Cycling silver for Cornwall

(Newswatch Group/Bill Kingston, File)

CORNWALL – Cornwall is among 10 Canadian communities that have been awarded a new or higher designation as a bicycle-friendly community.

The Share the Road Cycling Coalition and the Canadian Automobile Association announced today (May 4) that Cornwall would be getting a silver designation, up from its previous bronze award.

Cornwall joins Canmore, Alta., Collingwood, Markham, Oakville and Thunder Bay in the category. Bronze awards went to Calgary, Alta., Kelowna, B.C., Petawawa and Saskatoon, Sask.

Cornwall was awarded bronze in February 2017.

The designation is application-based and communities are judged based on cycling engineering, education, encouragement and evaluation and planning – known as the four Es.

It’s meant as a tool to market the community as a bicycle-friendly destination and to provide “guidance, inspiration and award-recognition for communities.”

STR noted that cycling has grown in popularity, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Bicycle Friendly Communities program was launched by the coalition in 2010. There are now 49 designated Bicycle Friendly Communities across Canada.