Hillsboroans who have expressed concern about the safety of children riding their bicycles to the new family aquatic center are not off base. It can be dangerous. On our way back to the office after covering the opening of the facility on Memorial Day weekend, we no sooner had left the parking lot when we met two young girls riding their bikes side by side on the wrong side of D Street.
It was not a comforting sight.
Since then, we've noticed other children riding their bikes on the left side of the street as they approach the aquatic center.
We understand the desire of some parents that the city construct a concrete bike path parallel with D Street to help ensure safe passage. But it seems to us the responsibility first lies with parents to make sure their children understand the rules of the road. In reality, passage to the new aquatic center, in most cases, is no more dangerous now than it was to the old pool-if children are instructed to ride their bikes through the fairgrounds instead of down D Street once they reach Memorial Drive.
We may need a different solution down the road. But let's try parental instruction first. -DR
