May 2013 - AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

Winter Cycling For Everyone - Watch Online and Event Links
by Anders Swanson 31 May '13

31 May '13

Thank you so much to everyone who attended and who helped make this a wonderful event. Wasn't expecting such a turnout. Thank you. For those who asked for an online copy and especially for those who could not attend, please find the film *Winter Cycling For Everyone *online here: http://vimeo.com/activetransportation/wintercyclingforeveryone To find more info on best practices from around the World, or to stay in touch with the *International Winter Cycling Conference* happening in Winnipeg Feb.12-13 2014, please check out: wintercycling.org To register now or to watch for details on *Winter Bike to Work Day* this Feb.14, 2014 please visit: winterbiketoworkday.org Kind regards, Anders

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Designing cities for better health: If you build it, they will walk
by feaver＠mymts.net 30 May '13

30 May '13

A good article in the Globe & Mail: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/home-and-garden/architecture/designing-c ities-for-better-health-if-you-build-it-they-will-walk/article12240304/

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FW: International Trails Day
by Kristine Hayward 30 May '13

30 May '13

From: Julie Turenne-Maynard [mailto:exec_dir@riverswest.ca] Sent: Thursday, May 30, 2013 12:46 PM To: Rivers West Subject: International Trails Day Grab your bike, your running shoes or your rollerskates and join us June 1st, 2013 for International Trails Day. It's free, it's healthy, and it's fun! There will be workshops, geocaching, kids' activities and much more. See attachment for more information -- Julie Turenne-Maynard Executive Director Rivers West Red River Corridor Inc. T: (204) 925-2321 F: (204) 237-4618 C: (204) 771-5585 www.riverswest.ca<http://www.riverswest.ca> www.routesonthered,ca<http://www.routesonthered,ca> This email and/or any documents in this transmission is intended for the addressee(s) only and may contain legally privileged or confidential information. Any unauthorized use, disclosure, distribution, copying or dissemination is strictly prohibited. If you receive this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately and return the original. Ce courriel et tout document dans cette transmission est destiné à la personne ou aux personnes à qui il est adressé. Il peut contenir des informations privilégiées ou confidentielles. Toute utilisation, divulgation, distribution, copie, ou diffusion non autorisée est strictement défendue. Si vous n'êtes pas le destinataire de ce message, veuillez en informer l'expéditeur immédiatement et lui remettre l'original.

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LCI Seminar in June- Register NOW - EUGENE
by Beth McKechnie 29 May '13

29 May '13

For more information see: http://lists.umanitoba.ca/mailman/admin/at-network/bounce ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Terry Zdan <tjzdan50(a)gmail.com> Date: Wed, 29 May 2013 13:05:46 -0500 Subject: LCI Seminar in June- Register NOW - EUGENE Dear Active Transportation Enthusiasts, *This June (21st-23rd) the League of American Bicyclists<http://www.bikeleague.org> is holding an LCI Seminar in Eugene*. The last LAB Seminar in Eugene was over 5 years ago and annually there are fewer than a dozen around the country. Registration so far has been too low to hold this Seminar and *there are only a couple more days to register for this great opportunity*!* If you've ever wanted to take your cycling to the next level and wanted to share your knowledge of safe cycling skills with others this is a great opportunity!* * * Becoming a League Cycling Instructor (LCI) certified to teach Smart Cycling is a great way to help cyclists in your community. Certified instructors can teach Smart Cycling classes (like Traffic Skills 101) to children as well as adults. Help bring the joy of safe cycling to others. If you are an experienced cyclist and would like to teach others please consider taking the next step towards certification. *Becoming a League member and taking Traffic Skills 101 are prerequisites for a certification seminar*. Instructors are trained at seminars held periodically throughout the year. The training is Friday, June 21 (5:30-9pm), Saturday, June 22 (8am-4pm), and Sunday, June 23 (8am-4pm). Cost for the three day training is $300. To register you can download the course registration form<http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/education/LCI_course_application.pdf> or go to the League's website, join <http://www.bikeleague.org/join/> and then register via their Events calendar by clicking on the Eugene LCI Seminar<https://bikeleague.secure.force.com/MN4__mnp_viewevent?id=a0kG0000001ZdfmIAC> . You must be a League member to register for the course (and to maintain the LCI certification). If you have any questions contact Shane MacRhodes ( rhodes_sh(a)4j.lane.edu). [image: LAB Logo] Shane MacRhodes League of American Bicyclists Cycling Instructor (#1050) 541-556-3553 shanerh(a)mac.com -- Terry Zdan 126 Duncan Norrie Drive Wpg MB R3P 2J9 CANADA tjzdan50(a)gmail.com <tjzdan(a)gmasil.com>

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Today! Kick-off Commuter Challenge - 11 am, MB Hydro Plaza
by Beth McKechnie 29 May '13

29 May '13

*Join us TODAY to... * *Kick-off the 2013 Commuter Challenge!* *11 a.m., Wednesday, May 29 * *Manitoba Hydro Building (Outdoor Plaza on Graham Ave)* Celebrate the start of the 2013 Commuter Challenge with the Honourable JimRondeau, Minister of Healthy Living, Seniors and Consumer Affairs; Stefano Grande, Executive Director of the Downtown Winnipeg Biz; Lloyd Kuczek, Vice President of Customer Care and Energy Conservation, Manitoba Hydro; Commuter Challenge participant Maureen Peniuk; along with Ace Burpee and Green Action Centre. Walk, bike, bus or carpool -- let's celebrate a better way to get to work!

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Edmonton approves Complete Streets Policy
by Beth McKechnie 27 May '13

27 May '13

*Edmonton approves Complete Streets Policy* The Complete Streets Policy was approved by City Council on May 22, 2013. The policy and accompanying guidelines will encourage a holistic approach to roadway design in order to develop a network of roadways that are safe, attractive, comfortable and welcoming to all users. Designing New Neighbourhoods, Edmonton’s Future Residential Communities Policy was approved at the same time. The guidelines for this policy will influence the physical structure and layout of our new neighbourhoods. The Complete Streets Guidelines will be used for planning, designing and constructing streets in new neighbourhoods. They will also guide the design and reconstruction of streets in existing neighbourhoods. Next steps for the Complete Streets projects team will be the implementation of several complete streets pilot projects over the next few years. Three pilot projects have already been identified as priority; including one in a greenfield, a neighbourhood renewal and an arterial renewal. http://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/city_vision_and_strategic_plan/compl…

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Fwd: Invitation: Winter Cycling for Everyone - Film and Discussion
by Anders Swanson 27 May '13

27 May '13

[Hi, if you already received a personal message, sorry for any cross-postings....and for accidentally not sending this to the network last week. Note that your first chance to attend is today at lunch. See details below. cheers! anders] ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Anders Swanson <andersswanson(a)gmail.com> Date: Thu, May 23, 2013 at 10:15 AM Subject: Invitation: Winter Cycling for Everyone - Film and Discussion This week, you're "warmly" invited to attend a fun event about magical places and making the most of winter. See details below. Poster attached. * * * * * * * * * * * *WINTER CYCLING * *FOR EVERYONE* * * *Lunchtime Monday May 27th* MPI Theatre downtown in City Place (2nd floor, east side, door north of elevators). 12:00 noon - 1:00pm *OR* *Evening Thursday May 30th * Winnipeg Free Press Cafe in The Exchange. Arthur @ McDermot. Doors at 6:00pm. 6:30pm - 8ish. *Both events feature: * - a short film about experiencing and exploring a landscape full of people and bikes and snow. - "Oulu and the top winter cycling cities of the world": a short presentation by Timo Perälä remote from Oulu, Finland. Mr. Perälä is the CEO of Navico ltd., a small consulting firm specializing in mobility management. He holds a masters degree in civil engineering (construction economics) and has completed several studies and projects related to winter cycling and winter maintenance throughout Finland. Timo directed the 2013 international winter cycling congress - the only event of its kind bringing together experts in the field from around the world - and goes regularly by bike year-round himself (no lycra, just a cruiser). - Refreshments provided. *Thursday Evening Only* - Panel discussion: A big-ideas panel featuring Paul Jordan, COO of the Forks, Councillor Justin Swandel, design whiz Andrea Tetrault and speaker Timo Perälä. Moderated by Bartley Kives. - Exciting event announcements. - Hors d'oeuvres provided. Alcohol available. ---- Seating is limited. RSVPs appreciated but not required. Hope to see you there! Anders Swanson

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NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide Webinars
by Bike to the Future 26 May '13

26 May '13

Bike Winnipeg and Green Action Centre would like to invite you to join us in the EcoCentre (3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave) for a three-part webinar series on the NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide<http://nacto.org/cities-for-cycling/design-guide/> . Each webinar will be followed by group discussion of local applications. This is a great opportunity to learn more about this fantastic resource on cycling design and discover how cities across North America are embracing the designs and advice laid out in this guide to improve their cities cycling experience and encourage an ever increasing number of their residents to choose their bikes over their cars. As the city is currently in the process of developing its first cycling and pedestrian strategies, the timing for these webinars could not be better. RSVPs are appreciated but not necessary. Hope to see you then! *#1, Bikeway Design at Intersections* Wednesday, May 29 | 2:00 - 3:15 p.m. CDT Safe, effective intersection design requires visibility and predictability among all street users. In unpredictable urban environments, achieving these goals can be difficult. Bikeway Design at Intersections provides an overview of the intersection treatments in the NACTO guide, including bike boxes, bicycle signals and mixing zones, and analyzes how to resolve and mitigate several complex intersection design problems that commonly arise. Presenters: Roger Geller, Bicycle Coordinator, City of Portland Jamie Parks, Senior Transportation Planner, City of Oakland *#2, Bikeway Design in Context: Determining the right facility for the right street* Wednesday, June 5 | 2:00 - 3:15 p.m. CDT As bikeway design options have multiplied and evolved, the decision-making process for practitioners has become increasingly complex. What kinds of streets are best suited to cycle tracks? When should an engineer use a buffered bike lane rather than a conventional bike lane? Are shared lane markings appropriate for busy streets or only on local roads? This session will analyze the decision-making process that different cities go through when answering such questions, looking beyond speed and ADT to consider elements as varied as context, parking, transit routes and street width. Presenters: Joshua Benson, Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Director, New York City Department of Transportation Nathan Wilkes, Associate Traffic Engineer, Neighborhood Connectivity Division, City of Austin *#3, Next Generation Bikeway Design: Raised cycle tracks * Wednesday, June 26 | 2:00 - 3:15 p.m. CDT While many cities have relied primarily on signs and markings to radically transform their streets, a growing number of bikeways around the country have been improved and made permanent using higher cost materials, curb relocation and complex engineering. This session will look at two facilities that embody long term solutions for city streets. How can cities effectively move the curb without creating drainage problems? What "green” infrastructure solutions can be incorporated into these new bikeways? What are the highest and lowest cost alternatives to these designs? Presenters: Wendy Cawley, Engineer, City of Portland Karen Haley, Executive Director, Indianapolis Cultural Trail Jennifer Tower, Engineer, City of Portland Cheers, -- Mark Cohoe Executive Director Bike Winnipeg (formerly Bike to the Future)

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Millennials lead the trend to less driving, but what happens as they get older? (Atlantic Cities)
by Beth McKechnie 22 May '13

22 May '13

Millennials Lead the Trend to Less Driving, But What Happens As They Get Older?Emily Badger <http://www.theatlanticcities.com/authors/emily-badger/>| May 14, 2013 Find full article and graphs here: http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2013/05/planning-our-transportatio… It is unquestionably true that Americans are driving less today than we did just a few years ago. Sometime around 2004, our addiction to driving – expressed on a graph in the decades-long steep expansion of “vehicle miles traveled” – took a turn in the opposite direction. Per capita, we began to drive fewer miles each year than we had the year before. As the U.S. population has continued to grow, our collective miles traveled by car has begun to stagnate. It’s not entirely clear, though, exactly why this has happened or whether the downturn will continue, two questions intimately tied to the behavior of Millennials as they age. Twenty-something Americans drive about 20 percent less today than their parents did in *their* 20s. But is that because of the recession? High gas prices? A lasting shift in consumer demand? What will happen to today’s 20-year-olds as they enter their 30s, raise families, and consider moving to the suburbs? This question lurks behind every celebrated trend story about the Millennial generation: Will this group really push systemic change (as the baby boomers did) in how Americans live, work and relate to each other (sharing cars, for instance, as opposed to owning them)? Or is this moment – with its associated driving patterns – a hiccup in history? "We've basically assumed in transportation planning for decades upon decades that the amount of vehicle travel and per capita VMT can go in only one direction, and that's up," says Tony Dutzik, a senior policy analyst for the Frontier Group <http://www.frontiergroup.org>, a public interest think tank. "And we have been planning our transportation system based on that assumption." Data from the last few years clearly show that this axiom is no longer true.So what happens next? In an effort to at least sketch out some of the possible scenarios, the Frontier Group and the US PIRG Education Fund<http://www.uspirgedfund.org/>today released a report outlining three alternative futures <http://uspirg.org/reports/usp/new-direction> for America's relationship to the car. One assumes that Millennials will eventually revert to the driving patterns of their parents (the blue "Back to the Future" scenario on the below graph). The second assumes that America is in the midst of an enduring shift toward less driving, brought about in large part by the permanent new preferences of Millennials. And the last scenario assumes that the recent decline we've seen in driving will continue apace. Notably, all three scenarios project car usage well below the status quo we might expect based on the last 50 years of driving trends (even with a growing population). "Thus far in the transportation community, the question of declining vehicle miles traveled and declining gas tax revenues has been thought of as a revenue problem. There’s not enough money coming in to deal with the needs that we think we have," Dutzik says. "There's another important part of that question that we really haven’t addressed: What is it we think we're actually going to need for the future?" What if we don’t need to find funding to for quite so many highway expansions? "If the Millennial trend continues to play out," Dutzik says, "the amount of highway capacity we’re going to need in the future looks far different than it looked in government projections from just a few years ago." Dutzik and report co-author Phineas Baxandall constructed these scenarios by trying to "layer on the unknowable over the knowable." Namely, we don’t how Millennials will behave in the future. But we do know that their parents, from the baby boom generation, will soon begin aging out of the workforce in massive numbers. And when you no longer have to drive to work, that cuts a sizable chunk out of your car consumption (the 2009 National Household Travel Survey estimated that commuting trips accounted for 27.7 percent of household VMT). With these underlying demographic trends in mind, the "Back to the Future" scenario makes the assumption that Millennials will drive about as much at age 35 as their parents did at that same age, and so on as they get older. The other two scenarios are built on something of a mystery. Researchers have not yet been able to disaggregate how much of our current decline in driving has been attributable to gas prices, or the economy, or changing attitudes toward car ownership or urban living. But it’s been driven by * something.* And in these two futures, Dutzik says, “whatever constellation of things it is that has caused the shift in per capita driving over the last decade – we think that’s a real thing.” The way we work has also been changing, alongside the demographic shape of the workforce itself. And this trend, which the report did not address, could drive down VMT even further, as more people telecommute or join the freelance economy. In all of these scenarios, Dutzik assumes that we're unlikely to ever surpass our 2004 peak in per capita driving. Today, we individually drive about 7 percent less than we did in 2004 (or at levels comparable to 1996). It’s plausible we could return to that peak, but many of the factors that drove us there no longer exist: cheap gas, the growing baby boom workforce, women entering the workforce for the first time. Millennials will inevitably wind up driving more than they do today as they age. This is virtually always true of people in their 20s as they enter their 30s and beyond. Certain stages of life demand more use of a car than others. But the question is: by how much? And by how much compared to their parents? Emily Badger is a staff writer at The Atlantic Cities. Her work has previously appeared in *Pacific Standard*, *GOOD*, *The Christian Science Monitor*, and *The New York Times*. She lives in the Washington, D.C. area

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WFP: Remember walking to school? Well, your kids probably don't (May22'13)
by Beth McKechnie 22 May '13

22 May '13

[Follow up to Erik and Shoni's postings yesterday about the Physical Activity scorecard.] Remember walking to school? Well, your kids probably don't By: Lauren La Rose http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/remember-walking-to-sch… TORONTO -- Fewer Canadian kids are commuting by walking or biking as a new report reveals a marked decline among young people using active modes of transportation. Active Healthy Kids Canada released its annual Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth on Tuesday, assigning a "D" grade in the category of active transportation. A "D minus" grade was given for overall physical activity levels. Children who use active transport for commutes to and from school can accumulate up to 45 additional minutes daily of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity compared to kids travelling by car, train or bus. Yet in Canada, a recent survey revealed that while 58 per cent of parents walked to school when they were children, only 28 per cent of their own kids were doing the same today. "That's a reduction of 50 per cent in one generation. That's substantial by any estimate," said Mark Tremblay, chief scientific officer of Active Healthy Kids Canada. >From 2000 to 2010, the percentage of youth aged 5-17 using only inactive modes of transportation for school commutes increased from 51 per cent to 62 per cent. The report found many data sources in different age groups suggested only 25 to 35 per cent of Canadian kids and youth use active transport to and from school. Among youth aged 15 to 17, time spent walking daily dipped from 17 minutes to 11 minutes between 1992 and 2010. Tremblay said active transportation is among "a whole bunch of pieces" that contribute to physical activity levels, along with other key components such as active play, organized sports participation and physical education. Tremblay said there may be instances where schools are too far away for youngsters to commute by their own power. But research shows many examples where high numbers of kids are being ferried to destinations within a walking or biking distance, he noted. "There are kids that live 25 kilometres from the school. They can't walk or bike. And so we get that," said Tremblay, director of Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute. "But can those kids walk or bike to other things that are going on in their community? To their friend's house? To the baseball (diamond), which might be a couple of kilometres down the road? "This isn't just about to and from school.... We're talking about any trips." If kids walked for all trips less than one kilometre in distance, it would translate, on average, to 2,238 additional steps each day -- or around 15 to 20 minutes of walking, the report said. Tremblay said living in an auto-dependent society has made the process of commuting by car the norm. "It's not even part of our consciousness. We just hop into the car and it's not like we ever thought: 'Why didn't we walk there?' Because our frame of reference of distances to walk has reduced so much over time that we don't consider it a possibility. "A kilometre, two kilometres, three kilometres, which are totally walkable (distances) and can be very enjoyable... it just doesn't cross our minds -- and so we don't think of it for our kids, either." Time, money and safety are the three key barriers to kids being more physically active, said Kelly Murumets, president & CEO of ParticipAction. Active transportation offers a simple, cost-effective, accessible way for parents to help ensure kids are getting the activity they need without having to pay for organized sport, she noted. In instances where kids are able to travel on foot, using pedal power or some other means of active transport, Murumets said parents can organize walking school buses or bicycle caravans with a volunteer adult or group of parents convening with youngsters to commute en masse. "Kids are getting physical activity, they have social time, they're with other kids, they're safe because they're supervised, (and) some of the parents who do work are able to make their way to the office," Murumets said. *-- The Canadian Press* *Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 22, 2013 D4*

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Children driven around too much, Canadian report suggests
by Erik Dickson 21 May '13

21 May '13

A very interesting report as we enter the home stretch of the school year. I did not realize that there was such a thing as a "D minus"; I thought after a D there was only F. "Fewer Canadian kids are commuting by walking or biking as a new report reveals a marked decline among young people using active modes of transportation. Active Healthy Kids Canada released its annual Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth on Tuesday, assigning a "D" grade in the category of active transportation. A "D minus" grade was given for overall physical activity levels." CBC News Story: http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2013/05/21/physical-activity-children-wa lk-bike.html?cmp=rss Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card: http://dvqdas9jty7g6.cloudfront.net/reportcard2013/AHKC-Summary-2013.pdf Regards, Erik Dickson Suite 1120 - 201 Portage Avenue Winnipeg, MB R3B 3K6 ph: (204) 927-3444 ext. 242 fax: (204) 927-3443 web: www.scatliff.ca blog: http://scatliff.tumblr.com Please consider our environment before printing this message.

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Peg City Car Co-op Doubles Fleet
by Beth McKechnie 21 May '13

21 May '13

*Peg City Car Co-op Doubles Fleet!* *Serves more neighbourhoods thanks to local investors* Please join us today at noon to celebrate the official launch of Peg City Car Co-op's recent expansion. Hope to see you there! Find details below and here <http://pegcitycarcoop.ca/2013/05/peg-city-car-co-op-doubles-fleet/>. *WHO:* Shoni Litinsky, Board President, Peg City Car Co-op Stefano Grande, Downtown Winnipeg BIZ Alana Ollinger, Member, Peg City Car Co-op Sean Goertzen, Member, Peg City Car Co-op *WHEN: Noon-12:30pm, TODAY* *WHERE: Broadway, north sidewalk between Fort and Garry*, next to replica street car *WHAT:* Peg City Car Co-op is doubling its fleet and expanding into four additional Winnipeg neighbourhoods. Shoni Litinsky will provide details on the expansion and Stefano Grande will talk about how carsharing offers downtown residents a convenient, affordable service. Alana Ollinger and Sean Goertzen will explain why they joined the car co-op and how the expansion will benefit them and others. *WHY: *Expansion of Peg City Car Co-op's fleet into additional neighbourhoods means carsharing will become a practical option for more Winnipeggers. As the city's first and only carshare, Peg City offers an affordable, convenient alternative to personal car ownership.

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Save the Date: Winter Cycling for Everyone; Film and Discussion - May 27 or May 30
by Anders Swanson 17 May '13

17 May '13

Hi, On the cusp of the long weekend as the warm weather hits, it may seem odd, but *I would like to invite you to mark your calendars to share a special experience.* As you may know, I went to Finland this February for the first ever international conference on winter cycling, and met and experienced places that were once but figments of my imagination. I took the time to document and learn, and I would like to bring a bit of that back to you. Both events feature an original mini-documentary, a guest speaker and expert from Finland and there is sure to be some inspiring/interesting discussion no matter what your professional background or interest. You have two options. *Consider saving the date for either of:* *Monday May 27th, 12noon * Downtown at the MPI theatre in City Place. * * or *Thursday May 30th, 6:30pm.* Doors at 6. In the Exchange, at the Free Press News Cafe. * * * * *..or both!* NOTE: Official Announcement, poster and full details coming soon. RSVP is appreciated but not necessary. The Monday session is a shorter lunchtime session. The Thursday evening event features most of the similar content, with the bonus being a panel of well-known and articulate Winnipeggers + happy hour pricing to facilitate 'mingling'. Thanks, Anders

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Manitoba News Release: Budget 2013: Province Invests in Neighbourhood, Community Infrastructure
by Beth McKechnie 17 May '13

17 May '13

[Note that trails are eligible under the new funding for neighbourhood community infrastructure. -cheers, Beth] May 15, 2013 BUDGET 2013: PROVINCE INVESTS IN NEIGHBOURHOOD, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE - - - New Program will Improve Winnipeg's Recreational Facilities: Selinger Winnipeg families will have improved recreational facilities and community centres under a new, three-year program designed to expand and improve existing infrastructure, Premier Greg Selinger announced today. "We know at the heart of every neighbourhood, families congregate at community centres, playgrounds and cultural centres. These venues are important to the fabric of the community, as they bring local families together to laugh, share, socialize and take part in physical activity," Selinger said. "This is why our government is investing in these important projects because they matter to Winnipeg families and all Manitobans." Budget 2013 and the Manitoba Building and Renewal Plan commit $7.5 million over the next three years for the Winnipeg Community Infrastructure Program, the premier said. This new initiative will accept submissions for projects that will provide long-term recreational and wellness benefits to communities, the premier said, adding that non-profit community organizations and city-owned facilities can apply for assistance with projects that are in need of repairs, upgrades, energy-saving initiatives and other improvements. "Renewing, upgrading and improving our community infrastructure helps create jobs and grows our economy," said Local Government Minister Ron Lemieux. "It is a win-win for families and our province." Grants will be made available for projects such as libraries, swimming pools and splash pads, parks, trails, community centres, sports facilities including arenas and gymnasiums, as well as other community infrastructure facilities. Program and application intake will begin on May 22. For more information and to download a Winnipeg Community Infrastructure Program application, go to www.gov.mb.ca/ia/. - 30 -

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Draft changes to Winnipeg Zoning By-laws (more exciting than you might think)
by Beth McKechnie 16 May '13

16 May '13

In case you didn't make it out to yesterday's Open House at The Forks, attached are details on draft changes to Winnipeg Zoning By-laws. Why would AT Network subscribers be interested? Check out the following: - reductions in parking requirements for developments (though "maximums" in car parking could be even better than reduced minimums) - carsharing (like Peg City Car Co-op) and more bike parking at developments to offset car parking requirements - new standards for bike parking including improved lighting and access - improvements in pedestrian connections to new developments - permit residential at ground floor (with some exceptions) and above the ground floor in all Downtown areas - means more people living downtown and able to walk or bike to destinations - limits to surface parking Find more details in the attached pdf. cheers, Beth

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How to Increase Bicycling for Daily Travel: May 2013 Active Living Research Brief
by Beth McKechnie 16 May '13

16 May '13

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Terry Zdan <tjzdan50(a)gmail.com> Date: Thu, 16 May 2013 09:34:31 -0500 Subject: How to Increase Bicycling for Daily Travel: May 2013 Active Living Research Brief FYI ...this report was prepared by Dr Jennifer Dill "...Conclusion Research shows that infrastructure, programs, and policies that support bicycling can significantly increase levels of bicycling for daily travel. However, it is difficult to generalize about the effectiveness of specific strategies or particular kinds of bicycle infrastructure. Many studies only measure the impact of incremental expansions and do not capture the full impact of a completed bicycle system. Indeed, the most compelling evidence comes from communities that have implemented a fully integrated package of strategies to increase bicycling. The evidence reviewed in this brief suggests that a comprehensive approach produces a much greater impact on bicycling than individual measures that are not coordinated. POLICY IMPLICATIONS To maximize bicycling opportunities, cities must build a network of safe and comfortable routes using a mix of bike lanes, bike boulevards, cycle tracks, and bike paths that connect residents to potential destinations.26 Infrastructure that maximizes the separation between bicyclists and motor vehicles, without making bicyclists travel too far out of their way, may be more effective for encouraging new bicyclists than on-street pavement markings. Investments in infrastructure should be supported by promotional programs, such as biketo-work days and bicycle training, Safe Routes to School programs, and other programs that facilitate bicycling, including bike sharing systems and those that accommodate bicycles on buses and trains. Policies that make driving more expensive (e.g. higher gasoline taxes and parking fees) and less convenient (e.g. reduced parking supply and reduced speeds) may be necessary to maximize the effectiveness of infrastructure investments in encouraging bicycling. To encourage bicycling as a mode of transportation, communities also must implement land use and development policies to help ensure that destinations for daily needs, such as school, work, and shopping, are within convenient bicycling distance from home...." The Active Living Research program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation just published this free on-line report: http://www.activelivingresearch.org/files/ALR_Brief_DailyBikeTravel_May2013… -- Terry Zdan 126 Duncan Norrie Drive Wpg MB R3P 2J9 CANADA tjzdan50(a)gmail.com <tjzdan(a)gmasil.com>

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WFP: More to bike safety than helmets, study finds (May15'13)
by Beth McKechnie 15 May '13

15 May '13

More to bike safety than helmets, study finds Bicycle lanes, safe-passing laws among factors reducing injuries By: Bob Weber http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/more-to-bike-safety-than-helmets-st… Bicycle helmets may prevent head injuries, but a newly published study has found there's no evidence mandatory helmet laws do the same thing. "It is a bit counterintuitive that we don't see an effect of helmet laws on head injuries," said University of Toronto researcher Jessica Dennis, whose work was published Tuesday in the journal of the British Medical Association. "But there's so many other things going on at the same time a helmet law is passed that it's really hard to say that helmet law was the reason head injuries decrease." Dennis, herself a daily cyclist with a 30-minute commute to downtown Toronto, compiled information countrywide on more than 66,000 hospital admissions for cycling-related head injuries between 1994 and 2008. She compared how those injury rates changed over time between provinces that had mandatory helmet laws and those that didn't. She found admission rates for provinces with legislation dropped 54 per cent for young people between 1994 and 2003, the period during which the laws were being brought in. But Dennis also found rates dropping in provinces without legislation -- although, at 33 per cent, not quite so steeply. She also found helmet laws produced little change in adult admission rates, which were low and stable throughout the study period. Dennis found in every province with legislation, the decline in hospital admissions for head-related cycling injuries actually started years before a law was introduced. Nor did the rate of that decline change with legislation. She couldn't find any statistical link between helmet laws and reduced hospital admissions. "We were unable to detect an independent effect of legislation on the rate of hospital admissions," the report concludes. The study, the most extensive to date and the first to compare hospital admissions between provinces with and without helmet laws, suggests there's a lot more to making cyclists safe than forcing them to wear headgear. "It's a complex social intervention that's happening," Dennis said. Cities have installed cycling infrastructure such as bike lanes. Some communities have passed safe-passing laws that require motorists to move over as they drive by bikes. Many cyclists have adopted helmets on their own without being required to by law. Education campaigns for riders and drivers have been created. And there are just more people on bikes. "There's something to be said for safety in numbers." Dennis's previous research has debunked theories that helmet laws reduce ridership and has shown kids are more likely to wear helmets in provinces requiring both young and adult riders to do so. Now her latest paper suggests helmet laws don't have the safety impact they're cracked up to have. "Helmet laws are attractive because they're cheap and they're easy to implement. But as our study shows, they shouldn't be the only solution because it's not enough. "Helmet laws should be part of a comprehensive strategy to improve cycling safety." -- The Canadian Press *Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 15, 2013 C11*

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Bicycle Trade Association of Canada Awards of Distinction 2013
by Beth McKechnie 10 May '13

10 May '13

BTAC Awards of Distinction 2013 <http://btac.org/en/membership/awards-of-distinction>MUNICIPAL/REGIONAL GOVERNMENT AWARD This award recognizes achievements by municipal/regional governments in making their communities more bicycle friendly and promoting and encouraging cycling. Municipal or regional governments, play a vital role in encouraging cycling through planning, design, traffic management, programs and provision of infrastructure. *Eligibility:* The nominee must be a municipal or regional Government body. Nominations may include collaborative projects undertaken with schools, health, community organizations and other relevant bodies. Demonstrated innovation in improving conditions for bicycle riders, promoting and encouraging cycling is necessary. Please include references to the following points when making your nomination for this award: 1. What is the demonstrated commitment to cycling? 2. What are the key achievements? 3. Is the council playing a leadership role in the promotion of cycling generally in the community? 4. What partnerships has the municipality formed to promote cycling? 5. Does the municipality work with cycling organizations to determine priorities? 6. How long has the municipality supported cycling and what are their aims to continue that into the future? CONTRIBUTION BY A POLITICIAN AWARD This award recognizes a special achievement by a politician who has, by their own example or by the support for investments and programs, advanced cycling municipally, provincially or federally. Politicians at all levels of government make vital contributions to the industry by acting as supporters for cycling initiatives and projects during policy deliberations or in their ridings. *Eligibility:* This award is for current serving members of federal, provincial or municipal governments who have shown initiative and commitment by leading and/or supporting projects or policies that have made a real difference to cycling. Please include references to the following points when making your nomination for the Contribution by a Politician Award: 1. What role have they played in achieving better outcomes for cycling? 2. How have they gained community, staff and fellow political support for cycling? 3. Have they changed their own means of transport? 4. What is their key outstanding achievement? INDEPENDENT BICYCLE RETAILER OF THE YEAR AWARD This award recognizes bicycle retailers that have shown commitment and innovation in encouraging cycling. Bicycle retailers play an important role in encouraging cycling by providing customer service and encouragement to all those interested in cycling at all levels. *Eligibility:* Independent Bicycle retailers in Canada who have made a considerable contribution towards encouraging, promoting cycling in the community and being consumer responsive, as well as by supporting activities in their local area in 2012. Please include references to the following points when making your nomination for the Bicycle Retailer Award: 1. What are the key activities the retailer is doing to promote cycling? 2. Has the retailer formed any partnerships with cycling organizations and businesses to promote cycling? 3. What are the key outstanding achievements? 4. How long has the retailer been established and how many staff are employed in the business? AWARD FOR INITIATIVE BY LOCAL CYCLING ASSOCIATION While Canada leads in North America in reducing both traffic- and trail-related injuries on bicycles, safety and well-being is something we all hold a stake in. This award recognizes local cycling associations who have helped to promote road cycling and/or bike-safety initiatives and overall programs to promote cycling in their communities. *Eligibility:* This award is for a local cycling association or group that has been in existence for more than 12 months and that has consistently demonstrated extraordinary commitment, dedication, and service to the advancement of cycling locally. 1. Overview of why this club/association stands above the rest in promoting cycling? 2. Describe any and all events the association organized or participated in to advance cycling? 3. What role did the club or association plan in advancing cycling locally? 4. What partnerships have they made to accomplish their goals? HOW TO NOMINATE Nominations close on July 1st. Nominations must be in writing and all eligibility points in the category must be addressed in the submission. Nominations should be sent to admin(a)btac.org Nominators should include name, address, phone number and name of organization representing if applicable. Please ensure you write BTAC AWRDS in the subject line. *“It is my hope and indeed that of the BTAC board that the industry will get behind these awards and submit nominations to recognize those in all four categories*,” Senior said.* We have much to celebrate as an industry and we hope these awards will help shine a very big light on those who are both nominated and are chosen as the final winners.*” *The Bicycle Trade Association of Canada is a not for profit industry association. *

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Just a little something because 'It's Friday'
by Stacy Matwick 10 May '13

10 May '13

[cid:image003.jpg@01CE4D5A.431491E0] The streets are getting cleaned, it's Give Away weekend, and this morning I counted 20 cyclists on Portage. Yay! Cheers Stacy Matwick Information Centre International Institute for Sustainable Development 161 Portage Ave. E., 6th floor Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3B 0Y4 Voice: (204)958-7755 Fax: (204)958-7710 Email: smatwick(a)iisd.ca<mailto:smatwick@iisd.ca> IISD Research Library web page: http://www.iisd.org/ic SD-Cite: IISD Research Library database: http://sd-cite.iisd.org<http://sd-cite.iisd.org/> GENERata web-magazine: http://www.iisd.org/generata/ Twitter: @iisd_library Google+<https://plus.google.com/b/115807178630169130619/115807178630169130619/posts> Facebook<http://www.facebook.com/pages/IISD-Research-Library/213770388697688?sk=wall> "Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read" Groucho Marx (Picture posted on Earth Day Italia Facebook https://www.facebook.com/#!/EarthDayIta )

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Bike Winnipeg Safe Passing campaign is live
by feaver＠mymts.net 10 May '13

10 May '13

Bike Winnipeg is advocating for education campaigns to tell drivers how to share the road, but rather than waiting for others to get it right, we decided to collaborate with The WRENCH to crowd-source funding for some bus ads to get a safe passing message out in time for this summer's biking season. Please contribute and pass the word to your Winnipeg cycling friends and colleagues. _____ Contribute NOW to help educate drivers about safe passing. If. . 40 cyclists donate $100 each, and . 60 cyclists donate $50 each, and . 50 cyclists donate $20 each, 30 buses will drive around the city for a month displaying our message on their backs. Onbus copy.jpg <http://thewrench.ca/?page_id=951> Let's get this show on the road Vote for the message you prefer. One vote per $20 contributed. Donations are tax deductible. 12 34 If we can't raise enough money for the bus ads by the end of May, we will use the funds to educate drivers by the best affordable means. A project by: <http://biketothefuture.org/> BikeWinnipeg.ca & <http://thewrench.ca/> TheWrench.ca Please forward this message to all your cycling friends & colleagues in Winnipeg

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Used helmets
by Dave Elmore 09 May '13

09 May '13

Do you have an old helmet of two hanging around the garage or in the basement. The Downtown Biz is looking for old helmets for use in a Ciclovia art project. If you want to recycle that old helmet rather than trashing it, just drop it off at the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, 426 Portage Ave between 8:30am-4:30pm Monday to Friday. Please drop off any helmets before August 16. Thanks Dave o _ ( \ _ (X)\ /(X)

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New York Study
by Dave Elmore 09 May '13

09 May '13

http://www.americabikes.org/nyc_study_finds_protected_bicycle_lanes_boost_lo cal_business NYC Study Finds Protected Bicycle Lanes Boost Local Business Posted by Mary Lauran Hall on November 01, 2012 . Flag <http://www.americabikes.org/forms/flags/page.js?page_id=211> The road to recovery is in sight, and it has a bike lane. The typical city street is a busy place. People riding bikes, walking, driving cars, and operating buses all have somewhere to to go and want to get there safely - and quickly. But while we normally think of streets as pipelines for people and goods, public streets are about more than just moving from point A to point B. They're also corridors for public life. Streets are places where locals discover new hole-in-the-wall stores and restaurants, where window shoppers duck into shops to peruse, and where children convince their parents to stop - just for ONE second - to buy a cup of hot chocolate. In other words, streets can also grow local economies. A new study from the New York Department of Transportation shows that streets that safely accommodate bicycle and pedestrian travel are especially good at boosting small businesses, even in a recession. NYC DOT found that protected bikeways had a significant positive impact on local business strength. After the construction of a protected bicycle lane on 9th Avenue, local businesses saw a 49% increase in retail sales. In comparison, local businesses throughout Manhattan only saw a 3% increase in retail sales. NYCDOT_-_9th_Street.png In many ways, these data come as no surprise. We know that when towns invest in bicycle infrastructure, people will ride more <http://www.good.is/posts/if-you-build-bike-lanes-they-will-ride/> - the number of people traveling by bicycle increases when there is infrastructure to make traveling by bike safe and easy. We also know that people who travel along a street by bicycle have fewer barriers to stopping at a local business than people who travel along the same street by car. It's very easy to hop off a bicycle and find a place to secure the bike; not so with finding parking for an automobile. In fact, a recent study suggest that bicycle riders tend to spend more at local businesses over the course of a month <http://bikeportland.org/2012/07/06/study-shows-biking-customers-spend-more- 74357> . This new study makes it clear: investing in bicycle improvements boosts small businesses. And what town or city doesn't want to boost activity at local businesses? Better walking infrastructure encourages retail strength, too. In another example from NYC DOT's study, retails sales increased a whopping 179% after the city converted an underused parking area in Brooklyn into a pedestrian plaza. Retail sales at businesses in the rest of the neighborhood only increased by 18%. NYC_DOT_-_Pearl_St.png When a street does a good job of accommodating bicyclists and pedestrians, it's much more likely to attract walking and bicycling locals, window shoppers, and doting parents. Those people are ready to contribute to the local economy - if a street makes it easy and attractive to do so. View NYC DOT's full study below or download the PDF here <https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/americabikes/pages/211/attachments/or iginal/1351785187/2012-10-measuring-the-street.pdf?1351785187> .

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AT Webinar: Bike Signals, Wed, May 15th, 2-3 pm, EcoCentre
by Beth McKechnie 09 May '13

09 May '13

Green Action Centre and Bike to the Future invite you to join us for a local viewing of the following APBP webinar at the EcoCentre (3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave). This will be followed by group discussion of local applications.* *Detailed description provided below. *Bike Signals Wed, May 15th | 2:00-3:00 p.m.* RSVPs are appreciated but not necessary. Hope to see you then! cheers, Beth (204) 925-3772 * * * * * ** BIKE SIGNALS [image: image]Bike signals are a relatively new tool that can be used to separate cycling movements safely. This webinar explores the latest developments related to traffic signals that specifically accommodate cyclists and includes examples of how these devices are used in Portland and Tucson. This 75-minute webinar includes an extended Q&A period. Presenters will review the current state of the practice, including existing engineering guidance and warrants in the MUTCD, AASHTO Green Book, NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide and other manuals; physical design and operations (detection, signage and timing); and preliminary results of an informal survey of compliance and cyclist behavior. Examples from Portland include a scramble phase signal and demonstrate how bike signals can encourage cycling. Examples from Tucson focus on stand-alone signals, the Toucan and the BikeHawk. Toucan is used to help cyclists transition from a neighborhood or residential street network to larger arterial roads; the BikeHawk is a pedestrian hybrid beacon that has been modified to accommodate cyclists as well as pedestrians. Presenters: - Ann Chanecka, Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator, City of Tucson - Peter Koonce, PE, Manager, Portland Bureau of Transportation - Signals, Streetlighting and ITS Division - Dr. Christopher Monsere, PE, Associate Professor Civil and Environmental Engineering, Portland State University - Dr. Richard Nassi, PE, Traffic Engineering Consultant, Pima Association of Governments

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Canada failing cyclists and pedestrians, UN report finds
by Anders Swanson 08 May '13

08 May '13

source: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/03/14/canada_failing_cyclists_and_pede… Canada failing cyclists and pedestrians, UN report finds Canada says the right things but needs to take action to protect vulnerable road users, according to a new WHO report. Text size:IncreaseDecreaseReset Share via EmailPrint Report an Error Save to Mystar [image: A United Nations' reports says Canada is failing behind when it comes to developing policy to protect vulnerable road users.] VINCE TALOTTA / TORONTO STAR A United Nations' reports says Canada is failing behind when it comes to developing policy to protect vulnerable road users. *By:* Kristen E. Courtney Special to the Star, Published on Thu Mar 14 2013 EXPLORE THIS STORY 1PHOTO80COMMENTS Save to Mystar - - - **4<http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http://www.thestar.com/news/gta…> - Canada is falling to the back of the pack when it comes to policies aimed at protecting vulnerable road users, according to a new report released by the World Health Organization. While 77 per cent of United Nations countries carry out safety audits to ensure the safety of road infrastructure projects for cyclists and pedestrians, Canada does not, and is contributing to a concerning trend of countries promoting alternative forms of transportation without ensuring their safety, according to the Global Status Report on Road Safety<http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/road_safety_status/2013/en/in…> . While studies have consistently shown what types of walking and cycling infrastructure are needed to improve road safety, including safe routes and crossings for pedestrians, slower traffic speeds, and dedicated cycling lanes, policies are not in place to ensure that these are incorporated into road infrastructure projects, according to the report. Eleanor McMahon, founder of Ontario’s Share the Road Cycling Coalition<http://www.sharetheroad.ca/>, says she’s not surprised that Canada is falling behind, as all too often the debate over road infrastructure in Canada becomes less about safety and more about playing politics.<http://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2012/04/23/cyclists_steer_through_pol…> This is a familiar refrain to Toronto drivers, cyclists and pedestrians, where “war on the car”<http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2009/05/24/road_wars_can_cyclists_and_motor…> rhetoric seems to rear its head every time a new road construction or reconstruction project reignites the battle for a slice of the street. “We shouldn’t be having this conversation about cycling infrastructure as if cyclists were a special interest group. They are not a special interest group; they are everyday people getting from point A to point B . . . and all of these deaths are preventable,” McMahon says. The good news is that overall road deaths around the world are down slightly, to 1.24 million per year from 1.3 million per year since the previous Global Status Report on Road Safety in 2009<http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/road_safety_status/2009/en/>. Canada mirrors this trend, with overall annual road deaths falling to 2,227 from 2,889. However, 27 per cent of global road traffic deaths are among pedestrians and cyclists, which has Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization, concerned: “To date, these road users have been neglected in transport and planning policy. The world must now increase its focus on making walking and cycling safer, and protecting these road users from high-speed traffic.” One of the three key recommendations emerging from the report is that concerted effort is needed to make road infrastructure safer for pedestrians and cyclists, by taking the needs of these road users into account earlier, when road safety, policy, transport planning and land use decisions are made. The report places a particular emphasis on the conduct of formal audits of new and existing road infrastructure projects — by independent assessors not involved in the planning or construction — to minimize crash risk and the potential consequences for all road users. Such audits can produce important safety gains for all, according to the report. McMahon says she’s not aware of any consistent policies that exist at the national, provincial or municipal level in Canada that require such safety audits or assessments of road construction projects. “As someone who lost their life partner to a cycling accident, safety is absolutely paramount to me,” she says, “but we need a carrot and stick approach. Dedicated infrastructure funding and political will are also essential.” McMahon’s husband, OPP Sergeant Greg Stobbart, was killed in 2006 while riding his bike on Tremaine Rd. in Milton. While Ontario has a number of policies in place that are supposed to encourage active transportation and ensure the safety of cyclists and pedestrians, the political will necessary to implement these policies effectively is lacking, says McMahon. “We’re starting to see some progress . . . you would think that having these things in policies would help, but we sure have a long way to go.” The Global Status Report 2013 will serve as the baseline for Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020, declared by the UN General Assembly to stem the rise in road accidents as one of the leading causes of death worldwide. ** *Kristen Courtney is an environmental lawyer and a Fellow in Global Journalism at the Munk School for Global Affairs.*

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Complete Communities/Zoning Alignment Project
by DeweyPovoledo, Susanne 08 May '13

08 May '13

Hi all, I'm bringing this to your attention as some of the proposed amendments relate to the interests of pedestrians and cyclists. Please find the link to more detail below. Susanne Dewey Povoledo Planning Property and Development Department From: Ross, Andrew On Behalf Of PPD-Speakup Sent: Wednesday, May 08, 2013 8:43 AM To: DeweyPovoledo, Susanne Subject: Good afternoon OurWinnipeg stakeholder, The City of Winnipeg is making changes to its downtown and city-wide zoning to better reflect the vision of OurWinnipeg and the Complete Communities Direction Strategy and we want to hear from you! This project involves text amendments, or small adjustments, to zoning regulations, rather than a comprehensive review. There will be no zoning map changes. We invite you to provide your thoughts and feedback on the proposed changes in any of the following ways: 1. By attending the following open house, where there will be detailed information, in-person discussion, surveys, and of course, refreshments! Complete Communities /Zoning Alignment Open House Wednesday, May 15, 2013 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. (drop in anytime) Forks Market Atrium -just off Centre Court 2. By visiting www.speakupwinnipeg.com/zoningalignment<http://www.speakupwinnipeg.com/zoningalignment>, where you will see information on the zoning changes that are being considered and will have the opportunity to leave your comments. 3. By emailing us anytime at SpeakUp(a)winnipeg.ca<mailto:SpeakUp@winnipeg.ca> to provide your feedback to us directly. 4. By checking back to www.speakupwinnipeg.com<http://www.speakupwinnipeg.com> after the open house to share your thoughts and to fill out an online survey. 5. By tuning in to SpeakUpWinnipeg's Twitter for reminders and updates. Hope to see you and hear from you! The SpeakUpWinnipeg team

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Local Event: Community Bike Bazaar May 25th
by Anders Swanson 06 May '13

06 May '13

[Hi folks, please see poster, call for volunteers and general event info below. For those of you with little ones, note the opportunity to swap bikes for children who may have outgrown the ones they have! - AS ] [image: Inline images 1] * Volunteer Opportunities* * * * - Refurbish a bike for sale* Every Sunday from 2-4:30 volunteers will be building bikes for the Bazaar at the WRENCH (1057 Logan Ave.). Contact the Bike Cage, Bike Dump and Bike Lab to see how you can get involved with Bazaar building at their shops. * -Poster/ Handbill for the Bazaar* Posters and handbills (in electronic and hard copy) will be available from the WRENCH May 8th We would love volunteers to post them around the Daniel Mac, Spence, West Broadway, Central Park and Downtown neighbourhoods. * - Solicit donations from local business. * If you know of a local restaurant/grocery store that would make in-kind (i.e. free) donations of ready to eat food please contact Pat at programs(a)thewrench.ca Business will receive a charitable tax receipt for donation if invoice provided. Letters asking for in-kind donations of food will be available from the WRENCH May 8th *- Volunteer at the Community Bike Bazaar * Volunteers needed for: Set-up and tear-down Bike sales area Kids Bike Swap corral Community Tune-up stations Rodeo/activities Food services General event support *Contact Robin at **volunteer(a)thewrench.ca* <volunteer(a)thewrench.ca>* to sign up.* -- *Pat Krawec*, Executive Director The Winnipeg Repair Education and Cycling Hub 1057 Logan Ave. Winnipeg, MB R3E 3N8 www.thewrench.ca <http://www.TheWrench.ca/> # 296-3389

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Where 'Share the Road' Is Taken Literally
by Dave Elmore 03 May '13

03 May '13

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/28/automobiles/where-share-the-road-is-taken- literally.html?smid=tw-share <http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/28/automobiles/where-share-the-road-is-taken -literally.html?smid=tw-share&_r=2&> &_r=2& Where 'Share the Road' Is Taken Literally "Woonerf" is what the Dutch call a special kind of street or group of streets that functions as shared public space - for pedestrians, cyclists, children and, in some cases, for slow-moving, cautiously driven cars as well. Roughly translated as "living streets," the woonerf (pronounced VONE-erf) functions without traffic lights, stop signs, lane dividers or even sidewalks. Indeed, the whole point is to encourage human interaction; those who use the space are forced to be aware of others around them, make eye contact and engage in person-to-person interactions. The Dutch term was coined in the 1960s when traditional urban architecture was being rethought, and today the woonerf sign is common, with slight variations, across Europe: a blue rectangle with stick-figure symbols of a ball-playing child and parent, a car, a house. They can even be found in pedestrian shopping zones like the bustling Alexanderplatz in Berlin. In the Netherlands, more than 6,000 woonerf zones burnish these badges of communal spirit where motorized traffic doesn't rule the road. Moreover, after a period in which they fell out of fashion, the woonerfs are making a strong comeback, and not only in the Netherlands. Woonerfs and their derivatives - sometimes called shared spaces, complete streets or home zones - are piquing the interest of urban planners in several countries. The cities and towns that have adopted the model in one form or another span the globe: the artsy Saint-Henri neighborhood in Montreal; narrow, tourist-clogged Commercial Street in Provincetown, Mass.; the Bulgarian spa town of Hisarya; and districts or suburbs of Cologne and Freiburg, Germany, and Auckland and Christchurch, New Zealand. In England and Wales there are more than 70 registered home zones, the British variant of the woonerf; from hundreds of applicants, Manchester, Plymouth, Leeds and Nottingham were chosen to receive government money to establish the zones. In the United States, more than 400 cities either currently have, or soon will develop, "complete streets," which are much more broadly defined than woonerfs, even allowing for the likes of sidewalks and the authoritarian stop sign. Yet, according to the Chicago-based National Complete Streets Coalition, the spirit of the woonerf inspired even the American movement. The key to the woonerf is the primacy of nonmotorized activities. Although cars are allowed in most - but not all - of the zones, they are generally restricted to "walking speed" (in Britain, the limit is higher, at 10 or even 20 m.p.h.) with the onus of responsibility for safety entirely on the driver. Legally, the automobile driver is generally liable for an accident. But there tend to be fewer traffic mishaps when cars, people and bicycles mingle in close proximity; studies have found that accidents dropped by 40 percent or more in Dutch areas converted to woonerfs. "You either love them or you hate them, depending on whether you're a car driver or a parent with kids," said Dirk van den Heuvel, an urban architecture expert in the Dutch city of Delft. "But they're popular places to live here - low density and lots of greenery - and that's why the model is making a comeback," he said.

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Get out for a Jane's Walk this weekend!
by Beth McKechnie 02 May '13

02 May '13

*Check out one of the 18 Jane's Walks happening in Winnipeg this Saturday and Sunday!* Find a complete list of the walks with starting times and meeting locations at: http://janeswalk.net/index.php/walks/canada/winnipeg/ Here's a few samples: - Back by popular demand: blogger and journalist Rob Galston takes walkers on a tour of his beloved neighbourhood in Village Urbanism: Explorations in North Point Douglas<http://janeswalk.net/index.php/walks/canada/winnipeg/village-urbanism-explo…> - Get to know the area around the new Neechi Commons with the building’s architect in The Edge Condition: Main Street between the Disraeli and Neechi Commons<http://janeswalk.net/index.php/walks/canada/winnipeg/edge-condition-main-st…> by Wins Bridgman - A favourite guide every year, Jino Distasio explores Riverview: Beer, Bears and Boxing and Roller Coaster Ride through Time<http://janeswalk.net/index.php/walks/canada/winnipeg/riverview-beer-bears-b…> - Researcher Abigail Auld explores how the Hudson’s Bay company left an indelible mark on our city in WPGxHBC - A Company’s influence on the City<http://janeswalk.net/index.php/walks/canada/winnipeg/wpgxhbc-companys-influ…> - Sandy Gessler examines a forgotten area that played a major role in the 1919 strike in Victoria Park: Invisible Memories and Lost Meaning<http://janeswalk.net/index.php/walks/canada/winnipeg/victoria-park-invisibl…> - In Broadway Modern<http://janeswalk.net/index.php/walks/canada/winnipeg/broadway-modern/>, Susan Algie from the Winnipeg Architecture Foundation celebrates and discusses the abundance of modernist architecture on Broadway Avenue - Find out about The Communities, the Campus & the Re-Generation<http://janeswalk.net/index.php/walks/canada/winnipeg/communities-campus-re-…> with University of Manitoba Campus Planner Michelle Richard and Winnipeg Trails Association/community resident Janice Lukes - Mark Cohoe of Bike Winnipeg makes us ask "What if there was an alternative to riding your bike on McPhillips?" <http://janeswalk.net/index.php/walks/canada/winnipeg/what-if-there-was-alte…> Be sure to also visit our Facebook Event<https://www.facebook.com/events/528987633810342/>page and share with your networks!

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