Cyclists see progress, but say more work needs to be done in wake of 18-year-old's death

Cyclists gathered on Mount Royal on Thursday evening to mark one year since the death of 18-year-old Clément Ouimet.

Some said the mountain is safer now, but that more work needs to be done.

The young cyclist suffered a severe head injury after colliding with an SUV making an illegal U-turn on Camillien-Houde Way on Oct. 4, 2017. He died later in hospital.

Since then, the city has erected more signs reminding motorists that making a U-turn on the road is not allowed, and through traffic on the mountain has been banned all summer as part of a pilot project.

"There's far less traffic," said Marc-Antoine Desjardins, who organized several Cyclovia events throughout the summer. The sixth and final Cyclovia of the year — when Camillien-Houde is completely closed to car traffic — will take place Sunday morning.

He was one of about 150 cyclists and pedestrians who attended the vigil.

"It's about giving sane and secure space for active people," said Desjardins, adding that he hopes the city keeps through traffic banned on the mountain all year long, except for winter.

Pilot project enters final month

As the City of Montreal's pilot project enters its final month, it's also in the midst of a months-long public consultation where citizens can give suggestions in-person or online about the impact of blocking through traffic.

Thousands of people have already made submissions to the Office de consultation publique de Montréal.

"I just want to be here to support his family and the rest of the boys on my team," said 17-year-old cyclist Lyse-Ann Coffin, whose teammates used to race with Ouimet.

She has been cycling on the mountain since she was in Grade 4.

"I did notice cars being a bit more careful, but I still think it would be necessary to close it completely to cars," she said, adding that there's no other hill like Mount Royal for cyclists to train on in the city.

Consultations ongoing

Sud-Ouest borough councillor Alain Vaillancourt attended the ceremony to pay his respects and show his support for improved cycling infrastructure in the city.

"There's still issues on the mountain as far as U-turns and what have you," he said.

"It's been improved, we've made some minor adjustments, but I think that we can still go further."

He said he's waiting for the recommendations of the public consultation before commenting on the future of Mount Royal, but he said that protected bicycle lanes, improved sidewalks and crosswalks across the city will make things safer for everyone.

"I think a lot of the fears people had didn't necessarily materialize, as far as the traffic on the mountain, access to the mountain," he said.

The public consultation will continue into November, when meetings open to the public will be held.

With files from Navneet Pall and Jay Turnbull