journal features

writing loveletters to politicians

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

Toronto, 2019.07.23

Today I wrote to emails of thanks to the Toronto Mayor and the city Councillors that took the lead on the recent spate of directives to make the city's streets safer. The Mayor's office responded almost immediately that they would bring my note to the Mayor's attention. So, it does actually work.

I wrote:

From: "m. werneburg"
To: "Brad Bradford"; "mayor_tory@toronto.ca"
Sent: 2019-07-23 1:45:50 PM
Subject: Re: IE6.11: Toronto needs safe streets for cycling
Hello again;
I'm writing to express my thanks for your leadership on the recent Council vote on the Cycling Network Plan. I look forward to riding Danforth with my family!
------ Original Message ------
From: "m werneburg"
To: "Brad Bradford"; "mayor_tory@toronto.ca"
Sent: 16/07/2019 7:32:57 AM
Subject: IE6.11: Toronto needs safe streets for cycling
Gentlemen;
Thank you for your continued leadership on cycling safety in Toronto. I am writing to ask for your support building a network of protected, high quality bicycle infrastructure throughout Toronto. The Cycling Network Plan has a lot of projects that need to be built. In particular, I want to emphasize my support for protected bike lanes on Danforth Ave between Broadview Ave and Dawes Rd.
When my family first moved here from Tokyo in 2011, my wife was clipped by a driver on Kingston Road. She had our then-three year year old son in a child seat on the back of the bike and he complained that the driver's mirror had struck his hand! Somehow she stayed up but the message was clear: Toronto's streets are unsafe for cyclists. I've been telling this story for eight years and it's time for change at last.
Thank you,

I also wrote to the Councillor of the ward west of where I live, because she also pushed for a pilot bike lane on Danforth Avenue, which is a priority project for the band of bicycle advocates to which I belong.

From: "m. werneburg"
To: councillor_fletcher@toronto.ca
Sent: 2019-07-23 1:51:21 PM
Subject: IE6.12 vote
Councilor Fletcher;
I'm writing to express my thanks for your leadership on the recent Council vote on the Cycling Network Plan. You and I met at the Bells on Danforth event, where you announced the hire for the complete streets initiative. I look forward to riding the length Danforth bike lanes with my family! Hopefully we'll see you there.
Sincerely,
Michael Werneburg

rand()m quote

Meaning is not something you stumble across, like the answer to a riddle or the prize in a treasure hunt. Meaning is something you build into your life. You build it out of your own past, out of your affections and loyalties, out of the experience of humankind as it is passed on to you, out of your own talent and understanding, out of the things you believe in, out of the things and people you love, out of the values for which you are willing to sacrifice something. The ingredients are there. You are the only one who can put them together into that unique pattern that will be your life. Let it be a life that has dignity and meaning for you. If it does, then the particular balance of success or failure is of less account.

—John Gardner