Woolsteneroft was elected to the Waterloo County Board of Education as a trustee, a position she held only a year, She has no trouble pointing to the religion issue as the reason for her defeat. But, in 1975, she was called white sheep. The reason he hadn't gone was be. cause he was Jewish. When I heard about that I was enraged that child was scared to death because he had been told he would go to hell, so I decided to do something about it." Woolstencroft aRaiemiatie, Cycling trails A recent trip up the west coast of the United States and Canada to study systems in other cities left deBoer with some prime examples of what could be done to. make cars and bicycles more compatible "The direction our society is taking is towards car-free downtown cores, prom- oting the bike as the primary source of transportation because of the problems of congestion and pollution. Unfortrr mately, cities are always slower to keep up with the trends and are still catering to the car." masters student She has spent the better part of a year studying the implementation and design of commuter-oriented bicycle systems as part of her master's thesis in Urban Planning, King Street presented a number of common obsta- cles, from unwary pedestrians venturing out from between parked cars to buses passing within inches of my elbow. Another annoying hazard was the tendency "I know from personal experience, having taken a bad fall myself. If I didn't have my helmet on, I could have been seriously injured. I strongly urge everybody toeear. a helmet _when they cycle," parka says. - Nonetheless, ill-equippeé (he ieGiij -aa" Ell-bal- anced, I set out to test my mettle on the mean streets of Waterloo. - "When I got fito it qiite seriously I invested in a good bike, a well-made bike. The quality is important," eh: 8m - Barker also strongly recommends protective headgear. - Mel Taylor Chronicle Staff “It's just like riding a bicycle," they say. Hah! That’s little comfort to the intrepid reporter assigned to hop on a bike for the first time in 25 years for a wheean experience of the hazards of cycling in Waterloo. When the time came to wobble off into trame, I enlisted the aid of experienced cyclist Chris Barker to lead the way and offer a few pointers on bicycle etiquette and safety. First and foremost on her list of priorities 'was a good bicycle. - _ilrljiiElir, STREETS We buy and sell New & Used In-Line Skates & Accessories - We take trade-ins, too! A first-hand look at cycling Waterloo's She tried her hand at provincial politics in 1985, running as the Waterloo North Progressive Con. servative candidate, before rum ning for Waterloo city council the same year. She won her seat with enough votes to put her on region- al council and in 1988 she was reelected with the largest number of votes in the election. "One of the things I'm proudest of," says Woolsteneroh, '% be. reelected as trustee, a position she held uninterrupted until 1985 with a stint as Chairman of the Board from 1978 until 1981. "There is absolutely no pohcy in this area besides some funding that has been set aside for bicycle parking at the transit station," says deliver. “Even small things like a recognition that hazards such as potholes, sewer grates. road patching and curb repairs have to be carried out regularily even if it "Some cities in California are totally bicycle oriented with an excellent lane system that is clearly marked and makes driving on the roads safer for cyclists. In some respects, it's not fair to compare K-W with cities in California, but they had to start somewhere and I think we can learn from them." Where they started, says deliver. 15 with an official bicycle pulley. a my mandate that clearly outlines a commit ment to commuter cycling. PRECISION IN~LINE SKATES (Continued trom page A1) (Continued trom page A1) BBUEI.‘ The major trauma for me was crossing busy thor. oughfares to make left turns. It is essential to signal your intent, but the inexperienced cyclist may find it dimeult to take one hand off the handlebars. Barker also pointed out that entrance and exit ramps to the Conestoga Parkway at Bridgeport Road, Univer- sity Avenue and King Street North present the problem of merging trame. Drivers don't always signal and are rarely on the alert for cyclists with the right of way. Community trails don't necessarily provide safer riding, since many are not. paved, and are more suited to trail bikes than racing bikes. Also, trails do not always offer the most direct route for commuters since thsy gre primarily intendgd for recreational use. Railroad tracks on Caroline Street pose a particular risk to cyclists if their wheels get stuck, especially during rush hour when heavy trttffic makes quick mgneuvering difficult aml dangerous. General road repairs would be a major benefit to cyclists as well. During only about a ten-kilometre tour I encountered numerous gut-wrenching potholes and had to Ting wildly around gutter graces cut parallel to the cur . for occupants of parked cars to fling open their doors without a passing glance to see if anyone or anything was likely to collide with them, Other accomplishments she re. members with pride include her early campaign to put libraries in schools, her work on various school board committees to elimi. nate sexism in education and her stand on the region's Health and Social Services committee for the humane delivery of services, cause I was elected in the position I was. I believe my campaign on recycling issues really pushed this council and put environmen. talism on the agenda, somethi the public obviously wanted: “It rmght stator; Ur be a good h? sum but once you actually rule tt you‘ll rat)ticr that most ofthe trads don't go anywhere and, if they do, the trails In Watprlm aren't connected to the trads m Kuchun or because the two (mos weren't Willing to work together. The recreational an; tem is also shared by pedestrians whlch can create other problems" But, she says, A recreational trad system can be a first start and, mu again, K W isn't up In par, She isn't talking about the recreatmn al trail systems that exust m the area because commuter cyclists. she says. don't want to bu rvgulated tn meander mg. scenlc trails that lake longer In travel than a more direct mad doesn't appear to be necessary from a car," (Conunued on page At3) The years In polmcs have been "a learning experience" for Wool, stencroft, who has tned her hand at other equally dwerse careers throughout her life. Besuies her career In politics, she has. amongst other thmgs, sung back up for folk artist Jom Mitchell, studied wrmng under W 0 Mitchell. taught different levels "They nught not seem hke a lot to others, but those are the things I'm proudest of - those are the areas I set out to really acmm plish something m and I think I succeeded," says Woolstencroft WATERLOO CHRONICLE. WEDNESDAY AUQUST 7, 1991 _ PAGE A3 And [h (u Inge-thur v-r. the Tum ('11 cnmmmvr 1? Just what d, pulls) up In commuter CV mg The solution, she 53) s. ls .ll,rne hwycle lanes that not unh _ cyclists from can but aim " cyclist But the system can he r\ and. ~0mvt1ma~z Imam-1M:- In ment hm‘nuw hf [hr max-m _ College and wrmm: annthvr ' F drunk ' "I'm sun.- " mi] N hury ~.’.1 says, "but theres defmtely pump to be somethuw mlssmg m r. hfo and that', the pooplt- Tm people of this community hm: been terrfc and I want to than them for a 'ery rwdrdmg t,t rear .. When her term that- lt, Mn her Woolstencrufl su), ,ht u devote herself in her Job m- busmess Instrucmr til Croestr of school and written cruidr, boob In date cyclmg _ Bu)“ that ha.- PM ths "ug-rt' up "tr" '