- AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

WFP: Causes of congestion (Sept.29'10)
by Beth McKechnie 29 Sep '10

29 Sep '10

Winnipeg Free Press Letters to the Editor: Have your say *Causes of congestion* Re: *Bragging rights gone* (Letters, Sept. 27). Tim Kwiatkowski's argument that diamond lanes and red-light cameras have caused increased commute times in Winnipeg is completely illogical. There are two real causes of this, in fact. One deals with drivers. There are more cars and trucks on the roadways than ever before (a high proportion of which are driver-only, i.e. without passengers), more impatient drivers who are cutting others off and getting into accidents, and drivers who are (still!) illegally operating a cellphone and adding to the accident rates. The other cause is city planning and outward migration. The uncontrolled and accelerating suburban sprawl (despite a low rate of population growth) without consideration for public transportation makes it next to impossible for people to take the bus, further clogging the roads with more cars and trucks. Kwiatkowski's argument is completely off-base. The reason driving times have increased is because of increased automobile traffic, not because of a few buses or cyclists. Stephen Berg Winnipeg * * * * * *Bragging rights gone* There was a time, not too long ago, when most Winnipeggers could brag about the pleasure of being able to get from any Point A to Point B in less than 20 minutes of driving. Those days are long since gone. Thanks to the advent of diamond lanes and red-light camera intersections, we now have much longer, smoggier and costly commutes to and from work. We can see the bottlenecked effect on our roadways daily. I could see putting up with the costly bumper-to-bumper traffic if the changes implemented were practical and cost-effective. But such is not the case. It doesn't make sense to force all road traffic into three-quarters of available traffic lanes during the busiest periods of the day, just to maintain a free lane for the occasional transit bus, bicycler or pedestrian on roller blades. I thought this is why we had restricted parking during rush hour. Furthermore, would it have been difficult to implement a yield to transit bus law to expedite the bus traffic? And we know that the red-light camera intersections are not influencing an over-all decline in traffic accidents. I feel that reasonable forethought was not given to these issues. I can say that the current administration has not secured my vote in the upcoming civic election. I know my pocketbook is hurting and our bragging rights are gone. Maybe it is time for change? TIM KWIATKOWSKI Winnipeg -- Beth McKechnie Workplace Commuter Options Green Action Centre 204.925.3772 www.greenactioncentre.ca Green Action Centre is a registered charity. Please consider making a donation. *Coming to the EcoCentre?* (3rd floor, 303 Portage at Donald, MEC bldg) Enter via the elevator just inside MEC's front doors Bike racks are located in front of MEC

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WFP Editorial: Not so fast, Mr. Katz (Sept.29'10)
by Beth McKechnie 29 Sep '10

29 Sep '10

Winnipeg Free Press Editorial Not so fast, Mr. Katz Mayor Sam Katz, clearly hearing a backlash from neighbourhoods where streets are being torn up and redesigned for cyclists, tried distancing himself Monday from the city's "active transportation" plan -- an ambitious venture that this year saw 36 projects undertaken around Winnipeg. Not so fast, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Katz said he was never a part of and did not see the plans for the street redesigns. Further, he has concluded not nearly enough consultation happened before shovels went in the ground on the bike lanes, traffic circles and curb bump-outs. Mr. Katz's conclusions on consultation are inescapable -- inviting affected residents to come to a public information session does not substitute for good warning of the street alterations that happened as, or after, local projects went to community committees, where hearings and decisions on ward issues are made. As Mr. Katz concedes, some of the details discussed at initial information sessions varied substantially from the blueprints that rolled out in the neighbourhoods. And postcards or flyers announcing change, but sent to some residents in affected areas, do not constitute sufficient notice to communities. Councillors agree that the process was rushed to qualify the projects for the federal government's stimulus spending program, which ends in March. But Mr. Katz's explanation of how this one got past him is disingenuous -- he is the mayor, he advocated for this active transportation plan, and he voted for the $20 million (and the city's one-third share of it) as part of the capital budget. The plans are available on the city's website, right under his nose. Mr. Katz can sense a rising tide of anger -- and this is election time. On Monday, he said he would have a talk with the chief administrative officer (who has quit and has been replaced with an interim CAO) on halting active transportation projects not yet underway. Within hours, a plan for McDermot Avenue was cancelled. Assiniboine Avenue, which raised the ire of residents and business owners dismayed about the implementation of a one-way control for a block there, is essentially complete and cannot be changed, Mr. Katz said. The 11th-hour turnabout is an ominous message to send on active transportation. The mayor wishes to deflect blame to local councillors, who saw the details, and the administration, which executed the plans. But, as he admitted, the buck stops at his office. That the process saw redesigns pass with little notice to residents is a sign of poor communication. Residents rely on city council -- a body led by the mayor, a man who brags that he gets things done with an often fractious council by consensus -- for information about changing traffic patterns in their neighbourhoods. Mr. Katz cannot claim on one hand to be a master of consensus, a maestro of a disparate group of politicians, and on the other plead ignorance of what has been the city's largest active transportation project ever. And how can a mayor who has claimed credit for the building of more miles of bike trails than any other now back away from accounting for the biggest piece of active transportation rolled out to date? The unfortunate cock-up of what should have been vigorous, early community engagement in a movement to share streets with bicycles has instead pitted motorists and residents -- who lose traffic lanes and parking spaces -- against cyclists trying to find their way to work while staying fit. Mr. Katz has vowed that the next time such construction is contemplated the city will go "beyond above and beyond" what has been considered adequate in consultation. That's admirable. But Mr. Katz on Monday sounded very much like a mayor pulling the rug out from underneath an administration (effectively two civil servants in charge of the $20-million project) that was left to implement a plan written hastily in 36 parts, under the nose of an apparently distracted mayor. Mr. Katz needs to find why the plan's consultation and execution got muddled, and ensure active transportation does not again get bogged down in acrimony. -- Beth McKechnie Workplace Commuter Options Green Action Centre 204.925.3772 www.greenactioncentre.ca Green Action Centre is a registered charity. Please consider making a donation. *Coming to the EcoCentre?* (3rd floor, 303 Portage at Donald, MEC bldg) Enter via the elevator just inside MEC's front doors Bike racks are located in front of MEC

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WFP: Bike-path work overkill: Bureaucrat concedes workload daunting for city, residents (Sept.29'10)
by Beth McKechnie 29 Sep '10

29 Sep '10

Winnipeg Free Press Bike-path work overkill: official Bureaucrat concedes workload daunting for city, residents By: Bartley Kives The official in charge of Winnipeg's $20.4-million active-transportation upgrade that has sparked criticism and controversy says he hopes the city won't attempt such an ambitious bike-and-pedestrian overhaul in a single year ever again. In an interview with the *Free Press*, public works project manager Bill Woroby suggested what Mayor Sam Katz and other senior officials have refused to concede over the past week -- that this year's 36-project upgrade was too ambitious to tackle over the course of one construction season. "Hopefully not," said Woroby when asked whether Winnipeg should ever repeat this year's attempt to add 102 kilometres of cycling routes to the city's existing 274-kilometre network. All three levels of government paid for the project, the largest commuter-cycling upgrade ever attempted in Winnipeg. "It's hard to deliver 30-odd projects in one year. Not only are there 30-odd projects, you're undertaking public consultation at the same time and introducing people to new facilities they're not used to," Woroby said. "This has certainly challenged the delivery. It has not given the public the opportunity to appreciate the facilities we have in place. Once people see the completed project, they will see it as a great addition to the city." Katz and other officials have repeatedly said the tight time frame for the ambitious slate of projects had nothing to do with a public-consultation process both he and mayoral challenger Judy Wasylycia-Leis have described as a failure. Federal infrastructure-funding rules require the projects to be finished before the end of March 2011, which effectively means all but three parts of the upgrade must be finished before the winter, when snowfall makes it impossible to lay concrete. One project, a $1-million bridge in Omand Park, was cancelled and replaced with $100,000 worth of path improvements. A second, the $250,000 Bannatyne-McDermot Bikeway, is in limbo to allow more dialogue with residents and businesses. A third, the Assiniboine Bikeway, is nearing completion despite a lawsuit six Broadway-Assiniboine businesses have launched. There's also opposition to projects along Berry Street, Grosvenor Avenue, Sherbrook Street and Harrow Street. As of Tuesday, 32 out of 34 green-lighted projects were either under construction or nearing completion, said Woroby. Construction on the final two will begin shortly. Woroby dismissed suggestions a round of cuts to the public service last year had any effect on the projects or their public consultation. "We did what was required, with the resources we had in hand," he said. The city employed seven consulting firms to engineer what were originally 36 projects, while two other firms were hired to co-ordinate the upgrade. The city asked private firms to conduct the public consultations last November, but cancelled the search four days before it closed. Former city communications manager Ed Shiller said he felt $125,000 was too much to spend on public relations consultants. He said the city did a good job engaging the public on its own early this year, beginning at Katz's state of the city address in January. "We produced fantastic literature, describing every single one of the projects then under consideration. Then we set up a whole series of public consultations," said Shiller, who left the city at the end of March. After his departure, private consulting firms took over the communications strategy as well as the public-consultation meetings. Woroby said the city responded to the advice it received at all of the meetings. But even active-transportation proponents say the public ignored these events. "I was at 99 per cent of those consultations and the turnout was minimal," said Janice Lukes, executive director of the Winnipeg Trails Association. "No one reads the notices, but when the bulldozers are on the street, then people perk up. It's too bad. I just hope someone has the balls to keep things moving forward." Others want more projects placed on hold. Ellice Cafe and Theatre manager Belinda Squance, for example, plans to meet with public works director Brad Sacher this week to convince the city to shelve the $228,000 Sherbrook/Maryland bike-lane project until parking issues in the West End are addressed. Squance said she supports cyclists but wishes the city actually studied where they go. Other cycling advocates complain the upgrade was a rush job. "A tight timeline for the project and the need to spend federal funds within this timeline no doubt was the issue in regards to actively engaging others," said Downtown BIZ director Stefano Grande. "Active transportation has to be part of the overall infrastructure strategy, not an afterthought (that involves) trying to fit a peg in a hole." Katz's campaign described the ongoing headaches as "growing pains." bartley.kives(a)freepress.mb.ca Cash for cycling routes Spending on active-transportation in Winnipeg over the past five years: 2006: $200,000 2007: $1.75 million 2008: $2.65 million 2009: $4.4 million 2010: $20.4 million (allocated) The 2010 active-transportation plan On Sept. 11, 2009, all three levels of government pledged to spend a combined $20.4 million on 36 active-transportation projects in Winnipeg. The cash was supposed to add 102 kilometres of cycling and walking routes to an existing 274-kilometre network. Here's what the project was supposed to build: New pathways dedicated for cyclists: 28 kilometres, for 15 separate projects. New separated bike lanes on city streets (the Assiniboine Bikeway): Two kilometres. New bike lanes on streets with "sharrows" (the Bannatyne-McDermot Bikeway): Eight kilometres. Other new cycling routes on city streets (18 separate projects): 64 kilometres. New bike-and-pedestrian bridge (Omand Park Bridge): One. Here's where the projects stand right now: Projects completed or nearing completion: Eight. Projects under construction: 24. Projects awaiting construction, with tenders awarded: Two. Projects on hold: One. The city has put the brakes on the $250,000 Bannatyne-McDermot Bikeway. Cancelled projects: One. Wolseley residents rejected plans for the $1-million Omand Park Bridge. It's been replaced by $100,000 worth of path upgrades in the park. *-- Sources: City of Winnipeg* -- Beth McKechnie Workplace Commuter Options Green Action Centre 204.925.3772 www.greenactioncentre.ca Green Action Centre is a registered charity. Please consider making a donation. *Coming to the EcoCentre?* (3rd floor, 303 Portage at Donald, MEC bldg) Enter via the elevator just inside MEC's front doors Bike racks are located in front of MEC

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Downtown Mayoral Forum, Thurs, Oct 7, 5:30-7:30, Manitoba Hydro Place
by Beth McKechnie 28 Sep '10

28 Sep '10

Please find attached a poster for the upcoming Downtown Mayoral Forum taking place Thursday, October 7, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Manitoba Hydro Place atrium (360 Portage Ave). -- Beth McKechnie Workplace Commuter Options Green Action Centre 204.925.3772 www.greenactioncentre.ca Green Action Centre is a registered charity. Please consider making a donation. *Coming to the EcoCentre?* (3rd floor, 303 Portage at Donald, MEC bldg) Enter via the elevator just inside MEC's front doors Bike racks are located in front of MEC

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AT projects become political football
by Beth McKechnie 28 Sep '10

28 Sep '10

Unfortunately, it appears that the new AT infrastructure projects (which must be completed before the snow falls or the funding from the province and feds is lost) are being used as a political football with the upcoming election. An easy mark, perhaps. Please note that the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ is hosting a Mayoral Forum next Thursday, October 7, 5:30-7:30 pm at Manitoba Hydro Place. Richard Cloutier (CJOB) and Dan Lett (Winnipeg Free Press) will lead the candidates in a dynamic discussion about downtown issues, including bike lanes, rapid transit, etc. This should be an excellent opportunity for input and discussion.I will circulate a notice for the forum shortly. cheers, Beth -- Beth McKechnie Workplace Commuter Options Green Action Centre 204.925.3772 www.greenactioncentre.ca Green Action Centre is a registered charity. Please consider making a donation. __________________________________________________________________________ Bike-pedestrian project stalls Katz, Wasylycia-Leis call upgrade a public-consultation failure By: Bartley Kives The City of Winnipeg has put the brakes on another bike-and-pedestrian project as both of Winnipeg's leading mayoral candidates described the city's $20.4-million active-transportation upgrade as a public-consultation failure. On Monday afternoon, incumbent Mayor Sam Katz told reporters he wants to halt construction on the $250,000 Bannatyne-McDermot bikeway, one of 36 active-transportation projects the city planned to conduct this year with the help of federal and provincial infrastructure money. Hours later, the city placed the project on hold, citing the need to conduct more talks with residents and businesses along the route, which runs from Waterfront Drive to Sherbrook Street. "During projects such as this, sometimes dialogue with the community results in improvements to the project through design change," city spokesman Steve West said in a statement. "With regard to the McDermot Bikeway, we have concluded that more dialogue will be beneficial." The move comes as another blow to an active-transportation project all three levels of government have hailed as a long overdue upgrade to the city's network of bike-and-pedestrian corridors. The $20.4 million in spending represents nearly an eight-fold increase over the $2.6 million the city typically spends every year to build recreational and commuter cycling routes as well as other pathways. Several of the projects have angered residents and businesses, who claim the city failed to consult with them properly about the changes. A $1-million bridge planned for Omand Park was struck from the project list this spring. At the end of the summer, six Broadway-Assiniboine businesses sued the city over the $125,000 Assiniboine Bikeway. Work on the Assiniboine Avenue project continues, but the Bannatyne-McDermot project has now been shelved, leading Katz to criticize city staff about the project for the fourth time in six days. "This city does not have to go the extra mile. It has to go the extra 10 miles in consultation," Katz told reporters after a mayoral-candidate forum at the Fort Garry Hotel. "When anything like this happens in the future, you will see consultation above and beyond." Katz told reporters he did not personally vote in favour of the projects, which he said were approved by community committees. In fact, the mayor and 12 out of 15 councillors approved the active-transportation upgrade on Dec. 15, 2009, when council approved the 2010 capital budget. And the project details merely came before community committees as information. Only the capital budget provides authority for the spending. In a scrum with reporters, Katz accepted responsibility. "I am the mayor. No matter where you draw the line, the buck ends up at my table," he said. Mayoral challenger Judy Wasylycia-Leis said Katz should also halt the Assiniboine Bikeway if he's serious about public consultation. "It's a little late in the game, in an election period, saying he's going to halt construction," she told reporters. "He's acknowledging he made a strategic error in planning and consulting." After a round of public-service cuts at the management level in 2009, the city has two senior staffers working on the active-transportation upgrade. Private consultants were also hired to engage in public consultation. Katz has dismissed suggestions meagre resources are not to blame for the city's performance. He also said tight timelines associated with the federal funding for the active-transportation upgrade are to blame. The projects must be finished before the end of March to qualify for federal infrastructure money. All but three must be completed before the snow falls because they involve laying concrete. bartley.kives(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Winnipeg Trails Association FALL UPDATE
by Janice Lukes 24 Sep '10

24 Sep '10

Hi all, The Winnipeg Trails Association (WTA) is a coalition of volunteer trail builders and trail users. For the past 6+ years, the WTA's volunteer chair has been Paul Jordan, who is also COO of The Forks. Paul has been providing brilliant direction, guidance and advice in growing Winnipeg's trails network. For the past 4 years, the WTA has been able to secure funding through multiple organizations and levels of government to hire a coordinator for various trail related projects. This past spring the WTA received a verbal commitment from the Province of Manitoba that project based funding would be forthcoming. As of yet, this funding has not been secured but we are optimistic it will come through to enable the continued development of trailheads, KM marker installations, website, the sharing of information between groups, and broadening the awareness of the benefits of trails - through events and various initiatives. As the WTA coordinator, I have been volunteering my time since April and am focusing on the following initiatives: NORTHEAST PIONEERS GREENWAY - Pedestrian / cyclist's separated bridge or 'flyover' The city is spending $110 M to extend the Chief Peguis freeway from Henderson to Lagimodiere - which passes directly through one of the busiest multi use trails in the Province - the Northeast Pioneers Greenway. I am ecstatic to say, through the very very hard work of volunteers AND the support of Mayor Katz, the city will be building a separate pedestrian / cyclists bridge OVER the freeway. Think of the bridge over the William B. Clement Parkway (formerly known as the Charleswood Parkway). From a larger perspective, and in a short few years - this flyover will be part of a stellar route enabling people to travel safely from south Winnipeg to Birds Hill Provincial Park. THANK YOU to Sigrun Bailey, Louise Balaban, Anders Swanson AND Mayor Katz for helping to move this forward. You can catch a bit more info on this project on CJOB news and in today's Free Press. TRAILHEADS: The trailhead sign design for the trailheads for Harte, Bishop, Cordite and Northeast Pioneers Greenway trails are finalized. The city will include these in their Parkway trailhead sign tender for production this fall. Recall the structures design was finalized and structure installations have occurred on the above trails. This was a complex process to determine the details / requirements for the components of trailheads, but it lays the standards for all future trailheads. We expect Transcona, Bois des Esprit, Yellow Ribbon Pathway and more to be next on the list to complete. SECURING BALANCE of PROVINCIAL FUNDING COMMITMENT: During the 2007 Provincial election, the NDP made a funding commitment of $1.8M to the Winnipeg Trails Association to construct trails in Winnipeg. Of that amount ~ $1.3 has been used to construct the Bishop Grandin West, Harte, Transcona, and Seine River South trails. We are in the process of securing the remaining ~$500,000 of the WTA commitment to use along Pembina Hwy (between Plaza and Chevrier). CITY OF WINNIPEG - ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE (ATAC) As a member of ATAC, I have been attending various meetings and providing input regarding development of the City's AT network. I expect that during the winter, a broad outreach to trail groups and the public will occur to gather additional information for next construction season. Current visible trail and on road construction, news articles, issues, and pending deadlines have all combined to raise a broader public interest - which hopefully engage more people in when the next round of public input occurs. PROVINCIAL ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY GROUP (ATAG) Last September, the Province of Manitoba formed a Provincial Active Transportation Advisory Group with the focus aimed at providing active transportation recommendations to government. For the past year, the group has been consulting Manitobans, organizations, and reviewing best practices throughout the world. I sit on that group as chair. We have completed our recommendations which will be handed off for internal gov't review next week, and are finalizing report production details. We expect the report to be made public once the Legislature sits again in November. IN SUMMARY: There are many other projects that need attention, but from my volunteer capacity I am unable to attend to. The role of WTA coordinator in these current times is a very demanding but very very rewarding. IF anyone is interested in learning more about the WTA coordinator position and would like to volunteer on some super interesting projects, please feel free to contact me. THANK YOU Janice Lukes Winnipeg Trails Coordinator Winnipeg Trails Association 202 - One Forks Market Road Winnipeg, MB R3C 4L9 Cell (204) 952-4222 Fax (204) 943-7915 <mailto:jlukes@shaw.ca> jlukes(a)shaw.ca winnipegtrails.com Member of City of Winnipeg Active Transportation Advisory Committee Chair, Province of Manitoba Active Transportation Advisory Group

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WFP: Assiniboine bikeway to be built before ruling & Pedestrian bridge for Chief Pegus (Sept. 24)
by Beth McKechnie 24 Sep '10

24 Sep '10

*Winnipeg Free Press* Bikeway to be built before ruling Legal delay means project will be complete prior to court decision on it By: Bartley Kives An attempt to put the brakes on the Assiniboine Bikeway probably won't make it to court until construction on the contentious Assiniboine Avenue project is complete. Six businesses located near the Midtown Bridge have been trying to halt the $125,000 bikeway since construction began in late August, complaining that a recent tweak to the plan will cause traffic chaos in downtown's Broadway-Assiniboine neighbourhood. That amendment was made after a city council committee reviewed the plans for the bikeway, which changes the flow of traffic along Assiniboine Avenue to prevent motor vehicles from shortcutting through the neighbourhood. But when the case came before the Court of Queen's Bench on Thursday, the City of Winnipeg filed a motion to have the claim dismissed as baseless -- and also remove the plaintiff's lawyer, Joey Pollock, from the case. That effectively means it will take months before the case makes its way to court. "There will be snow on the ground before this matter will be heard," said Pollock, a partner in the law firm Campbell Marr. "It certainly could be December or later." The city wants to remove Pollock because his Campbell Marr partner Douglas Mackenzie swore an affidavit in the case, in his role as president of 10 Donald St., one of the six businesses suing the city. Campbell Marr is housed inside 10 Donald St. "The city contends no member of the Campbell Marr law firm can represent the businesses because Mr. Pollock's partner Doug Mackenzie has given evidence in this matter dealing with his role as counsel for the businesses about matters at issue in the litigation," city spokesman Steve West said in a statement. The city also wants to dismiss the claim itself because it contends the bikeway amendment did not have to come back before a council committee. The original report was "received as information," which means it did not progress to council itself. "The need to consult occurs when a street is closed, but the city is not closing a street. Assiniboine Avenue had motor-vehicle and bicycle traffic and it will continue to do so," West said. Pollock said he recognizes the city's right to raise procedural issues but considers the city's motion frivolous. Both he and the city's legal counsel are due in court today to set the time frame to hear the city's motion. Although originally planned for 2008, the Assiniboine Bikeway is part of a $20.4-million city-wide bike-and-pedestrian upgrade that includes 34 other projects this year. Several have been the subject of intense criticism from residents, leading politicians such as Mayor Sam Katz and River Heights Coun. John Orlikow to complain about the way the city notified the public. "What pains me the most is that something that you wanted to be embraced by all citizens -- I'm talking about active transportation -- unfortunately turns out to not be the case and I think part of it appears to be with the way the public consultation was done," Katz told reporters Thursday. "I've heard some stories that were extremely disconcerting to me, to be very frank with you." One of the plaintiffs on Assiniboine said he was notified by a notice taped to his door. City active-transportation co-ordinator Kevin Nixon has said the city has held more consultation on the active-transportation upgrade than private developers ever do. Resistance in Wolseley to a bike-and-pedestrian bridge over Omand's Creek led that project to be struck from the plan. But there is no going back on the Assiniboine Bikeway, Katz suggested. "If you were actually to take a walk, which I did this week, you'd see the majority of the work is done," he said. Katz has rejected the suggestion the headaches stem from tight timelines to complete the active-transportation project, which is funded by all three levels of government -- provided all the work is completed before April. -- With files from Mary Agnes Welch bartley.kives(a)freepress.mb.ca *Pedestrian bridge for Chief Peguis Trail* A bike-and-pedestrian bridge has been added to the Chief Peguis Trail extension without increasing the council-approved $110-million project cost, North Kildonan Coun. Jeff Browaty announced Thursday. In July, city council voted to increase the scope of the Chief Peguis public-private partnership to allow the construction of an underpass at Rothesay Avenue, as area residents feared an intersection at Rothesay might endanger pedestrians. At the same meeting, the Winnipeg Trails Association appeared before council to request a pedestrian bridge at the Northeast Pioneers Greenway, which runs parallel to Raleigh Street and Gateway Road. WTA director Janice Lukes said an intersection with the bicycle-commuter route would also be dangerous. DBF2, the construction consortium responsible for the project, came up with a way to add the bridge without increasing costs, Browaty said. "They were able to find a little more value with other aspects of the project," he said. "Everybody appreciated the Northeast Pioneers Greenway is a well-used amenity." Chief Peguis Trail is being extended east from Henderson Highway to Lagimodiere Boulevard. The city hopes to extend it west from Main Street to McPhillips Street in the coming decades as part of an effort to complete an inner ring road. -- Kives -- Beth McKechnie Workplace Commuter Options Green Action Centre 204.925.3772 www.greenactioncentre.ca Green Action Centre is a registered charity. Please consider making a donation. *Coming to the EcoCentre?* (3rd floor, 303 Portage at Donald, MEC bldg) Enter via the elevator just inside MEC's front doors Bike racks are located in front of MEC

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WFP: Inspired to have only good and great days on my bike (Sept.22'10)
by Beth McKechnie 24 Sep '10

24 Sep '10

*Winnipeg Free Press* Inspired to have only good and great days on my bike By: Margo Goodhand I've been inspired by a lot of people these days. Collectively, they are the reason I ride two wheels to work now instead of four. One of them, longtime *Free Press* colleague and cycling enthusiast Jon Thordarson, has been on my mind ever since I dragged the bike out of the basement. He took it up years ago before he started battling cancer, but I think cycling kept him strong through some extraordinarily dark days. When he finally succumbed this spring, his brother and cycling colleagues attended the wake in his honour in their bright yellow cycling jerseys. Jon is famous for scoffing at whiners with a "You're not made of sugar." And he toughed out that five-year fight with cancer like he toughed out a long-distance race with just one lung. He led by example, a life of courage and singular grace, fiercely optimistic, kind, generous. He never proselytized. He always said there were "only good days and great days." Other cyclists have inspired by example. My kids' beloved elementary schoolteacher Andrea Stuart, who has the shape and the vitality to be a rolling advertisement for 'active transport', commuted every day for years. When I marvelled at her commitment, she simply said she loved it. Many of my Wolseley neighbours cycle to work every day, and I always admired them as I clambered, frazzled, into my car. Then I started running into colleagues who were also leading by example: *Free Press* reporter Geoff Kirbyson; page designer Leesa Dahl; publisher Bob Cox; copy editor David Fuller, photographer Wayne Glowacki. The head of U of W's trendy new Global College, Marilou McPhedran, who doesn't even own a car. The smart and sassy U of W prof Shannon Sampert, who is also a pretty impressive "biker chick" on the weekends. My impoverished son (who points out that he "didn't exactly have a choice"), last June took up a 40-minute cycling commute to his new workplace and is now in the best shape of his life. None of them proselytized. None of them told me cycling to work would give me more energy, more strength, less stress, and make each day a little more fun. I'm not nearly so subtle. I tell anybody who laughs at my bike-helmeted head that this is a no-brainer. It takes an extra 15 minutes to get to work by bike -- in total, a 30-minute ride. But that extra 15 minutes on my morning commute works out to an hour of exercise and fresh air every day. An hour I didn't have to pay to go to a gym, or work out in my basement, or try to tack something on to an already long day. I can get even more sanctimonious. I am saving city roads, lessening traffic noise and pollution, not using up non-renewable resources such as oil or gas. Laugh at my helmet hair if you wish, but I am following in the panniered path of a lot of smart, interesting, healthy people. It might be catching on. Comment editor Gerald Flood was checking out my bike the other day. Some colleagues have asked about my route. Two very dear friends tried out the new Bishop Grandin 'active transportation' trail last weekend, and both said they were trying to map out safe and not-too-scary cycling routes to their jobs. I've vowed to stay on my bike as long as my other inspiration, buddy Diane Skogstad -- who last year commuted to the end of October, and was back in the saddle by April. I feel younger, stronger and more alive on a bike. I like to think that's how Jon felt, too. On windy days, I tell myself I'm just getting a better workout. On rainy days, I say I'm not made of sugar. And on bad days? There are no bad days. Only good days and great. margo.goodhand(a)freepress.mb.ca -- Beth McKechnie Workplace Commuter Options Green Action Centre 204.925.3772 www.greenactioncentre.ca Green Action Centre is a registered charity. Please consider making a donation. *Coming to the EcoCentre?* (3rd floor, 303 Portage at Donald, MEC bldg) Enter via the elevator just inside MEC's front doors Bike racks are located in front of MEC

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Car Free Day - Wednesday, 12-5
by Stephanie Fulford 22 Sep '10

22 Sep '10

Greetings, If you're downtown this Wednesday afternoon, come by Albert St in the Exchange District for some Car Free Day celebrations. Activities start at noon, and run until 5pm. Come play some street hockey, take part in the track stand competition and car free trivia contest or play a game of chess on the giant on-the-street chess board. Visitors will also be invited to check out our mini 'park' space, a parking spot converted to greenspace for the day by Urban Eatin Gardeners Coop. Car Free Day is rain or shine - and if it rains, we'll be giving away a limited supply of umbrellas! Hope to see you there! For full details and a schedule of events, check out www.greenactioncentre.ca -- *Stephanie Fulford* Green Action Centre 204.925.3774 www.greenactioncentre.ca Green Action Centre is a non-profit organization. Please consider making a donation.

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Commuter cycling skills class - Oct 3, St. John's Leisure Centre
by Beth McKechnie 21 Sep '10

21 Sep '10

Looking to increase your skills and comfort level commuter cycling in traffic? Sign up for the following class in the Leisure Guide: St. John’s Leisure Centre: 601 Aikins St. 382905 Sun Oct 3 Noon–4:00pm For more details, see page 20: http://www.winnipeg.ca/cms/Leisure/pdfs/active_living.pdf

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