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.
*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.
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
[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 -
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
---------- 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>
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*
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. *
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