A week ago today, Edouard Le Blanc was killed while riding his bike on the Gatineau Hydro Corridor. Here is an image of his obituary.
To quote the obit: “Passed away at the age of 63 years doing what he loved.”
The riders gather at Bloor and Spadina.
Doug’s shirt is a somber reminder of earlier tragedies.
(photo by Michael Duffey)
And off we go, up Spadina.
Mixing it up with traffic on Davenport.
Making the left towards Rosedale Valley Rd.
Regrouping at Bayview, then up the Don.
We meet up with two TBN riders at the elephants, and they advise us that our original route along Taylor Creek won’t work.
One wishes that we were enjoying the fall colours under other circumstances.
Seeing part of the hydro corridor at Dentonia Park.
On Pharmacy. Boy this road could really use a bike lane.
Arriving at the crash site.
It was particularly painful to be at this spot since the last two memorial rides to Scarborough passed this way, and this hydro corridor seemed to be a peaceful respite from traffic.
So much fast traffic.
Setting up the ghost bike.
Paying our respects.
Our sincere condolences to his family and friends.
Here is a photo from the Toronto Sun coverage.
The police investigation has started. Hopefully justice will be fully served. Evidently this green light is no guarantee of safe passage here.
Update (June 2016): the driver pleaded guilty to careless driving and was fined $700. Sickening.
Update (Dec 2016) Part of the Star’s series on Deadly Streets includes a video of Maisie Le Blanc.
This is so special!! RIP Edouard.
On behalf of Edouard LeBlanc’s family, we would like to thank you for this memorial, it is very heart warming and we appreciate it, my husband is Edouard’s cousin. Lucie Robichaud
What a wonderful gesture! This has no doubt touched the hearts of all family members & friends in your area and in New-Brunswick en Acadie.
We just wanted to express our deepest condolences to his family and friends. His death really hits home since he loved cycling, and the Gatineau Hydro Corridor is supposed to be a safe haven for recreational cyclists. We will continue to advocate for safety for cyclists and pedestrians as well. Far too many are killed every year in the GTA.
I come from NB,, Edward was a good friend from school,,so glad to see that he had good friends in Ontario also, it is a wonderful gesture from the cyclists and my deepest condolences goes to the family,, RIP MY FREIND
Just wanted to let you know that we’ve added Edouard’s name to the Ride of Silence memorial database: http://www.rideofsilence.org/memoriam.php#letter_L
If anyone has a better photo of Edouard please send it to: webmaster@rideofsilence.org
Thank you for all you have done to honor and remember Edouard’s life and protect the lives of other bicyclists in Toronto by raising awareness of bicyclists’ rights to the roads there.