On the one-year anniversary of Rob Jenner’s tragic death, Bike Winnipeg joins the community in marking the occasion with a range of emotions; with sadness, frustration, optimism, hope and even joy.
As we honour Rob, we remember the senseless collision that took his life a year ago. We reflect on the unimaginable loss his family, friends, colleagues and community suffered that day, and continue to suffer every day. Bike Winnipeg remains steadfast in supporting Wendy, Rob’s wife who has since joined the Bike Winnipeg board.
At Rob’s memorial ghost bike ride last July, Wendy expressed gratitude for the community’s support and emphasized the need for safer infrastructure. She said, “Let’s make sure Rob’s death wasn’t in vain.” The Ghost Bike installed at the crash scene at the end of the memorial ride remains a poignant reminder of the work still ahead.
Rob’s legacy continues through contributions from the bike community toward funding programming at Gordon Bell High School, aiming to educate youth on bike mechanics and best practices.
Bike Winnipeg has continued its long standing calls for safer infrastructure on Wellington Crescent. The organization established a working group to seek out safety improvements on Wellington Crescent last summer.
While the City of Winnipeg has engaged with Bike Winnipeg on designs for temporary protected bike lanes—a crucial step for this east-west corridor—long-term solutions remain in planning. Though encouraged by the city’s dialogue, many of Bike Winnipeg’s members, who continue to use this section of Wellington Crescent, express frustration at the lack of visible progress on the ground. The Standing Policy Committee on Public Works has repeatedly delayed its review of interim safety measures, leaving the same unsafe conditions in place on this tragic anniversary.
Bike Winnipeg urges the City to accelerate efforts to make Wellington Crescent safe for all road users and will continue advocating for faster planning and construction of permanent improvements.
Despite the challenges, Bike Winnipeg remains hopeful that change will come. This weekend, we join the broader cycling community in honoring Rob’s legacy by embracing the joy of cycling—something he cherished deeply.