'Ghost bike' memorial grows where Saskatoon teacher died while cycling
A memorial, featuring bouquets and a "ghost bike" now stands at the intersection where a Saskatoon teacher was killed last week.
Natasha Fox, 33, was biking at the intersection of Wiggins Avenue and College Drive on May 24, where she died in a collision with a cement truck.
The white, memorial ghost bikes have emerged in recent years as a way to remember fallen cyclists and bring attention to the safety risks bike riders face.
“Everybody’s devastated,” James Arnold, a board member of Saskatoon Cycles, told CTV News.
The group is pushing for better infrastructure for cyclists around the university.
A "ghost bike" memorial grows at spot where a Saskatoon teacher died while cycling. (Chad Hills/CTV News)
“We’re all trying to get and move around Saskatoon. We’re all part of a community. We see a lot of adversary — cars versus bicycles, but no, we’re all in this together,” Arnold said.
The collision that claimed Fox's life is still under investigation by police, no charges have been laid.
PLANNED PROTEST
A Saskatoon student who feels a personal connection to Fox, is planning a bike protest, calling for drivers to better share the road with cyclists.
Fox taught at St. Matthew Elementary School, where 17-year-old Lucy Stobbe used to attend.
On June 17, Stobbe hopes many others will join her in a protest ride from City Hall, up the University Bridge and ending at Saskatoon police headquarters.
“I feel like now is like the perfect time to show the city and show the community that bikers deserve a spot on the road,” Stobbe told CTV News.
Lucy Stobbe, 17, has witnessed unsafe conditions while cycling to school each day. (Courtesy: Lucy Stobbe)
“I’m hoping to spread awareness that bikers and cars can be on the same road together. They can share the space, and it doesn't have to be a fight for life.”
Stobbe, who cycles about 10 kilometres every day to school, said it can be “appalling” how cyclists are treated on Saskatoon roads.
"As soon as I'm on busy roads, like Preston or College, I can be scared for my life,” the Grade 11 student said.
“I think one main problem is that cars don't know what to do when there is a bike,” Stobbe said.
MEMORIAL RIDE
Another ride is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, one week after Fox's death.
The organizer of the memorial event is asking cyclists to bike a route in the area where Fox died, ending near the spot where the collision happened.
Once there, a moment of silence will be observed.
--With files from Josh Lynn
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.