January 2012 - AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

Peg City Car Co-op Video 4: Sharing!
by Shoni Litinsky 31 Jan '12

31 Jan '12

Thank you all for following our Peg City Car Co-op<http://www.pegcitycarcoop.ca>video series! It has been fun to share these video's with you each week, and get so much feedback from others that bike, walk, bus, and sometimes drive to get around our city! Last weeks video featuring members Shauna, Ken, and little Savannah<http://vimeo.com/34311607>was inspiring, and hit home how personal costs are reduced without personal vehicle ownership - it is nice to see them comfortable in their new house too! This week our final video features another member, Dave. Dave thinks it is nuts to buy and own a car if you only need it a few times a month. He appreciates being a part of the community structure of the co-op, and is happy to share a car with other co-op members. See it here: http://vimeo.com/34036808 If you have been inspired by these videos and think carsharing might work for you, click here for more information<http://pegcitycarcoop.ca/how-it-works/>or to become a member <http://pegcitycarcoop.ca/join/>! Thanks for watching! -- Shoni

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Active & Green - Bike lab, transit apps, green teams & more
by Beth McKechnie 30 Jan '12

30 Jan '12

Hello everyone, Hope you enjoy our latest issue of Active & Green! If you are so inclined, you can link to the e-newsletter at: http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/active-green-winter-2012-4/. thanks, Beth Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.<http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a183a3f55cc&id=1a0cd2310f…> *Looking to improve commuter options<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…> at your workplace?* Request resources<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…> on cycling, carpooling, commuting surveys and tracking progress, among others. Book a presentation<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…> on the various commuting options, as well as fuel-efficient driving, creating a commuter friendly workplace, and greening the workplace. Talk to us about implementing a Smart Trips<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…>program at your workplace. ------------------------------ Upcoming Events Reel Green Film Festival<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…> Feb 3-4 (Fri & Sat) Bougeons en hiver: The Jack Frost Challenge! <http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…> Feb 11-17 Snow Trek 2012<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…> - 3rd Annual Winter* in motion* Sun - Feb 5, Feb 12 Ice it to Work Day<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…> Friday, Feb 17 Bike Dump - Free Workshops Headsets<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…> - Thurs, Feb 15 Wheels<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…> - Thurs, Feb 22 Clean Air Day Poster Contest<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…> Deadline: Fri, Feb 24 Commuter Friendly Workplace Awards<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…> Application deadline: Fri, Feb 24 Commuter Challenge 2012<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…> June 3-9 Bike to Work Day Fri, June 22 ------------------------------ *Membership* Green Action Centre continues to promote membership as a way to expand and extend our outreach into the community. *Membership is FREE *and requires no specific commitment. With our new website and bi-weekly e-bulletins, we hope to broaden our reach and keep our members informed on timely and important environmental issues in Manitoba. If you are not already a member, please take the time to join us<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>. Please also pass this along to your friends and family. *Help us grow our membership and outreach.* Bougeons en hiver: The Jack Frost Challenge! Get out and enjoy the Manitoba winter! Amusez-vous dans la neige tous en célébrant l’hiver manitobaine! Patinez, skiez, snowshoe, walk, bike le 11 au 17 février 2012. Sign up a team<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…> today! Many thanks to Manitoba *in motion* for their support of this event. Bike racks available The Downtown Winnipeg BIZ <http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>needs your help in locating 30 new bike racks that will soon be added to downtown sidewalks, thanks to a partnership with the City of Winnipeg. Send your requests for bike rack placements to stephanie(a)downtownwinnipegbiz.com. App that trip! How many ways are there to find out when and where to catch your bus? Turns out there are plenty o' options. The most recent are transit apps such as iRide<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…> , Winnibus<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…> , Winnipeg Bus Live<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…> (android), Catch it: Winnipeg<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…>, and the creatively named Transit App<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…>. Or check out Winnipeg Transit's mobile site<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…> . Commuter Friendly Workplace Awards Has your workplace made great strides in providing better commuting choices? Consider applying to the *Commuter Friendly Workplace Awards*<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…>. These awards are given out to Manitoba workplaces offering exceptional year-round commuter options programs for employees. Last year’s winners include Dillon Consulting (Gold) and Boeing Winnipeg (Silver). *Click here*<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…> for more details. Applications are due April 20, 2012. Office green teams 3.0 The role of the office green committee seems to be changing, and judging from the global and local examples here<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…>, this change may be for the better. The 3.0 green team of the future is touted to have a steering committee, direct integration within business values and strategies, and actual financial incentives associated with making change happen. Awesome carshare videos Check out Peg City Car Co-op'<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>s addictive video series with real, live Winnipeggers talking about carsharing. Amanda<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…> on utility, Chris<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…> on simplicity, Shauna<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…> on cost savings, and Dave<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…> on sharing. UWSA Bike Lab Students, neighbourhood residents, staff, and faculty at the University of Winnipeg now have a place to work on their bikes or learn how to do their own repairs and maintenance. Plans for the new Bike Lab include safety, advocacy and networking workshops among other activities.Read about it here<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…> . Brandon transit fares halved How do you get more people choosing to ride the bus? The City of Brandon is trying an unconventional approach<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>. This is an experiment worth watching. 23 and 1/2 hours What does 23 and a half hours mean? It means the best prescription researchers can find for curing what ails you. Sit back and enjoy theseincredible illustrations<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>, then be inspired to take this doctor’s treatment. You are receiving this email because you are an Active & Green subscriber. Unsubscribe<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/unsubscribe?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…> curthull(a)mts.net from this list. Our mailing address is: Green Action Centre 3-303 Portage Ave. Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2B4 Add us to your address book<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/vcard?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a183a3f…> Copyright (C) 2012 Green Action Centre All rights reserved. Forward<http://us2.forward-to-friend.com/forward?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a183a3f55cc&id=1a0…> this email to a friend Update your profile<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/profile?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a183a…> [image: Email Marketing Powered by MailChimp]<http://www.mailchimp.com/monkey-rewards/?aid=af15a2f9f91ef9a183a3f55cc&afl=1> -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/>

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New study of economic and health benefits of cycling (Iowa)
by Beth McKechnie 30 Jan '12

30 Jan '12

*Economic and Health Benefits of Cycling in Iowa (University of Northern Iowa, Fall 2011*) This study identifies the economic and health impacts of bicycling in Iowa. Impacts are estimated based on spending by individual cyclists, bicycle specific retail sales, economic activity generated by bicycle organizations, and health cost savings in the State of Iowa. The study is based on primary data collected from individual cyclists, bicycle specific retail operators and bicycle organizations. Health impacts are based on selected primary and secondary data detailed in the methodology. This study presents: - A profile of the commuter and recreational cyclists in Iowa (party and trip - characteristics, spending, and demographic profiles); - A profile of bicycle retail establishments in Iowa; - A profile of bicycle organizations in Iowa; and - A profile of the health benefits and health savings from cycling in Iowa. Read the full study here: https://www.iowabicyclecoalition.org/sites/default/files/IBC%20Final%20Jan%… -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/>

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Active Transportation Canada - New Posts January 21, 2012
by Beth McKechnie 23 Jan '12

23 Jan '12

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Michael Haynes <activetransportation(a)rogers.com> Date: 21 January 2012 08:40 Subject: Active Transportation Canada - New Posts January 21, 2012 Happy New Year Active Transportation-Canada Listserv Members: Fifteen news items about Active Transportation have been posted on the Active Transportation-Canada Website today. Among the items included in these new articles: 1. Sweden Plans A Four-Lane Bike Superhighway<http://www.psfk.com/2012/01/sweden-bike-superhighway.html> 2. Active and Safe Routes to School in Manitoba - January Newsletter<http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a183a3f55cc&id=d689c5e716…> 3. Urge the Federal Government to Mandate Truck Side Guards<http://bccyclingcoalition.blogspot.com/2012/01/urge-federal-government-to-m…> A complete list of all articles posted since the Websites creation may be found in the "Blog Archive" box, located on the right margin of the Website. There are now more than 1,400 items posted on Active Transportation - Canada, with links available to dozens of studies and hundreds of news items from communities across Canada and the world. Active Transportation Canada URL: http://activetransportation-canada.blogspot.com A "Search" function is available on the site. You will find this at the bottom of the page. If anyone has a problem reading this message, please let me know. I welcome suggestions for posts, so if you have news items featuring your community, please share them with the other subscribers from Canada, the US, and Australia on Active Transportation-Canada. Thank you. Michael Haynes Director TransActive Solutions

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[At-network] Reminder: Green Action Centre webinar - Tues, Jan. 24th, 1 pm
by Beth McKechnie 23 Jan '12

23 Jan '12

*Friendly reminder about tomorrow's webinar...* Join Green Action Centre staff for a free online webinar sharing highlights and stories from Fall 2011 conferences that we attended: - *Beth McKechnie: *Complete Streets, APBP Professional Development Seminar (Charlotte, North Carolina) - *Jackie Avent and Shoni Litinsky: *Walk 21 and ASRTS Summit (Vancouver, BC) - *Jessie Klassen: *ACT Canada Sustainable Mobility Summit (Vancouver BC) *1:00 pm, Tuesday January 24th, 2012* * * The webinar will take place on *WIMBA*, Green Action Centre's online classroom. Please sign in 20 minutes early to ensure the system functions effectively on your computer. Log-in information is below. You will need to go through an introductory wizard the first time. If you are working on a MAC computer, log in using the Safari browser. Hope you can join us on Tuesday! Sincerely, Beth, Jackie, Jessie and Shoni // Room Info Name: Green Action Centre - Manitoba URL: http://gcclive.wimba.com/launcher.cgi?room=greenactioncentre Room ID: greenactioncentre // Time and Duration Start Time: January 24, 2012 at 01:00 P.M. CST Duration: i hour // Phone Access Dial-in number(s): Phone - (416) 342-1934 <%28416%29%20342-1934> Phone PIN: 02501364

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Peg City Car Co-op Video Series #3 - Cost!
by Shoni Litinsky 23 Jan '12

23 Jan '12

I hope you all enjoyed last week's video featuring Chris<http://vimeo.com/34035969>on the utility of using Peg City Car Co-op <http://www.pegcitycarcoop.ca>, even if at times it is simply helpful to get him out of an awkward date! *This week, our video features a family story - Ken, Shauna, and little Savvy talk about how the co-op helped them save money, and even buy a house! * * * *See it here: http://vimeo.com/34311607* We have recently moved a vehicle to South Osborne<http://pegcitycarcoop.ca/2012/01/car2-moves-to-south-osborne/> - so if you live in that neighbourhood and have considered carsharing or would like to learn more about it. Please get in touch with me! One more week left to go in our video series, stay tuned! -- Shoni Peg City Car Co-op Co-ops build a better world - International Year of the Co-op 2012<http://www.copac.coop/iyc/index.html> .

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Gaining Ground Conference - Registration open
by Cara Fisher 20 Jan '12

20 Jan '12

Gaining Ground: Connecting People and Knowledge Provincial Conference on Active Transportation and Recreation Wednesday March 21, 2012 at the PCU Centre in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba REGISTER TODAY! Visit www.pacm.ca to register and to view the full conference brochure. Hosted by the Physical Activity Coalition of Manitoba (PACM)

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[At-network] Bougeons en hiver: The Jack Frost Challenge! Feb.11-17, 2012
by Beth McKechnie 20 Jan '12

20 Jan '12

[Please share widely and sign up your own team of family, friends, co-workers! Poster attached. Thanks] * GET MOVING WITH BOUGEONS EN HIVER: THE JACK FROST CHALLENGE!* Bougeons en hiver: The Jack Frost Challenge! is a new event celebrating winter in Manitoba. Sign up your team of 1 to 5 to skate, bike, ski, snowshoe, or walk a combined total of 130 km during the week of February 11th to 17th. Participants will be entered in a draw for ‘cool’ prizes. Register at www.greenactioncentre.ca or call us at (204) 925-3775 or 1-866-394-8880 (toll free) for more information. A Co-Actif Epica<http://actifepi.ca/>Event. * * * * * *Soyez actif en participant à « Bougeons en hivers : The Jack Frost Challenge! »* Bougeons en hiver : The Jack Frost Challenge! est un nouvel événement célébrant l’hiver manitobaine! Inscrivez-vous en équipe d’une à cinq personnes pour faire le patinage, la bicyclette, la raquette ou la marche d’un total collectif de 130km sur une durée d’une semaine, du 11 au 17 février, 2012. Vous aurez la chance de gagner des prix. Inscrivez-vous au www.greenactioncentre.ca ou pour plus d’information composez le 1-866-394-8880 (sans frais) ou le (204) 925-3775. -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/>

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Green Action Centre webinar - Tues, Jan. 24th, 1 pm
by Beth McKechnie 19 Jan '12

19 Jan '12

Join Green Action Centre Staff for a free online webinar sharing highlights and stories from Fall 2011 conferences that we attended: - *Beth McKechnie: *Complete Streets, APBP Professional Development Seminar (Charlotte, North Carolina) - *Jackie Avent and Shoni Litinsky: *Walk 21 and ASRTS Summit (Vancouver, BC) - *Jessie Klassen: *ACT Canada Sustainable Mobility Summit (Vancouver BC) *1:00 pm, Tuesday January 24th, 2012* * * The webinar will take place on *WIMBA*, Green Action Centre's online classroom. Please sign in 20 minutes early to ensure the system functions effectively on your computer. Log-in information is below. You will need to go through an introductory wizard the first time. If you are working on a MAC computer, log in using the Safari browser. Hope you can join us on Tuesday! Sincerely, Beth, Jackie, Jessie and Shoni // Room Info Name: Green Action Centre - Manitoba URL: http://gcclive.wimba.com/launcher.cgi?room=greenactioncentre Room ID: greenactioncentre // Time and Duration Start Time: January 24, 2012 at 01:00 P.M. CST Duration: i hour // Phone Access Dial-in number(s): Phone - (416) 342-1934 <%28416%29%20342-1934> Phone PIN: 02501364

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ASRTS + STP: Four great webinar opportunities in January and February
by Beth McKechnie 19 Jan '12

19 Jan '12

There are four great webinar opportunities around Active and Safe Routes to School and School Travel Planning coming up! More details are below, but please feel free to join Green Action Centre staff for the Safe Routes to School and Traffic Reduction webinar on January 31st from noon-1pm at the Eco-Centre - 3rd Floor, 303 Portage Avenue. *Tuesday, January 24, 2012 (6:30 pm CT) One hour*Sustainable Happiness, Hope & Resiliency Presenters: Catherine O'Brien and Elin Kelsey Join Catherine O'Brien and Elin Kelsey for an inspiring conversation about sustainable happiness, hope and resiliency. In the Summer 2011 issue of Green Teacher, Catherine and Elin introduced the concepts of sustainable happiness, hope and resiliency and why it's so important to move beyond "gloom and doom." In this webinar, they invite you to join them in a lively conversation about how these ideas are catching hold and causing ripples of optimism across the disciplines of environmental and sustainability education, health and well-being and conservation biology, and around the world. After short presentations, they will share some of the ways they are seeing this work moving out in the world so that participants can start to think of implications for their personal and professional life. *Suitability:* All formal and non-formal youth educators *Please register directly at:* http://greenteacherwebinarobrienkelsey2-eorg.eventbrite.com/ *Tuesday January 31st, 2012 (12pm CT) One hour**Pump Down the Volume: SRTS and Traffic Reduction* Presenters: Nancy Pullen-Seufert, Associate Director, National Center for Safe Routes to School Melissa Watford, Health Education Specialist, FirstHealth of the Carolinas Jason Goldsberry, Physical Education Teacher, Eagle Crest Elementary School, Longmont, CO Communities initiate Safe Routes to School programs for a variety of reasons. In an attempt to reduce the barriers for students to walk and bicycle to school, some programs focus on reducing traffic congestion and the number of cars around schools. In this sixty minute webinar, we will take a brief look at the problem of traffic congestion as it relates to SRTS and then focus on two SRTS programs that have had success in reducing congestion and measuring traffic reductions. The first program, Eagle Crest Elementary School's Step Often and Ride to School (SOAR) Program, surveyed families in order to understand travel patterns to school. After learning that 75 percent of students arrived by car, the program focused on increasing walking and bicycling rates through education and encouragement. After just one year, Eagle Crest saw a 40 percent reduction in motor vehicle traffic. The second program, Pinehurst Walks! from Pinehurst, NC, focused on encouraging the school's 650 students to become engaged as leaders in the effort to get more students walking to school. The Student Council presented neighborhood walkability recommendations to the Mayor and Village Council, resulting in a $150,000.00 allocation for a greenway to connect the elementary school to the Village. Their efforts also resulted in a 22 percent reduction in traffic volume on walking school bus days. Don't miss this chance to see how these two wonderful programs succeeding in traffic reduction efforts! This webinar is part of the Safe Routes to School Coaching Action Network Webinar Series, developed by America Walks and the National Center for Safe Routes to School. For more information please contact Michelle Gulley at mgulley(a)americawalks.org REGISTER NOW <https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/654857816> or join us at the Eco-Centre - 3rd Floor, 303 Portage Avenue from noon - 1 pm! * **Thursday February 2, 2012 (12 pm CT) One hour* *School Travel Planning: (Shared) Knowledge is Power!* Presented in collaboration with The CAPTURE Project, as part of the Green Communities Canada School Travel Planning Series. *Brief Description* Imagine being part of a national community where you have easy access to School Travel Planning stakeholders and can share information and learnings about your respective programs, policies or initiatives. CAPTURE (Canadian Platform to Increase Usage of Real-world Evidence) recently launched a freely accessible, knowledge exchange repository to find and share practice-based evidence in health promotion and chronic disease prevention. Looking beyond the published literature, CAPTURE seeks to harness the breadth of community-based knowledge and experience. *The CAPTURE Platform facilitates* · Connecting with colleagues around the corner or across the country · Sharing knowledge and wisdom from our health promotion and chronic disease prevention experiences · Documenting reflective practice learnings – knowledge which often remains untapped or difficult to find *The webinar will feature* · An orientation to the CAPTURE Platform with examples of School Travel Planning initiatives · Guidelines to capture and share reflective practice knowledge · How to enter the CAPTURE 10-minute Challenge - *and win an iPad 2! * *Presenter* Dayna Albert, M.A. Manager, Practitioner Engagement, The CAPTURE Project Dayna holds an MA in adult education and a BSc from the University of Toronto. Dayna has six years’ experience building organizational capacity in evidence-informed practice. Previously, she worked with the Ontario Public Health Association’s Towards Evidence-Informed Practice Program. She is a member of the Canadian Evaluation Society and the American Evaluation Association. *Who Should Attend?* All School Travel Planning stakeholders (i.e. program planners, municipal partners, school-based partners, funders etc.) who are interested in learning new ways to share their work, stay abreast of what others in the field are doing and understand how to capture and profit from their reflective practice learnings. *To register, please contact dayna.albert(a)thecaptureproject.ca and provide your name, email address and time zone.* * **Wednesday February 15, 2012 (11 am CT) One hour* *Project BEAT: Integrating the key lessons of time, space and gender into STP* A WIMBA presentation as part of the Green Communities Canada School Travel Planning Series Presenters: Michelle Stone and Guy Faulkner, University of Toronto. The BEAT (Built Environment and Active Transport – www.beat.utoronto.ca<http://physical.utoronto.ca/Beat.aspx>) project, funded by CIHR and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada was a large-scale, mixed methods and multidisciplinary research programme designed to explore how such a behavioural shift towards active school transport (AST) might be supported. In a series of sequential stages and studies we addressed AST at multiple levels – national, provincial (Ontario) and local (GTA). Our work has identified the prevalence and correlates of AST in Canada, and, has resulted in the creation of a unified theoretical model of AST and the built environment through examination of the personal, family, social and environmental correlates of active school transport. The objective of this webinar is to present some of the key lessons learned from the BEAT project including data on the relationship between school travel and objectively measured physical activity levels of children. Our focus will be on three key lessons that have implications for the School Travel Planning (STP) model. We classify these lessons as three interrelated themes of *time, space and gender:* *TIME*: The main purpose of STP is to help parents/guardians overcome perceptual barriers to the practice of actively traveling to school. These barriers typically focus on safety (e.g., traffic & stranger danger). However, the STP intervention itself does not explicitly address what appear to be key issues in school travel mode choice - the parental or caregiver ascription of convenience to the various travel modes available for school trips (i.e., the theme of “time”) and the level of independent mobility granted to the child. *SPACE*: Participation in AST varies regionally and also across different types of space or neighbourhood. STP work has traditionally targeted the school environment, while our research also suggests that features of the built environment around the home play a more significant role in the school travel mode decision-making process. *GENDER*: The school travel experience is very different for girls than it is for boys. Fewer girls engage in AST and parental perceptions regarding school travel are different for girls than they are for boys. Girls are granted less independent mobility than boys; the ramifications are likely contributing to the lower levels of physical activity and less outdoor play time observed in girls. Modifications to built form may affect girls differently than they would boys. Throughout this webinar, we will provide an overview of the evidence underpinning each theme and facilitate discussion on how each lesson is, or could be, integrated into STP implementation. *Please register directly with Sandra Jones, Green Communities Canada: scjones(a)telus.net* -- *Jackie Avent* Green Action Centre <http://greenactioncentre.ca/> | Active and Safe Routes to School 3rd floor, 303 Portage Avenue* | *(204) 925-3773 Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/> Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/>

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WFP: Consultation flawed: Katz
by Beth McKechnie 19 Jan '12

19 Jan '12

While I typically resist including personal comments when circulating articles, this one begs for context. The article below underscores the critical importance of pre- and post-construction counts. Users of the cycle track will certainly attest to its busyness but anecdotal evidence is not enough. It is also true that the full potential of the route was dampened this past year due to construction on Osborne Bridge, which will continue again this spring. But there now appears to be a pattern of apology at City Hall regarding AT project construction. It is common, if not seemingly mandatory, in every city building pedestrian and cycling facilities, to have backlash, usually in the form of the "insufficient consultation" argument. Winnipeg is not unique in this regard but we do seem to be establishing a habit of backtracking afterward. -Beth Consultation flawed: Katz Short shrift for firms, public on bikeway plan By: Jen Skerritt Mayor Sam Katz admits the city could have done a better job consulting the public over a bikeway project one citizen has called a "theft of democracy." On Wednesday, council's executive policy committee reviewed an audit report that identified shortcomings in the consultation process over the Assiniboine Avenue bikeway. The report said area businesses were not included in the process and public notifications should have outlined the impact the project would have on traffic. The bikeway was part of Winnipeg's major active-transportation overhaul that saw the city try to complete 35 projects within an 18-month period to make use of federal stimulus dollars. It prompted a backlash from residents and businesses, and six companies near the Midtown Bridge filed a lawsuit to try to halt construction, saying the plan would cause traffic chaos in the neighbourhood. One plaintiff on Assiniboine said he was notified about the project by a notice taped to his door. Graham Hnatiuk, a citizen journalist, told EPC the city should seek a refund since the consultant the city hired to conduct public consultations did not contact residents for their input for the on-street bike lane. Hnatiuk said he became interested in the issue after he attended a public meeting about the bikeway in 2009, and most of the people who attended were bike lobbyists. The blogger said he complained to 311 about the consultation process, and department staff did not address his concerns. Hnatiuk said Coun. Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) later helped forward his complaint directly to the city auditor. Hnatiuk said the bikeway is "sparsely used" in summer, and hundreds of cars that used the route during rush hour travel down an already gridlocked York Avenue instead. "We were right all along," he said. "The residents and businesses along Assiniboine Avenue have known all along that their input was never asked for." Bob Axford told EPC the City of Winnipeg has a governance problem and public consultations need to be improved. He suggested Winnipeg make changes to the way it approaches public consultations. "This is a complete theft of democracy," he said. Katz said he agrees that the consultant did not do a good job. He said the company had a short time frame to complete the public-consultation process due to the federal deadline. However, Katz said the firm shouldn't have taken the job if they could not complete it in the given time. He said everyone, including the mayor, councillors and the city, could have done a better job. "On this particular instance a very poor job was done," Katz said. jen.skerritt(a)freepress.mb.ca http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/consultation-flawed-katz-137654733.h… <jen.skerritt(a)freepress.mb.ca>

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Province makes "Greater Strides" on AT
by Beth McKechnie 17 Jan '12

17 Jan '12

Great news from the Province of Manitoba! In the attached letter to Janice Lukes, Chair of the Province's Active Transportation Advisory Group (ATAG), Minister Dave Chomiak has confirmed they will be acting on three key recommendations of the report generated by ATAG: 1) Develop a provincial policy to support and encourage AT; 2) Appoint a provincial director for AT; and 3) Establish an on-going public stakeholder advisory committee. In addition, the Province had committed to and has confirmed building an AT crossing at the Perimeter Hwy to connect with the popular Northeast Pioneers Greenway. This will allow peds and cyclists to safely cross the Perimeter and continue northward through East St. Paul and toward the floodway trail and Birds Hill Park. To see all of the recommendations, check out "Greater Strides: Taking Action on Active Transportation": http://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/pdf/atag_report6.pdf Wonderful start to 2012! Thanks to Janice, Mark Cohoe, Anders Swanson, Russell Wychreschuk and Pat Locken for your hard work and dedication in creating this report, along with the many others who contributed to the process. cheers, Beth

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Webinar Handouts - Emerging Technologies for Ped and Bike Planning (Wed, Jan.18, 2-3:15, EcoCentre)
by Mark Cohoe 17 Jan '12

17 Jan '12

Hi, For anyone planning on attending the Emerging Technologies for Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning webinar tomorrow, handouts, slides, and a 41 page report are available for download here <http://www.apbp.org/?page=Webinar_Downloads>. Green Action Centre and Bike to the Future invite you to join us for a local viewing of the APBP webinar*"*Emerging Technologies for Pedestrian and Bicycle Planning*" *at the EcoCentre (3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave) followed by group discussion. RSVPs appreciated but not necessary. Hope to see you then! cheers, Mark 475-5070 Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP) presents: Emerging Technologies for Pedestrian and Bicycle Planning Wednesday, January . 2:00 to 3:15 pm CST Through a series of short presentations, this webinar will survey several applications with the potential to help engineers and planners improve conditions for bicycling and walking. gpsThe examples covered in this session will offer an overview of a range of situations where technological advances can aid professionals in their work to develop plans and programs. Due to the number of examples, attendees should plan to be in the webinar for 75 minutes. The session will include: 1. An overview of the newest web and mobile apps and devices, with suggestions for their application to the 5 Es. 2. A description of Cycloplan, an application in development at the University of Minnesota that will leverage data collected in the geo-wiki Cyclopath to create a tool for analyzing cycling networks and managing bikeways. 3. An example from St. Louis' new Gateway Bike Plan of using technology to engage the public and help build a new regional bicycle master plan. 4. Information about GPS-enabled data collection equipment used for pedestrian access inventories, plus pedestrian access shed analysis methodology. Presenters are James Andrew, Senior Transportation Planner, Metropolitan Council of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul; Terra Curtis, MCRP candidate, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill; RJ Eldridge, Director of Planning, Toole Design Group; and Julie Padberg-White, Principal, FPA Group.

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Peg City Car Co-op Video Number TWO!
by Shoni Litinsky 16 Jan '12

16 Jan '12

I hope you all loved Peg City Car Co-op <http://pegcitycarcoop.ca>'s last video featuring our member Amanda <http://vimeo.com/34035273> - is she not adorable? Next up in our series of four videos is Chris. Chris usually travels to work by bus and bike, but finds that the car co-op helps him live more simply, visit the suburbs, and get out of awkward situations! See it here: http://vimeo.com/34035969 Also, we have recently moved a vehicle to South Osborne<http://pegcitycarcoop.ca/2012/01/car2-moves-to-south-osborne/>- so if you live in that neighbourhood and have considered carsharing or would like to learn more about it. Please get in touch with me! Enjoy folks, and stay tuned for video #3 next week! -- Shoni Peg City Car Co-op Co-ops build a better world - International Year of the Co-op 2012<http://www.copac.coop/iyc/index.html> .

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Bike licences a no-go in Ottawa
by Beth McKechnie 15 Jan '12

15 Jan '12

*Bike licences a no-go in Ottawa: Report* By David Reevely, The Ottawa Citizen January 13, 2012 OTTAWA — Licensing bicycles is too expensive and cumbersome and provides negligible benefits anywhere it’s been tried, says a new report from Ottawa’s city staff. Orléans Councillor Bob Monette asked city officials to look into the idea at the beginning of the summer, when the segregated bike lanes on Laurier Avenue were opening and the rights of cyclists versus pedestrians and motorists were in the news. He suggested that licensing bikes would provide a way to connect misbehaviour on the roads and paths to bikes’ owners, the way car licence plates help the police track down bad motorists. Also, a formal registry of bicycles would help the police return stolen and recovered bikes to their owners. Maybe, says the report the city has produced, but at a disproportionate cost. Several earlier looks at the idea of licensing bikes in Ottawa have concluded that the system would cost about $100,000 a year and would recover, at best, $40,000 in fees from cyclists. Worse, it would impose a barrier on would-be cyclists, who’d have to go through an extra layer of bureaucracy before they could legally ride — when the city actually wants people to take to their bikes because they don’t significantly contribute to traffic congestion and put less wear and tear on roads. Enforcing the rules would be extra complicated because Gatineau cyclists mix with Ottawans and it’d be difficult to put a licensing requirement on them, and the city would also have to find a way to make the licensing regime work with services like the National Capital Commission’s Bixi bike-rentals. “Given the foregoing limited benefits and significant challenges, and primarily based on the fact that bicycle licensing would act as a significant barrier to cycling, it is recommended that bicycle licensing not be implemented in the City of Ottawa,” the report concludes, though it notes that there might be some value in a voluntary registration system for recovering lost and stolen bikes. Some cities, including Ottawa, have had bike-licensing systems in the distant past, but no city of any size does now. Regina has such a bylaw on the books, but in practice it’s not enforced; the system has been handed off to a community association, which operates it like a voluntary registry. Besides Monette’s inquiry, there was virtually no political will for a licensing system at the city council table. Mayor Jim Watson said at the time that he’d oppose any effort to pass one. dreevely(a)ottawacitizen.com © Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Bike+licences+Ottawa+Report/5991981/story… -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/>

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Toronto doctor's 'magic pill' goes viral
by Anders Swanson 13 Jan '12

13 Jan '12

If you watched enough Mr.Dressup as a kid, or simply like watching people draw, you might like this video. You wouldn't be alone; it's got over a million hits. Not bad for a video with no cats. It was made by a doctor/professor in Ontario and is about finding "the single best thing" we can do for our health. Can you guess what that is? Hint: I posted it to this list. I won't ruin the suspense, and you might have heard the message before. Nonetheless, this video includes some pretty clear and compelling research, and presents the facts in a nice simple way. For the time being, it even lets the smokers, drinkers and overweight folks in the crowd off the hook (somewhat)... Watch the video: 23 and 1/2 hours: What is the single best thing we can do for our health?<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUaInS6HIGo> Read the CBC Story: An illustrated video with a simple message about health has received more than a million hits on YouTube, much to the delight of the Toronto doctor who created it. "My bankability with teenagers has increased significantly," Dr. Mike Evans told CBC News on Wednesday. Evans is a doctor at St. Michael's Hospital and professor at the University of Toronto. People all over the world are linking to his month-old video from Facebook and Twitter. Evans says his message — to complete a half-hour of exercise every day — is like a magic pill to cure aches and pains. "I've got a pill that's going to help with your arthritis, help with your depression, help with your anxiety, help with your obesity, help prevent cancer," he said. The video cites studies from the world, including research that shows even overweight people have fewer health problems when active. Watch the full video above. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2012/01/11/toronto-viral-video-… - - - - Anders Swanson Active Transportation Project Coordinator Physical Activity Coalition of Manitoba | www.pacm.ca activetransportation(a)pacm.ca

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Cycle like the Danes to cut carbon emissions, says study
by Beth McKechnie 12 Jan '12

12 Jan '12

Cycle like the Danes to cut carbon emissions, says study *EU could cut its transport greenhouse gas emissions by more than 25% if every country's cycling rate was the same as Denmark's* Europe could cut its transport greenhouse gas emissions by more than 25% if every population cycled as regularly as the Danes, according to a pioneering study (http://www.ecf.com/wp-content/uploads/ECF_CO2_WEB.pdf) which tracks the environmental impact of cycling down to the extra calories consumed by riders. If the EU cycling rate was the same as it is in Denmark, where the average person cycles almost 600 miles (965km) each year, then the bloc would attain anything from 12% to 26% of its targeted transport emissions reduction, depending on what forms of transport the cycling replaced, according to the report by the Brussels-based European Cycling Federation (ECF). This figure is likely to be a significant underestimate as it deliberately excludes the environmental impact of building road infrastructure and parking, or maintaining and disposing of cars. The ECF is urging politicians to focus less on technologically complex solutions to emissions, such as electric cars, and instead think about the potential for increased cycling, especially given that around a third of motorised journeys within the EU are 1.25 miles or less. "There's this rhetoric going about that technology is going to save the day. In the end it's going to have to be the political decisions which make the difference in emissions, and it's not just going to be technology," said Julian Ferguson of the ECF, one of the report's authors. "Things like e-cars will need a massive investment in new infrastructure. But that's almost part of the problem. Politicians like having those massive, awe-inspiring projects, something to change the face of transport. The big advantage of the bicycle is that it exists as a vehicle, it's not just a projected attempt to reduce emissions." The European commission requested that the ECF carry out the research to provide the first specific figures for emissions produced by bicycles over their lifespan, as against motorised vehicles. The calculations for bikes included manufacture – the ECF took a heavier, European-style bike as its model, assuming each used 14.6kg of aluminium, 3.7kg of steel and 1.6kg of rubber – maintenance and even the impact of producing extra calories consumed by someone cycling rather than driving, estimated at 175 an hour, on average. This came up with a total of 21g of carbon emissions per passenger kilometre travelled for a bike, as against 271g for people in a car and 101g for a bus. The impact of electric-assisted bicycles, a boon for older or infirm riders, was almost as low, at 22g. In real life these figures would most likely be biased far more towards cycling, Ferguson said: "We were pretty conservative. We were worried, being a cyclists' federation, that if the figures looked too amazing for a bicycle we wouldn't be taken seriously. So we didn't include infrastructure for cars, or things like parking, maintenance for cars – while maintenance for bikes was included." Increasing continent-wide cycling to Danish levels would, nonetheless, be quite an enterprise. The EU average is just under 120 miles per person per year, while in the UK it is a mere 46 miles, less than 8% of that in Denmark. But the ECF says that if the EU is to meet its emissions target, which calls for a drop of between 80% and 90% on 1990 levels by 2050, major changes will be required somewhere, and that transport is a the ideal place to start. From 1990 to 2007, transport-based emissions on the continent rose 36%, while those from other sources fell 15%. It also points to the example of cities such as Seville in Spain<http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/ecf-chooses-seville-to-host-2011-velo-city…>, where the construction of segregated bike lanes and other policies saw cycling increase tenfold in just three years. "It is possible," said Ferguson. "It just takes a bit of political will and a good dose of cultural change." http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/dec/12/cycle-like-danes-cut-emis…

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Winnipeg Transit testing new Rapid Transit Corridor, public advised to stay off Transitway
by Beth McKechnie 11 Jan '12

11 Jan '12

If everyone could help share the word on this, it would be greatly appreciated. A lot of people used the actual Transitway for walking and cycling during construction but now need to stay clear as the buses are on the road. thanks! Beth ------------------------------ *From:* City-MediaInquiry *Sent:* Wednesday, January 11, 2012 10:47 AM *Subject:* City of Winnipeg News Release - Winnipeg Transit testing new Rapid Transit Corridor, public advised to stay off Transitway [image: Description: Description: Description: cid:image001.png@01CC88E0.FA0A1B80]**** ** ** For Immediate Release**** Wednesday, January 11, 2012**** ** ** *Winnipeg Transit testing new Rapid Transit Corridor, * *public advised to stay off Transitway* ** ** *Winnipeg, MB.* – The City of Winnipeg is advising the public to stay off the newly constructed 3.6 km Southwest Rapid Transit Corridor Transitway and to exercise caution at street intersections along the corridor. **** ** ** Winnipeg Transit officials are reminding residents to be safe and avoid trespassing on the Transitway, which is now an active roadway with test buses approaching speeds of 80 km/h. Pedestrians and cyclists are at risk if they enter the Transitway and are advised to stay on public rights-of-way adjacent to the corridor. Strict adherence to all Transitway signs and signals is equally important for motorists also, as they will be sharing intersections with the test buses at certain times of the day.**** ** ** Winnipeg Transit has been conducting driver training on the corridor since December 16, 2011. The Southwest Rapid Transit Corridor is scheduled to open on Sunday, April 8, 2012.**** ** ** For more information on Rapid Transit or the Southwest Rapid Transit Corridor, visit http://winnipegtransit.com/en/rapid-transit/ **** ** ** - 30 -**** Media inquiries should be directed to the City of Winnipeg Media Inquiry Line at 204-986-6000 or via email at MediaInquiry(a)winnipeg.ca**** ** ** Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/cityofwinnipeg<http://www.facebook.com/cityofwinnipeg> **** ** ** Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/cityofwinnipeg<http://www.twitter.com/cityofwinnipeg> **** ** **

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Bike Challenge Volunteers Sought
by Beth McKechnie 10 Jan '12

10 Jan '12

Are you interested in helping out with the Actif Epica bike race from St. Malo to Winnipeg on February 18th? Volunteering is a great way to be a part of this unique event—your help will make this a fun and safe bike challenge for everyone. We’d appreciate your help with: - *Course setup* – set up a few signs and flags on the Friday before the race - *Checkpoint race officials* – timing and communications to race headquarters - *Checkpoint hosting* – helping riders with food and water, general oversight - *Roving support* – on-course support in a vehicle or on a snowmobile (we’ll cover your gas) No experience is necessary – we’ll train you up and various shifts and locations are available. Volunteer briefing meetings will be held from 4-5 p.m. on Saturday February 11 (St. Pierre) and Sunday February 12 (Winnipeg), please plan to attend one or the other. If you are interested in giving a couple of hours or more please contact Hal Loewen <halloewen(a)gmail.com> or Ian Hall <ian.hall.204(a)gmail.com>, we’ll find a way for you to be an important part of the Actif Epica experience and have some winter fun. http://actifepi.ca/2012/01/bike-challenge-volunteers-needed/

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The Intersector: A traffic light that knows when bicycles are coming
by Beth McKechnie 10 Jan '12

10 Jan '12

[Not sure what happens with buses when there's transit signal priority but interesting concept. -Beth] The Intersector: A Traffic Light That Knows When Bicycles Are Coming *It’s time for some intelligent design in our traffic management. A new device can change light times to make things safer for oncoming bikes, and more convenient for impatient drivers.* It’s a problem even in the most bike-friendly cities: cars move faster than bikes, which means cyclists are put in danger when traffic lights change. To cut down on the danger of deadly crashes, a handful of California cities, including Pleasanton, Redding, and Monterey, are installing the Intersector<http://www.ci.pleasanton.ca.us/services/traffic/intersector.html>, a smart traffic signal that can differentiate between bikes and cars--and then times traffic light changes accordingly. The Intersector uses a microwave radar gun that can calculate the speed and length of approaching objects, so it knows whether a bike or car is rolling up. The device then decides how long the light should stay green so that both cars and bikes have enough time to pass through. Cars get four seconds to roll through, while bikes get 14 seconds. If a cyclist pedals through a light that’s already green when they arrive, the Intersector tacks on an extra five seconds of green. If no cars are coming, it can shorten the length of a green light to let people needlessly waiting at a red go ahead sooner. Check out a video of the Intersector in action and full story at: ** http://www.fastcoexist.com/1679087/the-intersector-a-traffic-light-that-kno…

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Webinar - Emerging Technologies for Ped and Bike Planning (Wed, Jan.18, 2-3:15, EcoCentre)
by Beth McKechnie 10 Jan '12

10 Jan '12

Green Action Centre and Bike to the Future invite you to join us for a local viewing of the APBP webinar* "*Emerging Technologies for Pedestrian and Bicycle Planning*" *at the EcoCentre (3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave) followed by group discussion. RSVPs appreciated but not necessary. Hope to see you then! cheers, Beth 925-3772 Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP) presents: Emerging Technologies for Pedestrian and Bicycle Planning Wednesday, January • 2:00 to 3:15 pm CST Through a series of short presentations, this webinar will survey several applications with the potential to help engineers and planners improve conditions for bicycling and walking. [image: gps]The examples covered in this session will offer an overview of a range of situations where technological advances can aid professionals in their work to develop plans and programs. Due to the number of examples, attendees should plan to be in the webinar for 75 minutes. The session will include: 1. An overview of the newest web and mobile apps and devices, with suggestions for their application to the 5 Es. 2. A description of Cycloplan, an application in development at the University of Minnesota that will leverage data collected in the geo-wiki Cyclopath to create a tool for analyzing cycling networks and managing bikeways. 3. An example from St. Louis' new Gateway Bike Plan of using technology to engage the public and help build a new regional bicycle master plan. 4. Information about GPS-enabled data collection equipment used for pedestrian access inventories, plus pedestrian access shed analysis methodology. Presenters are James Andrew, Senior Transportation Planner, Metropolitan Council of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul; Terra Curtis, MCRP candidate, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill; RJ Eldridge, Director of Planning, Toole Design Group; and Julie Padberg-White, Principal, FPA Group. -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/>

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Bike, Walk, Bus. And sometimes, Drive. Peg City Car Co-op Video Series
by Shoni Litinsky 09 Jan '12

09 Jan '12

Peg City Car Co-op <http://pegcitycarcoop.ca> is working to change the way people think about getting around Winnipeg. Bike, walk, bus, and use a vehicle only when you need it. Peg City recently received a grant from Assiniboine Credit Union to create four short videos that feature our co-op members and why they choose to carshare. Enjoy this video that features Amanda's story on how the car co-op supports her do the things she loves: http://vimeo.com/34035273 Stay tuned over the next four weeks to follow their personal stories. Co-ops build a better world - International Year of the Co-op 2012<http://www.copac.coop/iyc/index.html> . Thank you, Shoni

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FW: Winter Use of Wheeled Mobility Devices survey please take part in this
by Anders Swanson 09 Jan '12

09 Jan '12

FYI. This is some timely and interesting research and they are looking for participants. See the request below. If you know anyone or any organization willing to share this survey with their members, please forward it along with the attachments. Hello, We are occupational therapy researchers at the University of Manitoba, who are interested in learning about how winter weather affects the ability of people who use wheeled mobility devices (i.e. wheelchairs and scooters) to take part in activities that are meaningful to them. The purpose of this study is to answer the question “What challenges arise with wheelchair/scooter use in cold weather climates?”, and to identify what aspects of wheelchair/scooter products, natural and built environments (e.g. public buildings and parks or the home), social attitudes, and policy-level environment are most problematic in the wintertime in Manitoba. The results will be used to guide future research and address change needed in these areas. As one part of a broader research study, we have developed the Winter Use of Wheeled Mobility Devices survey that takes about 35-40 minutes to complete. It will be available to for people to complete throughout the winter months (January - May 2012), and is available to be done on-line, on paper, or over the phone. We are using posters, hand-outs, mail-outs, and word-of-mouth advertising to recruit people to participate in completing our survey. We are looking for a variation of wheeled mobility types (manual and power wheelchairs and scooters), geographic locations, age, and employment status. We greatly appreciate any and all help in getting the word out about our study, helping us to reach a broad group of people to better represent this population with our research. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact Pam Whaley by email at winterweather.research(a)gmail.com or by phone at 977-5617. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, The Winter Weather Research Team -- Anders Swanson Active Transportation Project Coordinator Physical Activity Coalition of Manitoba | www.pacm.ca activetransportation(a)pacm.ca

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If you build it...?
by Beth McKechnie 09 Jan '12

09 Jan '12

[Thanks to Ian Hall for sending this along...] ** "More Twin Cities residents than ever are getting around by bike or on foot. Bicycling in the Twin Cities has increased by 52 percent since 2007, and walking by 18 percent. Twin Cities bicycling, in particular, experienced a sharp year-over-year increase - up 22 percent from 2010 to 2011." http://www.bikewalktwincities.org/news-events/bicycling-and-walking-counts-…

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A Traffic Engineer's Lament
by Beth McKechnie 06 Jan '12

06 Jan '12

Engineering News-Record (ENR.com) - From the Transportation Front... * A Traffic Engineer's Lament* *Sam Schwartz, former New York City traffic commissioner and head highway and bridge engineer, is chief executive of Sam Schwartz Engineering in New York City. He writes about everything related to transportation and engineering practice.* Traffic engineers are being marginalized and viewed as anachronisms, like Mad Men from a bygone age. As Christopher B. Leinberger, senior fellow at The Brookings Institution and professor of planning at the University of Michigan, writes in a recent *NY Times* op-ed<http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/26/opinion/the-death-of-the-fringe-suburb.ht…>, “traffic engineers dismissively call [bus and light-rail systems, bike lanes and pedestrian improvements] ‘alternative transportation.’” In saying so, he, and planners around the world, are being dismissive of me and my profession. We are the GEICO Neanderthals of society. And who’s to blame? Yes, we deserve a lot of it. We, as a profession, continued to build more roads, wider roads, and faster roads while knowing full well we were running out of capacity and making transport systems less efficient. An example I've used time and time again in New York City is that the Brooklyn Bridge, when it was largely a rail and walking bridge, handled 430,000 people daily. In the 1940’s, we ‘modernized’ it by removing the rail; its daily person carrying volume dropped to 180,000. During my lifetime, the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge between Brooklyn and Staten Island was built with 12 car lanes but no bikeway, walkway or transit right-of-way. As a teenager I was able to bike from Brooklyn to Staten Island by taking a ferry. Once the bridge opened, the ferry stopped running and driving was the only choice—here in transit-rich New York City. Most of the Interstate System built in the past half-century had no provisions for walkers, bike riders or transitways. Why weren’t we as engineers screaming, “This is folly!”? It’s no wonder the transportation leadership of cities around the country is no longer in the hands of transportation engineers. In fact, we haven’t had an engineer at the helm of USDOT in nearly 20 years. Now is the time to re-assume a leadership role in planning of our future for cities, towns and suburbs. We can do it by joining the medical professionals by demanding and designing healthy communities. It turns out that healthy neighborhoods are transportation efficient and safe. I stumbled across the field of Active Transportation a couple of years ago and now I preach it. Here’s what it’s about: Active transportation is any method of travel that is all or partly human-powered. The term refers to transportation that supports walking, stair use, cycling, and transit. It includes long-term land use and transportation planning to encourage alternate (non-motor vehicle) forms of transport. The proven health benefits of active transportation are overwhelming: prevention of weight gain, lowered risk of type-2 diabetes, lower high blood pressure and cholesterol, decreased risk of colon and breast cancers, and increased life expectancy. We as engineers have the technical know-how to implement active transportation. The methods are deceptively easy: Build good transit systems and integrate them into existing infrastructure. Design transportation systems with pedestrians and cyclists in mind. Construct multiple, direct connections within dense, mixed land-use developments. Coordinate transit, walking, cycling, and automobile networks. For far too long, we’ve considered these concerns outside of our job descriptions, even though we know better. If we continue to stand by when politicians like Senator Tom Coburn, R-Okla., deride pedestrian and bicyclist funding as wasteful extravagances<http://coburn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=2feae725-00…>, we deserve all the derision that planners like Leinberger can throw at us. Worse yet, we risk getting pushed out of the transportation planning process entirely. * * Co-written with Laura MacNeil http://enr.construction.com/opinions/blogs/schwartz.asp?plckController=Blog…

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"Gaining Ground" - Manitoba Conference on Active Transportation and Recreation - March 21 in Portage La Prairie
by Cara Fisher 06 Jan '12

06 Jan '12

Hello AT Network, Please share this with your colleagues and networks. We will have more information on the PACM website <http://www.pacm.ca> and registration open late next week. Apologize if this was already sent to the list. - Cara * * *Gaining Ground: Connecting People and Knowledge * *Portage La Prairie, March 21, 2012* * * *A Provincial conference on Active Transportation and Recreation* The conference is bringing together leaders, experts and people with a passion to share knowledge, ideas, challenges and successes. IF you are a municipal leader, parks and recreation practitioner, health professional, trail advocate, cycling enthusiast, pedestrian, planner, engineer, elder, community volunteer or resident of Manitoba – YOU have something to share and to learn! - PACM is putting the spotlight on 3 smaller Manitoba communities who are gaining ground in their pursuit to increase the quality of life in their community. Hear how distinctly different, tailor-made solutions are being developing and put into action. - *You* are invited to submit, present & share your own community’s success stories in our ‘5 slides / 5 minutes/5 highlights’ session! - Connect *coast to coast* with leaders who are working directly in communities with local, provincial and national governments to integrate active transportation, recreation, and and development with research and the very critical funding component! ~British Columbia – *Dr. Larry Frank*, Professor & J. Armand Bombardier Chair in Sustainable Urban Transportation Systems, University of British Columbia ~Nova Scotia – *Mike Arthur*, Manager of Physical Activity, Provincial Dept. of Health & Wellness Hear key recommendations from the Manitoba Active Transportation Advisory Group report: *Greater Strides: Taking Action on Active Transportation * **Round trip shuttle service from Winnipeg to Portage La Prairie for conference attendees** For info visit www.pacm.ca or contact Cara Fisher, PACM Project Assistant by email at conference(a)pacm.ca or by phone at 204-294-7027 REGISTRATION OPENS IN EARLY JANUARY PLEASE SHARE THIS INVITATION WIDELY WITH COLLEAGUES, STAFF AND COMMUNITY. Conference hosted by PACM and funding assistance provided by Manitoba in * motion*

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NYC Bike Share
by Beth McKechnie 04 Jan '12

04 Jan '12

What is New York City Bike Share? Introducing NYC Bike Share, a revolutionary new way for you to get around New York City, scheduled to launch summer 2012. Bike sharing expands your transportation options; it empowers you to go your own way. NYC Bike Share is a self-service system that provides members with easy access to a network of thousands of bicycles. Pick up a bike close to home or work, ride, then return it to any of the hundreds of stations to be located throughout the city. NYC Bike Share will consist of 600 stations, 10,000 bikes in Manhattan and Brooklyn, potentially stretching to Queens, Staten Island and the Bronx. It will be privately sponsored, privately launched and privately operated, with no public funding. Additional information for interested potential sponsors is available at www.nycbikesharesponsorship.com. It’s more than just a different way to get to work. 54% of all trips New Yorkers make are less than two miles. Bike sharing is a great mobility choice for short trips that are too far to walk, but too short for a cab or subway ride. Sustainable, convenient, expeditious and safe – NYC Bike Share will benefit you and your community. Find more: http://nycitybikeshare.com/

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