Selkirk-Winnipeg bus line saved
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/selkirk-winnipeg-bus-line-saved-3…
The Walt Morris Group of Companies is picking up the route Beaver Bus lines
dropped with commuter service between Selkirk and Winnipeg.
The announcement Friday of a partnership between Exclusive Bus Lines and
Selkirk Transit was released was made on Twitter.
The news came as welcome relief to Selkirk.
"People will be excited about that. There’s no other way of getting to
Winnipeg from Selkirk unless you have a car," Selkirk resident Ian
Kathwaroon said.
The owner of the Walt Morris Group of Companies, which includes Exclusive
Bus Lines, said he’s delighted to have struck a partnership with Selkirk
Transit to keep the service going.
"We are very excited, and we’re looking forward to this new endeavour,"
Walt Morris said in a phone interview.
The partnership will dovetail the existing transit service in Selkirk with
the new commuter service to Winnipeg, Morris said.
"Two heads are better than one and it really helps to streamline the public
transit with the commuter service, to make it easier for the ridership,"
Morris said.
The commuter service is due to start at the beginning of July, Morris said,
adding he expected there would be no interruption in service.
"The schedule will come out very shortly," Morris said.
Beaver Bus Lines announced a couple of months ago it was the end of the
line for its commuter service as of July 1. It runs a week-day service
Monday to Friday between Winnipeg and Selkirk.
The biggest difference between the old service and the new one are the
departure locations.
Riders currently catch the Beaver bus from at the Selkirk Bus Depot on Main
Street. And in Winnipeg, commuters depart from the Balmoral Street and
Ellice Avenue bus stop.
Exclusive Bus Lines will operate an express from Selkirk to St. Andrews
which will go on directly to the downtown campus of the University of
Winnipeg on Portage Avenue.
The Walt Morris Group of Companies is a transit and auto conglomerate in
Winnipeg. It includes Winnipeg Dodge, Winnipeg Collision and Auto Glass,
Winnipeg Auto-Spa, Winnipeg Rent-A-Car, Walt Morris Auto, Walt Morris
Powersports, Red River Co-op Speedway and Exclusive Bus Lines.
Mayors approve of opening Portage & Main to pedestrians
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/mayors-approve-of-opening-portage--m…
Mayor Brian Bowman has found some strong support from visiting mayors to
the controversial proposal to re-open Portage and Main to pedestrians.
Bowman told reporters Friday that he hopes the intersection can be opened
by next summer, in advance of the Canada Summer Games which are being held
in Winnipeg.
Bowman took some of the visiting mayors on a walk Thursday night through
the East and West exchange districts, city hall and around Portage and Main.
"Some were just shocked that you couldn’t walk across Portage and Main,"
Bowman said. "There was unanimity from all who were walking with us that
it’s just ridiculous in this day and age, when you have so much positive
growth going on around that intersection, not to open it to pedestrians."
Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi took a tour of Winnipeg’s downtown on Wednesday
and described the concrete barriers at Portage and Main as the most hostile
pedestrian environment he had ever seen.
Edmonton mayor Don Iveson said the barriers are counter-productive to what
the city’s objectives should be.
"It’s not a great pedestrian experience," Iveson told reporters Friday.
"When you’re trying to create a downtown that’s vibrant and has a great
street life to it, your major intersections have to be a hub of pedestrian
activity – not a zone to be avoided."
Bowman said he is continuing discussions with property owners at the
intersection and expects to get unanimous agreement to remove the barriers.
"We’re having good discussions with the property owners," Bowman said. "It
would be wonderful the next time we have so many people here for such a
huge event, it would be great for them to be able to cross."
aldo.santin(a)freepress.mb.ca
A group in Portage la Prairie is starting a new Community Bicycle Repair
Shop. Based on The WRENCH's model of recovering parts and donations,
people will learn to fix their bikes. Slated to open end of June 2016 with
grand opening in summer/fall 2016.
*Some recent news coverage can be found here:*
1) http://www.portageonline.com/local/49390-bike-shop
2)
http://www.communitynewscommons.org/our-city/health-safety/new-community-bi…
*Media release found below:*
Portage AT Committee Announces new Community Bicycle Shop Project
*Portage la Prairie MB – May 30, 2016* – Portage la Prairie cyclists of all
ages will soon have a place to fix their own bicycles at a newly
established Community Bicycle Repair Shop.
The Community Bicycle Repair Shop is a partnership between the Portage
Active Transportation Committee and the Canadian Mental Health Association
(CMHA) – Central Region. The shop will provide access to repair space,
bicycle repair tools, bicycle parts, and educational programming. Tools
are being donated and purchased now for an end of June 2016 opening. Use
of tools will be on a donation basis with everyone welcome to use the tools
and space. All donations will support the not-for-profit charitable
project.
“The Community Bicycle Repair Shop project is a profound community building
idea,” said Jordan Friesen, Executive Director of CMHA-Central Region.
“This project will help enhance people’s lives, and it fits well with
CMHA’s mental health initiatives of supporting people who are marginalized,
at-risk, or vulnerable.”
“This project is truly for everyone,” said Ian Wassink, Project Steering
Committee Chair for the Community Bicycle Repair Shop and Portage AT
Committee member. “Portagers – from kids to seniors - will have access to
specialized bicycle tools, bike stands, parts, oil and grease, and
educational programming. We are going to bring in bike experts to lead
repair workshops, and have Open Shop hours for drop-in repair time.
Volunteers can also help maintain the shop during Volunteer Shop.”
In recent years, the number of bicycles and Active Transportation
initiatives have risen in Portage la Prairie. In addition to pathways, the
Portage Fire Fighters Annual Bike Auction, and the annual Bike Week events
each June, Portage will now have a volunteer-based bike repair shop.
The timeline for the shop includes organization and initial tool purchase
in June 2016 with a soft opening end of June. Educational programming will
hopefully roll out in the summer and into the fall. The use of space is
being donated by CMHA-Central Region at a new garage built near the Tupper
St. Bridge/Overpass. A grand opening will occur in the summer or fall of
2016.
The Portage AT Committee is looking for anyone who knows anything about
bicycle repair or tools to come forward and assist. Donations of tools,
bicycles, bike parts, skills, money, and volunteer time are welcome.
People are encouraged to join the project steering committee to help guide
the initial set-up and operation of the shop.
To assist further, please contact Ian Wassink at ianwassink(a)gmail.com
For media inquiries and interview opportunities, please contact:
Ian Wassink
Project Steering Committee Chair
Portage Active Transportation Committee member
Community Bicycle Repair Shop
204-249-0088
ianwassink(a)gmail.com
Active transportation may not be rolled into Winnipeg's budget process
*By:* Braeden Jones <http://www.metronews.ca/authors.jones_braeden.html>
Metro Published on Thu Jun 02 2016
http://www.metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/2016/06/01/winnipeg-council-may-separ…
The idea of not having enough time to debate active transportation during
budget deliberations really grinds the gears of some city councillors.
At Tuesday’s public works committee meeting, Coun. Devi Sharma told her
peers that “there isn’t adequate time” to really get into cycling and
walking plans amidst other budget issues.
“On the floor of council (there’s) obviously not a lot of time to talk
about anything,” Sharma said. “I don’t agree with that.”
For 2016, the plan was passed several months after the budget was approved,
but for 2017 it’s slated to be debated along with road spending and the
rest of council’s priorities during budget deliberations.
Councillors recently passed a $6-million pedestrian and cycling action plan
unanimously—green-lighting the construction of paths, sidewalks and bike
lanes that will be part of a $334 million active transportation roll-out
over the next 20 years.
At that time, Coun. Matt Allard expressed the same concerns as Sharma,
saying rolling it into the budget process could potentially see it buried.
Sharma said in her six years on council “there has never been adequate
time” to get into nuance while balancing large spending priorities, so she
doesn’t “think big changes are going to be on the horizon” and wants active
transportation kept separate from the rest.
Committee chairperson Coun. Janice Lukes sympathized, and said giving
active transportation spending plans time at a separate meeting might be
best.
“Currently (for 2017) it’s tied to the budget process, what we might do is
take it out of that process and make it still in the public works
committee, which probably is a good idea,” she said. “In a regular
committee meeting we can have more flexibility to make adjustments to the
report and to work with the departments, whereas in the budget it’s usually
all or nothing.”
She said because active transportation is “literally in your front yard,
you want it to go smoothly.”
*2016 Active transportation spending*
- $1.3 million for walkways and bike paths
- $1 million for regional sidewalks
- $1.5 million for bicycle corridors
Hi At-Network,
Are you excited for International Trails Day on Saturday? We are! This year
the theme is "Snapshot". Inspired perhaps by the Census, we want to get a
picture of what's going on our growing and busy trail network. Other fun
stuff too. Details below. The latest updates are on our website here.
<http://www.winnipegtrails.ca/international-trails-day-2016-saturday-june-4t…>
//////
INTERNATIONAL TRAILS DAY 2016 – Saturday June 4th
Every year, we celebrate International Trails Day to recognize the
important contribution that trails make to the fabric of communities around
the world.
This year, our local International Trails Day theme is “Snapshot” and it is
all about documentation.
Our goal to take this day to document and measure our trail system. Trail
usage is skyrocketing and interest is growing. We want to prove it and show
it. We want to know how it is being used and be able to share all the
wonderful things that you can do while you are out there – all year round.
Want to help? There are all kinds of ways in which you can participate:
1. Get Out There and Have Fun
These simplest way to participate is to go outside!!! Just be one of
the hundreds of thousands of Winnipeggers that use our trail network.
That’s good enough for us. [image: :)] Go outside on June 4th. Enjoying a
trail system that is growing every day is important. Go alone or call
someone up and go outside and explore together.
2. Be a Star? Help us Make a Movie with Winnipeg’s Best Trails Vistas!
CASTING CALL: Couples who like to ride bikes. We will be out on Saturday
afternoon, teaming up with videographers to document footage of trails that
are in use all around the city. We can use it in all kinds of ways If
you’re lucky, you may appear in a (very very brief, but still) scene in a
short video being shot for our partners at Bike Week Winnipeg!!
If you are interested in appearing and available in the afternoon, please
email info(a)winnipegtrails.ca with “Bike Couple” as the subject line. Tell
us about a nice scenic/busy spot near you where you might like to
film. We’ll try and arrange to meet you there. We want all ages and
demographics. The more the better. Let us know and we will do our best to
include you!
3. Capture Some Animals?…with a camera, of course. Save Our Seine has
organized a sweet Nature Photo Hunt. Camera buffs are requested to group up
and test their skills (and luck) to show us all the creatures that can be
find in the wild places that trails let us access – even right here in the
city! See all the details here.
<https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/save-our-seine-nature-photo-hunt-tickets-253666…>
4. Spend an hour on your phone and watch others move? Help us count trail
traffic.
Bring your phone and let’s do some citizen science, shall we? Volunteers
and staff with iPhones will be outside on June 4th for the first of a whole
series of traffic counting exercises meant to get some facts on what we see
as crazy numbers of people on trails. We’ll be counting everything from
little ones on a scooter to groups of middle-aged weekend warriors on their
way to Bird’s Hill on their bikes. We’ll be using Green Action Centre’s
made-in-Manitoba app, CounterPoint. To participate, all you have to do is
download the app atCounterPointApp.org. <http://counterpointapp.org/> Once
you are ready, join one of many counterpoints around the city or set up one
of your own on a trail near you. Count what goes by, share your results. We
recommend anything from a 15 minute to a 2 hour count between 1pm and 3pm.
5. Come for a Run with the FCM
June 4th is also National Health and Fitness Day <http://nhfd.ca/> and it
just so happens that councillors from around Canada are in Winnipeg for a
big conference. We are partnering with NHFD to promote this event. You are
welcome to join us bright and early and come for a run/walk/job/bike along
a route that features some of downtown Winnipeg’s best trails and views. See
the details here
<http://www.winnipegtrails.ca/wp-content/uploads/FCMRunWalkFlyer2016.pdf>.
6. Transcona Trails Photo Contest
Starting on June 4th, Transcona Trails is accepting submissions of cool
photos for a new contest. See all the details here.
<https://www.facebook.com/201005480033430/photos/a.811610448972927.107374183…>7.
New Trans Canada Trail Trailheads Unveiling 10am and Noon
Join us at 10:00am in King’s Park and and at 12:00noon in St.Norbert at the
Farmer’s market to cut some ribbons on the latest amenities to be added to
the Trans Canada Trail. See details here.
<http://janicelukes.ca/blog/celebrate-international-trails-day-on-saturday-j…>
8. Find gems – share gems with our new app. For the last 14 months we have
been testing and refining a scavenger hunt-style Winnipeg Trails app
<http://www.winnipegtrails.ca/app/> and we think it’s pretty cool. We have
added a bunch of new gems and are looking for more! If you are already
familiar with the app, we challenge you to suggest new gems. We know there
are hundreds more out there that deserve to be shared. Tell us where they
are! The world needs to know!
9. Beefs and Bouquets? How is our trail network doing? What do you see out
there? What’s awful? What’s great? What can we do better? Join a
conversation. Tag us @winnipegtrails on Twitter or post to our page on
Facebook with pics or comments on the quality of our trails network. Be
gushing, be grumpy. Up to you. We want to hear it. Remember that if you see
something dangerous or that you want to see fixed, it’s always a good idea
to let 311 or your councillor know, depending on what kind of issue it is.
If you love something, it is important to share that too!
<http://winnipegtrails.ca/add-a-hidden-gem>
*10. Spread the word about the event. *Some of the above relies on
crowdsourcing, so you can help right now just by sharing the event. Pick
your poison. Here is a good one to retweet on Twitter.
<https://twitter.com/WinnipegTrails/status/738131198090706944> Or try
sharing this one on Facebook
<https://www.facebook.com/WinnipegTrails/posts/1005978292819050>.
We've got even more in store... Check back for more activities planned by
Winnipeg Trails and its partners in the lead up to the event.