Bicycle co-op program inspired after agent of change attempts to launch one
for Mission Possibilities
By Johnna Ruocco <http://www.portagedailygraphic.com/author/johnna-ruocco>,
The Graphic
Thursday, November 27, 2014
http://www.portagedailygraphic.com/2014/11/27/bicycle-co-op-program-inspire…
A new active transportation program may be seen soon in Portage la Prairie
— and all because of an unsuccessful attempt at launching one for Mission
Possibilities.
Guy Moffat was thrilled about the opportunity to be an agent of change in
the Portage la Prairie and District Chamber of Commerce and PCRC initiative
Mission Possibilities, which saw nine members of the community receive $100
with 30 days to make a positive change in the community.
It wasn’t until the chamber and PCRC gave him all the details that he began
to get nervous.
“Because of my personality, I want to make a really big change, and how can
I get that accomplished with $100. So it was just running through all the
endless ideas out there and trying to narrow it down that was a little
nervewracking at the beginning,” Moffat said.
His first thought was an idea he’s had for awhile through the active
transportation committee.
“The idea is to have a co-operative bicycle program where we have bicycles
that are free for use that are left in the community in public areas,” he
said. “If someone needs to borrow a bicycle they can borrow it and we just
ask that they return it to a public area so someone else will be able to
use it.”
Moffat tried to think of ways he could use $100 to launch the program and
spoke with Fire Chief Phil Carpenter to see is there were any bicycles in
need of a lot of repairs that wouldn’t make it to the Portage Firefighters’
annual bike auction.
“Fortunately for him, unfortunately for me, there was nothing in there that
fit that criteria,” Moffat said.
As time trickled away Moffat put out a call on social media looking to see
if anyone had a bicycle sitting in their garage they didn’t want anymore.
“However, time was crunching down and the idea was to have the program
completed within the 30 days, so I would not have enough time to collect
all the bicycles, do whatever repairs need to be done, get them branded and
get the program together and get it launched,” he said.
“Then I was very stuck and after a little bit more reflection, I had the
idea to offer to match dollar for dollar any donation that someone in my
community wanted to make to either active transportation or to the Portage
parks committee.”
He arranged through the City of Portage la Prairie to provide tax receipts
for donations of $20 or more to the two committees and then he offered up
the donation match to two of his communities: RBC and the Rotary Club.
“Ultimately my goal at that point was to turn $100 into $200 and instead I
turned the $100 into $225 because people ended up donating more,” Moffat
said.
And while he thought he had hit a dead end with the bicycle program, a
couple of people caught wind of his original idea and have come forward and
donated bicycles to him.
“On top of the $225 (donation) that I was able to make to those committees,
at the present time I have four bicycles donated already, I have a place to
store them, I’ve started talking to public art... to get students to paint
the bikes so that they’re very noticeable,” Moffat said.
There is also a tentative donation for $100 for the program to put signage
on the bikes in the middle frame, which would outline the program.
“Because of the agent of change program that the PCRC and the chamber ran,
not only was I able to do the original program and get the donation made,
there’s also the spinoff of this other program that will be launching in
the spring.”
It was an honour to have been chosen to participate in Mission
Possibilities, Moffat said, and it gave him a lot of pride to participate
in the pilot.
“I really, really hope this continues to live on. I was extremely impressed
at all of the works all of the agents of change did and what the PCRC and
the chamber were able to accomplish with $1,000 injected into the
community. You can’t buy much for $1,000 nowadays, and I believe the return
on that investment was massive.”
johnna.ruocco(a)sunmedia.ca
Green Action Centre and Bike Winnipeg invite you to join us for a local
viewing of the following APBP and Green Lane Project webinar on "Rapid
Implementation and Pilot Projects" for protected bike lanes (cycle tracks).
The webinar viewing takes place in the EcoCentre
<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/>
boardroom
(3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave) and will be followed by group discussion of
local applications.
RSVPs appreciated but not necessary. Hope to see you then!
cheers,
Beth
* * * * *
Rapid Implementation and Pilot Projects (Protected Bike Lanes)
*Wednesday, December 3rd, 2:00-3:00 p.m., EcoCentre Boardroom*
*Key takeaways*:
• Identify key factors for success in rapid implementation
• Recognize when a pilot project is the right tool for rapid
implementation
• Describe best practices for effective pilot projects
*Description*:
The concept of rapid implementation upends the usual order of the planning
process—design, engage, execute—to put projects on the ground quickly, then
refine design based on public input and actual usage. In this webinar,
presenters from Austin and Memphis discuss key factors for success and the
role of pilot projects in rapid implementation of protected bike lanes.
In this session, learn how the cities of Austin and Memphis have evolved a
replicable process for getting projects on the ground quickly. Specific
factors conducive to rapid implementation of new facilities are considered,
including capacity, resources, process and public outreach. Pilot projects
are a tool for rapid implementation, and communities have learned some
sharp lessons about what works—and what doesn’t. Hear about the evolution
of pilot projects in Memphis, including considerations for planning and
implementation to maximize community acceptance.
Read about pilot projects here: ‘Ready, fire, aim’: How to make a great
protected bike lane pilot project
<http://www.peopleforbikes.org/blog/entry/ready-fire-aim-how-to-make-a-great…>
*Presenters*:
Annick Beaudet, Capital Planning Consultant, City of Austin
Kyle Wagenschutz, Bikeway/Pedestrian Coordinator, Memphis Urban Area MPO
The war on carsOklahoma City shows people, autos can live together
By: Steve Lafleur
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/the-war-on-cars-283455161…
There are two types of people in Canadian cities: people who hate cars, and
people who hate cyclists. Or so the perception goes. While it is true many
cities have seen bitter electoral feuds over bike lanes and urban sprawl,
they are driven more by perception than reality. Drivers, pedestrians and
cyclists can co-exist, and making life easier for the latter two groups
doesn't have to come at the expense of the former. Canadian cities have
much to learn from an unlikely place: Oklahoma City, Okla., -- also known
as the City That Lost a Million Pounds.
Many drivers think of cycling as a hobby for under-employed hipsters.
Cyclists often think of drivers as people who are too lazy to get out of
their cars. Pedestrians are often ignored. Despite these rigid identities,
humans are multi-modal creatures. Everyone is a pedestrian sometimes, and
most people also drive, cycle or use public transportation.
While drivers often think of non-drivers as an opposing group, they are
generally people at different stages of their days or lives. Urban cyclists
often go on to become suburban drivers. Suburban drivers often go on to be
urban transit users. These identities are fluid, shaped by urban design,
personal circumstances and preferences -- which often evolve.
Oklahoma City shows how these preferences can be tweaked. It would be tough
to come up with a more stereotypical car city than OKC. Most of the city's
growth occurred after the age of mass automobile ownership, so they haven't
got the type of large, dense urban core that most large cities have. As the
city boomed, built entirely around auto commuting, they skimped on active
transportation infrastructure such as sidewalks. That choice came back to
haunt the city.
When Mick Cornett became mayor of Oklahoma City in 2004, the city was
accustomed to appearing on the type of lists that cities want to be on. The
city was one of the most affordable and most prosperous. But then the city
appeared on a less flattering list: America's fattest cities.
Being a heavy-set man himself, Cornett decided to use his own personal
struggle to help mobilize his community into healthier lifestyle choices.
On New Year's Eve 2007, Cornett challenged the city's residents to lose a
collective one million pounds -- which they did by 2012, with some help
from the 42 pounds shed by the mayor. That year, Oklahoma City was named
the 23rd healthiest community in American by Men's Fitness magazine.
Part of the success was no doubt driven by the inspiration of Cornett's
personal story. The mayor was making the rounds of national talk shows,
extolling the virtues of healthy living. But part was due to the fact the
city raised $777 million to create infrastructure to give people
alternatives to driving to each and every destination.
Some of the expenditures were of questionable value. The city is currently
building a $129 million streetcar line, despite the growing consensus
streetcars do little to improve urban mobility. They also allocated $252
million to a convention centre, which is tertiary at best to fostering
walkability.
Some of the expenditures were more obviously beneficial. The city is
building a 70-acre park downtown to give residents some valuable green
space in the urban core. More importantly, the city added 600 kilometres of
new sidewalks. While that doesn't mean that people have necessarily started
commuting from the suburbs by foot, it does make it easier to walk rather
than drive to the convenience store, or to just leisurely stroll around the
block without fear of being hit by a car. The city also added 160 km of
jogging and biking trails, and has invested in fitness facilities ranging
from kayaking to school gyms.
Perhaps the most important lesson from Oklahoma City is that providing more
active transportation options does not require a war on cars. The
initiative was spearheaded by a suburban Republican mayor, and heavily
supported by the business community. It wasn't framed as us versus them.
As we've seen in Toronto, for example, an adversarial relationship between
drivers and cyclists can eliminate the desire for mutual accommodation.
Allowing the discussion over bike lanes and improved pedestrian
infrastructure to be dominated by emotion can cloud decision making.
The question shouldn't be whether to, but how to build bike lanes and
improve walkability. Recognizing drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians aren't
opposing factions is an important starting point. We all need to share the
streets, whether on two wheels or four.
*Steve Lafleur is the assistant research director for the Frontier Centre
for Public Policy.*
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 21, 2014 A13
Wave goodbye to the two-car family
Phil LeBeau <http://www.cnbc.com/id/15838076> | @Lebeaucarnews
<http://twitter.com/Lebeaucarnews>
Tuesday, 18 Nov 2014
Imagine the typical American family.
Odds are your vision includes a home with two kids, as well as two or more
cars.
But according to a new study by KPMG, that image is becoming a less common
reality. As a growing number of consumers participate in car sharing, wait
longer to buy their first vehicle and move to the suburbs, KPMG predicts
that in about 25 years, fewer than half of U.S. households will own more
than one vehicle.
Read whole article: http://www.cnbc.com/id/102193080
http://www.citylab.com/commute/2014/11/how-the-danish-cooperated-to-build-a…
Would like to see a similar thing done in Manitoba to provide bike connectivity throughout the Capital Region.
David Patman, P. Eng.
Transit Planner
Winnipeg Transit | Service Development Division
421 Osborne Street | Winnipeg, Manitoba R3L 2A2
P: 204-986-5737 | dpatman(a)winnipeg.ca<mailto:dpatman@winnipeg.ca>
Hi,
Want to come see some exciting new research into children's mobility
happening right here in Winnipeg?
As part of their 4th year transportation engineering training, in a course
led by Dr. Jeannette Montufar in partnership with Green Action Centre
<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> and the City of Winnipeg
<http://winnipeg.ca/publicworks/MajorProjects/ActiveTransportation/>, 68
local civil engineering students are assessing 17 local schools across 3
school divisions, looking for ways to make it easier, safer and more
convenient to bike, walk or roll to school.
The Engineering students have had a semester to research, study, consult
and analyze - and they are ready to share some of their findings. The
project is also serving as a demonstration of the value our just-released
CounterPoint <http://counterpointapp.org/> traffic counting app and,
excitingly, a testing hotbed for our second software tool - this one
designed to revolutionize origin destination analysis (using Hands Up
attendance time "How did you Get Here?" surveys and, ultimately, enlisting
the help of kids everywhere).
*Come see for yourself. *
*Where: *
University of Manitoba Engineering Building Atrium
See map.
<https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Engineering+Atrium/@49.8081537,-97.1332878…>
*Dates/Times(Drop-In): *
Monday, Nov. 24, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Winnipeg School Division (Group 13 – 17)
Wednesday, Nov. 26, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Louis Riel School Division (Group 8 –
12)
Thursday, Nov. 27, 10:00 to 11:15 a.m. Pembina Trails School Division (Group
1 – 7)
Kindly,
Anders Swanson
on behalf of the project team
PLEASE SHARE WIDELY, THANKS!
*Green Action Centre seeks Workplace Commuter Options Coordinator*
Green Action Centre is looking for an independent, energetic, flexible and
organized individual to fill a position within our Workplace Commuter
Options team. Working collaboratively with other Workplace Commuter Options
and Green Action Centre staff, the Program Coordinator assists with the
delivery of the WCO program, engaging with businesses, employees and
community organizations to make active and green transportation options
both appealing and within reach.
Apply by Sunday, November 30th.
Find full job posting here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/about/jobs/>.
Green Action Centre and Bike Winnipeg invite you to join us for a local
viewing of the following APBP webinar: E-bikes, Electric Assist Bikes and
Transportation Policy.
The webinar viewing takes place in the EcoCentre
<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/>
boardroom
(3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave) and will be followed by group discussion of
local applications.
RSVPs appreciated but not necessary. Hope to see you then!
cheers,
Beth
* * * * *
E-bikes, Electric Assist bikes and Transportation Policy
*Wednesday, November 19th, 2:00-3:00 p.m., EcoCentre Boardroom*
*Key takeaways*
• Develop an understanding of types and definitions of e-bikes, including
U.S. federal guidance and regulation
• Understand the range and variation of existing North American
regulations, and the ramifications for adoption and use of e-bikes
• Explore Boulder’s Electric Bike Pilot Project, including models for
testing and evaluation
*Description*
As electric assist bikes become more prevalent, cities must figure out how
to integrate these devices into existing transportation networks. This
webinar will help you to understand the spectrum of options and get the
grounding you need to introduce this topic to your community’s stakeholders.
John MacArthur, the Sustainable Transportation Program Manager for TREC at
Portland State University, explains the definition and classifications of
electric assist bikes, discusses the speed differential of these devices,
and provides a review of current North American regulations. Marni Ratzel,
Senior Transportation Manager at the City of Boulder, presents the
background and results of Boulder’s Electric Bike Pilot Project, which has
temporarily allowed the use of e-bikes on paved multiuse paths. The project
provides an outstanding model for testing e-bike use, integrating public
concerns into regulations, and evaluating results.
*Presenters*
*John MacArthur* is the Sustainable Transportation Program Manager for the
Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) at Portland State
University. He is active in research related to sustainable
transportation, particularly in the areas of transportation
electrification, climate adaptation, and the relationship between
transportation and public health. John is focused on exploring how
technology can get more people biking and biking more often in more safe
ways. Before joining the OTREC staff, he was the Sustainable Transportation
Coordinator for HDR Inc. and worked on Oregon's OTIA III State Bridge
Delivery Program, replacing or retrofitting over 200 state bridges. He has
worked for 18 years in the environmental and sustainability field. He
earned a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Lehigh University and a M.S. in
Environmental Health Sciences from the University of Michigan, School of
Public Health.
*Marni Ratzel* is a senior transportation planner with the City of Boulder,
Colorado. Her primary responsibilities are focused on bicycle and
pedestrian transportation planning, utilizing a comprehensive approach
comprised of the Five Es, which she will briefly discuss in her
presentation today, to increase biking and walking trips in Boulder. A
regular bus and bicycle commuter, Marni encourages others to integrate
bicycling and walking into their daily routine as fun, viable and efficient
transportation modes. She received her master's degree in City and Regional
Planning from Rutgers University in 1994 and has served city government as
a planner in the transportation field for over 19 years.
Hi AT-Network,
If there was one thing that was repeated often at Walk21 Sydney, it was the
importance of density and transit to promote walking as mode of
transportation. In that spirit, I wanted to make sure you got an invitation
to this very interesting event being put on the the BIZ on Monday. There is
are in-depth discussions and presentation during the day and a public event
in the evening.
See below.
Anders
We hope you and/or your colleagues would consider joining us! * See the
attached invitation for the roundtable event. Please also see attached
invitation for the evening public forum.*
Special thanks to our sponsors:
Delta
BOMA
Jairo Viafara
Special thanks to our planning partners:
The City of Winnipeg
Winnipeg Transit
Economic Development Winnipeg
Exchange District BIZ
Dillon Consulting
Green Action Center
*TOD SUMMIT AGENDA, NOVEMBER 17th*
9-10AM
Mayor Gives Greetings (Mr. Brian Bowman)
Introduction to TOD (BIZ Representatives & other speakers)
10:30AM-12PM
Break off to 3 discussion groups
12-1PM
Lunch break
1-3PM
Discussion groups continue, followed by a summary and question period
3-4PM
Drinks with TOD
6-8PM
Public and Downtown BIZ Member Forum
· Three international speakers are showcased followed by a panel
discussion
· Key points from afternoon session are brought forward
Best regards,
Stephanie Voyce
Manager: Placemaking, Cleanliness & Transportation
Downtown Winnipeg BIZ
204-958-4621 office
204-958-4630 fax