- AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

New IOM Report Affirms Local Governments Role in Creating HealthyEnvironments
by Beth McKechnie 03 Sep '09

03 Sep '09

IOM report short----- Original Message ----- From: Mike Tutthill Sent: Thursday, September 03, 2009 1:37 PM Subject: New IOM Report Affirms Local Governments Role in Creating HealthyEnvironments Prevention Institute Alert September 3, 2009 Visit us online! Spread the word! Forward this to a friend and encourage them to sign up Update your contact information We invite your feedback: Prevent(a)PreventionInstitute.org PREVENTION INSTITUTE 221 Oak Street Oakland, CA 94607 Tel: 510.444.7738 MailScanner has detected a possible fraud attempt from "ent.groundspring.org" claiming to be www.PreventionInstitute.org New IOM Report Affirms Local Governments' Role in Creating Healthy Environments This week, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released Local Government Actions to Prevent Childhood Obesity. The report identifies specific actions that local governments can take to improve healthy eating and increase physical activity in communities. Highlighted in the report are twelve policies that have the greatest potential for impact, including incentive programs to attract grocery stores to underserved areas, complete streets policies, and joint use. The report underscores the opportunity for local communities to promote health equity through implementation of these actions. IOM's careful examination of these policies and its resulting recommendations adds another layer of consensus to the growing momentum for environmental and policy change efforts across the country. In addition to drawing on published literature, Local Government Actions to Prevent Childhood Obesity builds on years of work from the field and the bold efforts of communities across the country that have pioneered innovative and promising strategies to create healthy food and activity environments. The release of this report elevates local governments' and community leaders' efforts, paving the way for future community action. Read more on IOM's new report. Many of the policies contained in IOM's report can be found in Prevention Institute's Environmental Nutrition and Activity Community Tool (ENACT) along with tools and resources for implementation. --- --- --- Please FORWARD this alert to others interested in primary prevention and encourage them to JOIN OUR NETWORK so they too can be informed as new prevention-related resources are released. A focal point for encouraging effective primary prevention and equity, MailScanner has detected a possible fraud attempt from "ent.groundspring.org" claiming to be www.PreventionInstitute.org is your link to prevention-related ideas, projects, publications, tools, and events. Home | About Us | Our Prevention Approach | Tools -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You are subscribed to this list as mtutthill(a)mhlrc.ca. Click here to unsubscribe, or send email to unsubscribe.377892.289577585.3975917285698775186-mtutthill_mhlrc.ca(a)en.groundspring.org. Our postal address is 221 Oak Street Oakland, California 94607 United States

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Active Transportation - Canada: September 3, 2009
by Beth McKechnie 03 Sep '09

03 Sep '09

----- Original Message ----- From: Michael Haynes To: undisclosed recipients: Sent: Thursday, September 03, 2009 12:08 PM Subject: Active Transportation - Canada: September 3, 2009 Active Transportation - Canada features a regular posting of news articles, studies, reports, and other items that have relevance in this field, with previous postings available in an archive. In addition, pictures of existing Active Transportation infrastructure from communities across Canada will be profiled each week. The following items have recently been posted to the Active Transportation - Canada Blog. To view in more detail, go to: http://activetransportation-canada.blogspot.com **************************************************************************************************** AT Infrastructure Example: St Catherines ON - Vine Street Road Diet (reduced from 4 lanes of automobiles to two with cetre-left turning lane plus bike lanes [submitted by Ryan] 1.. Report: Better Cycling in Ottawa 2.. Putting a price on walkability 3.. Walkable neighborhoods have higher land values 4.. Huge Interest for Meeting on e-Bike Type Approval 5.. Tax break plan to help people get healthy 6.. Car-free day coming Sept. 22 7.. Councillors pave way for mixed-use trail 8.. Halifax Regional Municipality Budget Summary 9.. McGill to make lower campus virtually car-free by end of 2010 10.. Bike plan funding too low, councillor says 11.. The Politics of Skateboarding 12.. NCC open to twinning paths 13.. Car-free Sundays and pedestrian-only streets? 14.. BTAC Awards Grants to Four Projects that Reach Cyclist from Coast-to-Coast and 15 Different Languages 15.. Sidewalks are for pedestrians: police **************************************************************************************************** A reminder e-mail of new postings will be sent no more often than once per week. To continue to receive these updates, you need take no action. Should you not wish to receive updates, please return this e-mail with "Unsubscribe" in the Subject area. Interested in an AT workshop in your community? For more information, please contact: Michael Haynes Director TransActive Solutions MailScanner has detected a possible fraud attempt from "ca.mc883.mail.yahoo.com" claiming to be activetransportation(a)rogers.com 613.424.2803

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Sept webinars - pedestrian safety assessments & connecting transit and ped/bike facilities
by Beth McKechnie 03 Sep '09

03 Sep '09

Two interesting webinars coming up in September... Resource Conservation Manitoba will be hosting the following webinars at the EcoCentre boardroom (3rd floor - 303 Portage Ave). If you're interested in attending either, please let me know as space is limited (beth(a)resourceconservation.mb.ca). Thanks! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) Pedestrian Safety Assessments: Sharing lessons learned from California's new program: Wed, September 16th, 2:00-3:00 p.m. CST This webinar will introduce the pedestrian safety assessment (PSA), a comprehensive approach to proactive pedestrian safety planning. PSAs improve pedestrian safety through a citywide assessment of policies, programs, and practices related to pedestrian safety (using a benchmarking process) and walking audits to provide site-specific and prototypical engineering recommendations. The outcome of a well-crafted PSA is a set of grant-ready recommendations that will enable a community to move forward with safety improvements. Since May 2008, UC Berkeley's Institute of Transportation Studies Technology Transfer Program has provided free PSAs to 21 California cities and counties upon request. This webinar highlights the components of the PSA, lessons learned after 21 PSAs, and suggestions for employing a PSA program or PSA elements in your jurisdiction. This presentation will be of interest to engineers, planners, elected officials, advocates, educators, police officers and policy makers. At the end of the webinar, participants should be able to: . Identify components of a pedestrian safety assessment, including objectives, data needs, scope and participants . Understand the benchmarking process used to prioritize opportunities for proactive safety planning . Effectively engage city staff and residents in identifying opportunities to improve pedestrian safety . Recognize opportunities for implementing the results of a pedestrian safety assessment. [Presented by the Association for Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals] 2) Fundamentals for Connecting Transit and Pedestrian/Bicycle Facilities: Wed, September 23rd, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm CST This webinar will tackle the issues facing transit agencies and pedestrian and bicycle professionals making connections to transit possible. During this session, participants will look at research on the relationship of pedestrian and bicycle facilities to transit use, investigate approaches used to address common safety issues that are likely to arise near transit stations, bus stops, and pedestrian facilities leading to transit facilities, and review case studies from four communities. [Presented by the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Centre]

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Bring your bike or yoga mat to the Ciclovia Media Event - Friday, Sept. 11, noon at Memorial Park
by Beth McKechnie 03 Sep '09

03 Sep '09

Ciclovia_media_eventCome out to the Ciclovia media event next Friday, September 11 at noon in Memorial Park. We need as many bicycles and as many people taking in yoga in the park as possible. Let's give the media something to really talk about! If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact Nisha Tuli, Manager, Communications & Marketing, Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, 958-4626, nisha(a)downtownwinnipegbiz.com Visit our website at www.downtownwinnipegbiz.com!

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Hotels offer bikes as green way to see sights
by Beth McKechnie 01 Sep '09

01 Sep '09

Interesting article - Hotels offer bikes as a green way to see the sights http://www.thestar.com/Travel/Adventure/article/675423 cheers, Beth Green Commuting Initiatives Resource Conservation Manitoba www.resourceconservation.mb.ca

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Volunteer for Ciclovia! Help spread the word
by Beth McKechnie 01 Sep '09

01 Sep '09

Ciclovia, meaning "bike way," is an event whereby a significant city street - the entire north side of Broadway from Osborne to Main - will be temporarily closed to automobiles to allow dominance by non-motorized traffic (cycling, walking, skateboarding, etc). This closure will be part of the day's active transportation-friendly route connecting all the way from Assiniboine park right down to the Forks! Ciclovia combines healthy living with arts and culture and engages citizens in active alternatives to motorized transportation, bringing life and community bonding back to otherwise car choked streets. Attendees will enjoy one of the city's most beautiful districts, taking in live entertainment, food, unique visual displays, family activities, and more. Be part of Winnipeg's first ever Ciclovia! Sunday, September 13th, 8 am to 6 pm ----- Original Message ----- From: Stephanie Voyce Sent: Monday, August 31, 2009 5:19 PM Subject: Ciclovia Volunteers Hello again, Please help us distribute the attached VOLUNTEER application form! We are in need of a large amount of volunteers to make Ciclovia run smoothly. Please let us know ASAP if you/and or any of your contacts would be available to help. Thanks, Stephanie Voyce Project Coordinator Downtown Winnipeg BIZ ph: 204.958.4621 f: 204.958.4630 Visit our website at downtownwinnipegbiz.com This email is intended for the person(s) to whom it is addressed and the contents may contain private and confidential information to which rights are claimed. If you receive this email in error, the review, copy, distribution or otherwise use is prohibited and we ask that you notify the sender of the error immediately. Thank you.

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Collapsible bike trailer - Cdn prototype
by Beth McKechnie 26 Aug '09

26 Aug '09

[I hope these students find investors to support development of this product - I'd buy one! -Beth] Toronto Star Students invent way to mix cycling and beer pickup Trailer can carry bulky items, but folds up when not in use http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/686550 Promotional video of the Crosstown trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J992-8VJ_ac

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Sturgeon Road collision sends cyclist to hospital - Winnipeg Free Press
by Erik Dickson 25 Aug '09

25 Aug '09

EMAIL THIS Email * Please note, the sender's email address has not been verified. You have received the following link from erik(a)marrcc.com: Click the following to access the sent link: Sturgeon Road collision sends cyclist to hospital - Winnipeg Free Press* Get your EMAIL THIS Browser Button and use it to email content from any Web site. Click here for more information. *This article can also be accessed if you copy and paste the entire address below into your web browser. http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/Sturgeon-Road-coll ision-sends-woman-to-hospital--54737302.html

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Report: Economic Benefits of Bicycle Infrastructure Investments (June 2009)
by Beth McKechnie 25 Aug '09

25 Aug '09

Building on the message just circulated regarding the increased value of homes in walkable neighbourhoods, here is a report from the American League of Bicyclists and the Alliance for Biking & Walking on the economic benefits of bicycle infrastructure investments: http://www.bikeleague.org/resources/reports/pdfs/economic_benefits_bicycle_… cheers, Beth Green Commuting Initiatives Resource Conservation Manitoba www.resourceconservation.mb.ca

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New study shows more walkable homes are worth more (Aug.18'09)
by Beth McKechnie 25 Aug '09

25 Aug '09

New Study Shows More Walkable Homes Are Worth More August 18, 2009 www.ceosforcities.org/news/entry/2591 CHICAGO - Though housing values are still slow to rebound from the collapse of the real estate market, a new analysis from CEOs for Cities reveals that homes in more walkable neighborhoods are worth more than similar homes in less-walkable neighborhoods, pointing to a bright spot in the residential real estate market. The report, "Walking the Walk: How Walkability Raises Housing Values in U.S. Cities" by Joseph Cortright, analyzed data from 94,000 real estate transactions in 15 major markets provided by ZipRealty and found that in 13 of the 15 markets, higher levels of walkability, as measured by Walk Score, were directly linked to higher home values. "Even in a turbulent economy, we know that walkability adds value to residential property just as additional square footage, bedrooms, bathrooms and other amenities do," said Cortright. "It's clear that consumers assign a tangible value to the convenience factor of living in more walkable places with access to a variety of destinations." Walkability is defined by the Walk Score algorithm (www.walkscore.com), which works by calculating the closest amenities - restaurants, coffee shops, schools, parks, stores, libraries, etc. - to any U.S. address. The algorithm then assigns a "Walk Score" from 0-100, with 100 being the most walkable and 0 being totally car-dependent. Walk Scores of 70+ indicate neighborhoods where it's possible to get by without a car. By the Walk Score measure, walkability is a direct function of how many destinations are located within a short distance (generally between one-quarter mile and one mile of a home). The study found that in the typical metropolitan area, a one-point increase in Walk Score was associated with an increase in value ranging from $700 to $3,000 depending on the market. The gains were larger in denser, urban areas like Chicago and San Francisco and smaller in less dense markets like Tucson and Fresno. "These findings are significant for policy makers," said Carol Coletta, President and CEO of CEOs for Cities, which commissioned the research. "They tell us that if urban leaders are intentional about developing and redeveloping their cities to make them more walkable, it will not only enhance the local tax base but will also contribute to individual wealth by increasing the value of what is, for most people, their biggest asset." An example of the effect of walkability on housing values cited in the study is found in Charlotte, NC. In a neighborhood with a typical Walk Score of 54 called Ashley Park, the median home price was $280,000. In a neighborhood with an above average Walk Score - 71 - called Wilmore, an otherwise similar home would be valued at $314,000. Controlling for all other factors including size, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, age, neighborhood income levels, distance from the Central Business District and access to jobs, "if you were to pick up that house in Ashley Park, and place it in more walkable Wilmore, it would increase in value by $34,000 or 12 percent," Cortright said. In the typical metropolitan areas studied, the premium commanded for neighborhoods with above average Walk Scores compared to those with average Walk Scores ranged from about $4,000 to $34,000, depending on the metro area. "Walking the Walk' shows definitively what we've always believed - that homes in walkable neighborhoods continue to be a good investment, and are one of the simplest and most effective solutions to fight climate change, improve our health, and strengthen our communities," said Walk Score founder Mike Mathieu. "Our vision is for every property listing to include a Walk Score: Beds: 3 Baths: 2 Walk Score: 84." The study included 15 metropolitan areas, finding a statistically significant positive relationship between walkability and home values in 13 areas: Arlington, Virginia; Austin, Texas;; Charlotte, North Carolina; Chicago, Illinois; Dallas, Texas; Fresno, California; Jacksonville, Florida;; Phoenix, Arizona; Sacramento, California; San Francisco, California; Seattle, Washington; Stockton, California, and Tucson, Arizona. In one metro area, Las Vegas, walkability was correlated with lower housing values, and in Bakersfield, California, there was no statistically significant connection between walkability and housing values. Real estate data for these markets was provided by ZipRealty (NASDAQ: ZIPR, www.ZipRealty.com), a national full-service residential real estate brokerage. "Walkability is a factor we've always considered important for buyers and sellers when bidding or pricing a home. We appreciate that "Walking the Walk" has confirmed this intrinsic value," said Patrick Lashinsky, chief executive officer for ZipRealty. "We were one of the first sites to adopt Walk Score alongside our listings because we feel walkability helps all our clients in the home search process." "There are a number of trends that are reshaping the American Dream," said Coletta, "and the value home buyers now place on living close to more daily destinations is one of the most important. Now, planning, zoning and development decisions have to catch up to consumers." The full report can be accessed at: http://www.ceosforcities.org/files/WalkingTheWalk_CEOsforCities1.pdf

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