This short story stemmed from a thought I had this morning: “What Would the Book ‘If You Give A Mouse A Bike Lane‘ Actually Be About”? Little did I know I would end up with a narrative that pretty perfectly mirrors my own experience as an urbanism advocate, especially in the suburbs. You start off with a small idea for a thing you think could make your neighbourhood better, and once you start thinking about the possibilities, you always end up coming back to the same conclusions about community.
If you give a mouse a bike lane, he’s going to ask for some bright green paint to make it stand out.
When you give him the paint, he’ll notice cars trying to park in the lane. So, he’ll ask for some plastic bollards to keep them out.
When you put up the bollards, he’ll think they look a little flimsy. He’ll ask you for heavy concrete planters instead.
When he looks at the planters, he’ll think they need some flowers.
Planting the flowers will remind him that the sidewalk is too narrow for his friends to see them, so he’ll ask you to widen the sidewalk.
When the sidewalk is nice and wide, he’ll get tired from walking all the way across it. He’ll ask for a wooden bench to sit on.
Sitting on the bench will make him feel too hot in the afternoon sun. He’ll ask for some street trees to provide some shade.
While the trees are being planted, he’ll notice how fast the delivery trucks are zooming past. He’ll ask for a raised speed hump to calm the traffic.
Once the traffic slows down, he’ll notice how wonderfully quiet the street has become. He’ll want to set up a little outdoor café.
When he sets up his café tables, he’ll realize he has no snacks to serve. He’ll ask for a local bakery to open up next door.
To help the baker get to work early in the morning, he’ll ask the city for mixed-use zoning so the baker can live in an apartment right upstairs.
When the apartment is built, more neighbour mice will move in. They’ll ask for a community pocket park where they can all hang out together.
When he plays tag in the pocket park, he’ll get incredibly sweaty. He’ll ask for a public splash pad to cool off.
Playing in the splash pad will make him want to visit his cousins on the other side of town. Since he doesn’t want to sit in traffic, he’ll ask for a bus stop.
When the bus arrives, he’ll notice the giant asphalt parking lot across the street is completely empty. He’ll ask to turn it into a local grocery store so nobody has to drive for milk.
When the grocery store opens, he’ll look around and realize he can get food, clothes, and school books all within a fifteen-minute walk.
He’ll ask for a pedestrian plaza to celebrate. Looking at the plaza will make him want to throw a massive neighbourhood block party.
When he throws the block party, all his friends from around the city will arrive on wheels. He’ll ask for a secure bike rack so they have a place to park.
Seeing the bike rack will remind him of his very own shiny bicycle. When he dusts off his bicycle, he’ll want to go for a spin through his beautiful, walkable neighborhood.
And chances are… if he goes for a ride, he’s going to ask for a bike lane to go with it.
I could use a few more benches to sit on for when I go walking around the neighbourhoods. I go for long walks some days.