Toronto cyclist Vlad Zotov remembered with memorial ride, ghost bike installation
Hundreds of cyclists came together Monday evening to remember a well-known and long-time member of Toronto’s cycling community.
Vladimar (Vlad) Zotov, who belonged to the Morning Glory Cycling Club (MGCC), died on April 8, exactly one week ago, after being hit by a driver near the DVP access ramp and Bayview Avenue. He was 59.
Organized by MGCC and Advocacy for Respect for Cyclists, the moving gathering included a large memorial bike procession from Bloor Street West and Spadina Avenue to the Don Valley Brickworks area as well as the installation of a ghost bike memorial near the spot where Zotov was killed. Those in attendance also stopped and removed their helmets for a moment of silence in his honour.
“Vlad was an experienced cyclist. Many of us, including myself cycle in this area and some of the bike infrastructure isn’t that particularly safe so we have to go on Bayview in order to avoid that,” said the gathering’s co-organizer Joey Schwartz.
“And it's unfortunate that this happened in such a way that it did and we're just here to remember someone who was a father, a husband, and a cyclist.”
Road violence victim Jess Speiker, of Friends and Families for Safe Streets, also helped plan Monday evening’s remembrance for Zotov.
“This is always just a gutting event whenever you have to place a ghost bike for somebody who was killed. It is comforting, I think, to see the numbers that turned out to know how many people care about (safety for vulnerable road users) and that you really truly never ride alone,” she said.
“We know what his family is going to go through. They’ve just thrust into hell. They are never going to wake up from this nightmare. It’s anguish every day.”
Several people have posted messages of condolence on his online obituary remembering Zotov as a an "eternally kind, smiling, friendly, and helpful" person, someone who was "kindhearted," "warm," and who "loved life and valued his family above all else."
Zotov, who worked as a researcher and scientist at Defence Research and Development Canada, leaves behind his wife, Lena, as well as four children and a granddaughter.
His funeral was held on April 13.
Toronto cyclist Vlad Zotov died on April 8 after being struck by a driver near the DVP rmp and Bayview Avenue (Morning Glory Cycling Club photo)
Anyone who witnessed the collision or anyone with dashcam video from the area is asked to contact Toronto police or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
With files from CTV News Toronto’s Beth Macdonell.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Driver, 18, gets $3,000 ticket, 32 demerit points after speeding on Laval boulevard
A young driver received a hefty fine from Laval police after they say he was driving nearly 100 km/h over the posted speed limit.
Trump confronts repeated boos during raucous Libertarian convention speech
Donald Trump was booed repeatedly while addressing Saturday night’s Libertarian Party National Convention.
This type of screen time has the worst effect on kids: experts
According to some experts, there is one type of screen time that is continuously excessive, and it's having a severe effect on our children.
Custom baseball card released of Blue Jays fan struck in the face with foul ball
Liz McGuire, the Blue Jays fan who was struck in the face with a 110 m.p.h. foul ball last week, has been pictured on a custom baseball trading card applauding her fandom to the game.
As Canada warms, infectious disease risks spread north
Cases of Lyme disease have now increased more than 1,000 per cent in a decade as the warming climate pushes the boundaries of a range of pathogens and risk factors northward.
Blaine Higgs 'furious' over sexual education presentation
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs has shared his anger on social media over a presentation in at least four high schools.
Grayson Murray, two-time PGA Tour winner, dead at 30
Two-time PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray died Saturday morning at age 30, one day after he withdrew from the Charles Schwab Cup Challenge at Colonial.
Why did the French Open cancel a farewell ceremony for Rafael Nadal? And why is he unseeded?
The French tennis federation put off holding a ceremony to celebrate Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros this year, because he has said this might not necessarily be his final appearance at the tournament he has won a record 14 times.
Search underway for missing swimmer on Lake St. Clair
A search is currently underway for a Michigan man who police said jumped into the waters of Lake St. Clair on Saturday afternoon and did not resurface.