PEIAn active transportation trail in Charlottetown is being named in honour of cycling advocate Josh Underhay, who died with his son Oliver in a canoeing accident on the Hillsborough River in 2019.Underhay remembered for pushing for safer bike lanes across P.E.I.’s capital cityThinh Nguyen · CBC News · Posted: Nov 14, 2025 8:53 AM EST | Last Updated: 3 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.Josh Underhay was an avid cyclist, and he advocated for cycling infrastructure. (Pat Martel/CBC)An active transportation trail in Charlottetown is being named in honour of cycling advocate Josh Underhay.He and his son Oliver died in a canoeing accident on the Hillsborough River in 2019.Underhay was an avid cyclist and longtime advocate for active transportation, known for pushing for more bike lanes and safer biking routes in the city. He also ran as a Green Party candidate in the 2019 provincial election.His wife, Karri Shea, said he would be proud of the progress the city has made.“To see his name on it, to me, it’s so special,” Shea told CBC News.“Our son Linden is so proud to be his father’s son. And I’m so glad that I will be able to share this with him and show him, ‘There’s your father and what he accomplished and there’s his name.’”‘The most fitting recognition’Josh Underhay Way stretches almost seven kilometres along Highway 1, from the Hillsborough Bridge to the Confederation Trail near Brackley Point Road.Charlottetown city council passed the motion approving the naming at its regular meeting Wednesday night.Karri Shea says seeing Josh Underhay’s name on the trail will be special to her and will be a way to share his accomplishments with their son, Linden. (CBC)Among those who supported the decision was Coun. Norman Beck, who worked with Underhay during Beck’s time as principal at Stonepark Intermediate.“It’s the most fitting recognition that we could get for someone like Josh… to recognize this portion of an active transportation for which he’s so strongly advocated over the course of his time here on the Island,” Beck said at the meeting.Beyond that, Beck said Underhay embodied civic engagement, diversity and inclusion. He was fluent in several languages and used those skills to help newcomers feel welcome.“Josh just had that ability to welcome people, to open people, and to use his cultural and linguistic gifts in order to welcome people,” Beck said.“There really was no one who had that balance of energy, passion, love of people, and he brought that all together into one package. It was very unique.”In an email, the city told CBC News that staff will work with the Underhay family on wayfinding signage and commemorative plaques. A formal unveiling of the trail is planned for the spring, when the main cycling season begins.With files from Sheehan Desjardins
Charlottetown names trail in honour of late cycling advocate Josh Underhay
