Now that summer is here, I was curious to research how many people in Peterborough are taking advantage of the comfortable weather to engage in active transportation.

Active transportation is human-powered transportation, which means using your own power to get from one place to another. How empowering. Active transportation includes walking, biking (including e-bikes), scooters, skateboards and mobility devices including wheelchairs.

According to the City of Peterborough’s website, only one in 10 workers walk or bike to work. According to Statistics Canada, 7.8 per cent of workers walk to their workplace; 1.7 per cent of commuters ride a bicycle as their primary mode of transportation (even though most of the city’s trips are short — which makes active transportation an easy alternative to driving for able-bodied residents) and 2.9 per cent use a mix of multiple methods (i.e. walking combined with public transit).

As a senior, my primary mode of active transportation is e-biking — which I can do anywhere in Peterborough safely — either on bike paths designed for e-bikes or on roadway margins. E-biking increases balance, mobility and agility and is an excellent form of healthy outdoor exercise. It is one of the best........

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