Biking to South Keys Cinemas

Family decided to go see a film at South Keys Cinema this evening so I biked there!

I passed through Mooney’s Bay Park where I happened upon this large gathering of Canadian geese. other parts of the park were filled with folks barbecuing, playing beach volley ball, dragon boat racing, swimming, biking and more! It must be one of the most popular public facilities in town.

I continued along a stretch of Walkley Road, which maintains a precarious balance as a speedy four lane artery and a comfortable residential area. UPDATE, Summer 2014 – The Sawmill Creek Pathway has been extended! You can read more about this great section of pathway on in this post. To access this path requires continuing down Hogs Back and Brookfield, onto the Brookfield Pathway, which connects to The Sawmill Creek Pathway, as indicated by the orange line on the above map. This makes it possible to avoid riding down Walkley. The city should still install a bike lane along Walkley. Riding along this section is tense due to the fast moving traffic, much of it uncomfortably close regardless of how much I hugged the curb. Bike lanes on both sides would make it much safer, and human friendly, supporting what the homeowners are attempting to do based on the care they put into their houses and properties. The bike lanes would also further encourage commuting by bike.

I got off Walkley Road where it crosses over the OC Transpo transit way and carried my bike down the stairs to the bike path which meanders through the little used pathways around the Sawmill Creek Constructed Wetland, described extensively on this Quadracycling in Ottawa blog page.

wetland — Sawmill Creek Constructed Wetland

A pedestrian bridge over the Airport Parkway is being constructed which will allow for much better access to this recreational treasure. Here is a section of it mid-build. UPDATE, November 2014 – The Airport Parkway Bridge is officially open! I’ve indicated it by the green line on the above map. See this post for more.

UPDATE, Summer 2015 – A new point of access to South Keys Mall and the cinema has been created via a short pedestrian tunnel under the O-Train tracks, as indicated by the burgundy line on the above map. Signs are confusing but I checked with OC Transpo – bikes are allowed through the tunnel but walked, not ridden.