December 2014 - AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

Thompson Citizen: Council approves multi-use path guidelines
by Beth McKechnie 30 Dec '14

30 Dec '14

Council approves multi-use path guidelines Molly Gibson Kirby <http://www.thompsoncitizen.net/authors?author=Molly%20Gibson%20Kirby> / Thompson Citizen December 30, 2014 11:32 AM http://www.thompsoncitizen.net/news/thompson/council-approves-multi-use-pat… The multi-use pathways around the city of Thompson now come complete with guidelines to help residents know what is allowed on these walkways. Northern Regional Health Authority (NRHA) health promotion co-ordinator Bruce Krentz and Michael Isaac, medical officer of health in Winnipeg, spoke about active transportation during the Dec. 15 council meeting. “I firmly believe we need to write the good news story that we want to read someday. So I’ve written a news story that I hope to read in the *Thompson Citizen* on Dec. 15, 2024, 10 years from now.” Says Isaac. In the make-believe article, Isaac touched on areas that Thompson currently, in 2014, is succeeding at. This included the first health summit. “What the community told us that we needed to work together to create a community where making the healthy choice is the easy choice and create opportunities for every resident to be healthy.” Isaac says Thompson was one of the first communities in the region to recognize the importance of active transportation, such as the multi-use pathways. Since then, active transportation has become the number one recommendation in the master parks plan, and it’s one of the key themes in the sustainable community plan. “These active transportation networks allow people to use their own power to get around, decreasing the amount of time they are sitting. They also separate car and truck traffic from cyclists and pedestrians, reducing the chance of injury.” These pathways, Isaac says, are well-connected, well-maintained, easily navigated and lead to all major sites in the city. The newly approved guidelines say active transportation uses human power. This includes anything without a motor, with the exception of motorized wheelchairs, such as walking, cycling, in-line skating, skateboarding and skiing. All users should keep to the right while using the path, and pass on the left, just like a road. There is a speed limit of 20 kilometres an hour, and cyclists must have front and rear reflectors, and warn pedestrians when approaching. A cyclist can do this by using a bell, a horn or the use of a vocal warning. Krentz said about a year-and-a-half ago, active transportation became a talking point in Thompson. After presentations to the recreation and public works committee, a citizens committee was formed that helped guide it into what it stands for today. “We started to look at our active transportation network on a bigger scale. We were seeing what pieces were maybe missing, what could we change, and stuff like that. We spent a fair bit of time talking about that, and we have since met with the committees. What we’re committed to now is working together to make a five-year plan for the city, so if funding becomes available through the budget process, it’s easy to see where we get from Point A to Point B.” Isaac says it’s about changing the trajectory of health in the region, all by working together to prevent disease. “We want people to wear out the soles of their shoes, the chains on their bikes, and the wheels on their rollerblades. Thompson is giving the residents every chance to do that with their active transportation networks and commitment to healthy city planning.” Krentz finished the presentation by saying the active transportation committee wants to work on two major areas - snow clearing and creating bike lanes for this upcoming summer. © Copyright 2014 Thompson Citizen

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Health Wealth and Happiness - Gil Penalosa presents at TEDCity
by Jackie Avent 20 Dec '14

20 Dec '14

Great video to inspire! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKfuSdQDTA8 -- *Jackie Avent* | Active and Safe Routes to School Green Action Centre <http://greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Avenue* | *(204) 925-3773 *|* Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>

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A little Christmas/Holiday cheer
by Stacy Matwick 17 Dec '14

17 Dec '14

How to Bike Home Your Christmas Tree in 11 Simple Steps | | | | | | | | | | | How to Bike Home Your Christmas Tree in 11 Simple StepsDon't forget bungee cords, peanut butter, and the kindness of strangers. | | | | View on www.citylab.com | Preview by Yahoo | | | | |

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AT webinar: Getting to Better Outcomes from Public Engagement, Wed, Dec 17th, 2-3:15, EcoCentre
by Beth McKechnie 15 Dec '14

15 Dec '14

[Apologies for the late notice...] Green Action Centre and Bike Winnipeg invite you to join us for a local viewing of the following APBP webinar: *Getting to Better Outcomes from Public Engagement. * This 75-minute 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 * * * * * Getting to Better Outcomes from Public Engagement *Wednesday, December 17th, 2:00-3:15 p.m., EcoCentre Boardroom* NOTE: This is a 75-minute webinar. *Key takeaways* • Understand key psychological concepts that affect public process • Give examples of successful techniques for public engagement • Describe how public process can adapt to different types of projects *Description* Join us for this session to explore ways to improve the public engagement process. Presenters from St. Paul, Memphis and Los Angeles offer three different perspectives on getting better outcomes from public meetings and suggest techniques for expanding outreach and gaining support. Learn about psychological concepts that can be applied to add transparency and consistency to the public process while increasing insight and buy-in. Find out how the City of Memphis scales outreach efforts to the size and impact of the project, and how pop-up workshops can engage new stakeholder groups and generate better input. *Presenters* - Emily P. G. Erickson - Jessie Holzer, Planner, Alta Planning + Design - Kyle Wagenschutz, Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator, City of Memphis

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Canada Bikes: Seeking Director of Development
by Anders Swanson 10 Dec '14

10 Dec '14

Hi, Canada Bikes is looking for the right person to help foster a dialogue around cycling across the country. It's time Canadians had a cross-country conversation about bikes and what they mean to our past, present and future. Canada Bikes is seeking an energetic, knowledgeable and ambitious person to help us grow our voice for cycling-as-transportation at the national level. You'll be starting with a pretty easy win: working with individuals and organizations accross the country to plan and host the second annual national event "Bike Day in Canada in May 2015. The idea is to use this fun and simple event as a springboard for collaboration across Canada. This is a self-funded position, suitable for starters keen and able to make connections, willingto engage new people and, above all, raise some cash. Although self-funded, you'll have a head start. You will have board support in fundraising and budgeting, lessons-learned from last year's event and considerable control over how you approach your own tasks. All the details on the position, including anticipated renumeration and preferred skill set are here: http://canadabikes.org/component/content/article/2-uncategorised/72-job-off… Talk to us. Feel free to use the contact info in the job offer, or call me here locally in Winnipeg for further info or to see if it might be the right fit for you. Feel free to pass this on widely. Cheers, Anders Swanson on behalf of the board of Canada Bikes 204-797-1962

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linking air pollution and health
by Cyndi Otfinowski 09 Dec '14

09 Dec '14

HI, Interesting story between air pollution and risk of breast cancer... "Home "Possible link between air pollution and breast cancer" http://www.mcgill.ca/channels/news/possible-link-between-air-pollution-and-… Sorry, have not read the article. Cyndi

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#HOMETOWNPROUD
by Jackie Avent 05 Dec '14

05 Dec '14

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities is garnering input from Canadians about what might make their communities all-round better places to live, and collecting stories about what makes folks proud of where they live. I've submitted an idea - you can check it out here <http://hometownproud.fcm.ca/13699/helping_kids_find_better_ways_to_get_arou…> (voting for it if you like) and submit your own idea while you're at it! Happy Friday, Jackie -- *Jackie Avent* | Active and Safe Routes to School Green Action Centre <http://greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Avenue* | *(204) 925-3773 *|* Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>

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Winter cycling - Friday fun
by Beth McKechnie 05 Dec '14

05 Dec '14

Great to see so many people winter cycling this year in Winnipeg. I've noticed more snow (fat tire) bikes out on the road but have not yet seen one of these: http://www.blessthisstuff.com/stuff/sports/radical-sports/ktrack-snow-bike-…

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Cycle of Giving this weekend
by Dave Elmore 04 Dec '14

04 Dec '14

If you haven't already signed up to help or donated kids bikes/parts or $, just a reminder that the 4th annual Cycle of Giving takes place this weekend at Orioles Community Centre, 448 Burnell St from 12 noon on Saturday, December 6th to 12 noon on Sunday December 7th. Cycle of Giving is a 24 Hour Bike Building Marathon bringing together volunteers to build reconditioned bicycles for Winnipeg children in need. Last year this event built over 300 bikes and with your help we can build even more. With your generous support we also hope to raise over $15,000 to support free bicycle programming in Winnipeg. This weekend we will turn Orioles Community Centre into a magical workshop where salvaged bicycles are turned into holiday dreams come true. Find out how you can support the Cycle of Giving at www.thewrench.ca <http://www.thewrench.ca> . Drop by and lend a hand or donate to help support the WRENCH's bike programming for youth. Let's make bicycle dreams come true!

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Fwd: FW: Don't miss the upcoming webinar on Surveying & School Travel Planning!
by Shoni Litinsky 04 Dec '14

04 Dec '14

Please share widely - if you are interested in active school travel and want to learn more about tracking tools and data collection, this is the webinar for you! [image: ASRTS banner] *JOIN US FOR A SCHOOL TRAVEL PLANNING WEBINAR * *Putting the Fun into Surveying for Active & Sustainable School Travel Planning* *Tuesday, December 9, 2014 from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM (EDT)* Counting, collecting, mapping and using baseline and follow-up data can involve and inspire school travel champions of all ages, and help decision-makers provide safe routes to school. Please join us December 9 for a webinar that showcases two innovative approaches that can support your School Travel Planning projects. Both presentations were a hit at the recent Walk21 Sydney 2014 conference - well worth the 90 minutes of your time! There will be a discussion period after each presentation: - *The Living Streets Travel Tracker. A complete web-based monitoring and rewards system that uses a classroom whiteboard.* The Travel Tracker is a new web-based tool which works alongside WoW (Walk once a Week), Living Streets' long term Walk to School programme, to make the experience bigger, bolder and more interactive than ever before. It acts as a digital alternative to wallcharts for recording journeys to school, delivering all of the same functions, plus a whole lot more. Combined with monthly badges, the Travel Tracker forms a complete monitoring and rewards system fit for Strider's journey into the future! Presenter: Chris Thompson, Schools and Projects Coordinator, Living Streets Scotland. - *Don't Let the Robots Win: The power of CounterPoint AND a new hi-tech vision of School Travel Planning.* CounterPoint is that little counting app designed around teenaged traffic engineers and its making a splash. Come learn what's been piloted in real-life, the changes made and fantastic design for you to use! It's meant to be your new Super-Duper Tool slash Video Game of the Future! We're making it easy to get started in School Travel Planning, from Reykjavik to Moose Jaw. All it takes is a one teacher and one classroom click. Then... School by School and Community by Community - setting a new standard in walkability and bike-ability measurement that is elegant, clear, fun and addictive! Presenter: Anders Swanson, Director of Software Development / Program design, Green Action Centre, Manitoba, Canada. *To register, click here. <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0010MoJ2MB-1jIOoCpu0i-gemkOSIuFm-YbndB_usft7eC-…> * Production of this webinar is made possible through a financial contribution from Loblaw. [image: GCC logo] Green Communities Canada Canada Walks *Forward this email <http://ui.constantcontact.com/sa/fwtf.jsp?llr=a889zicab&m=1101954641760&ea=…>* <http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&m=001A4zklBfN4cVp2sRA8Zz8WQ%3D%3…> This email was sent to asrts(a)sympatico.ca by asrts(a)greencommunitiescanada.org | Update Profile/Email Address <http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=oo&m=001A4zklBfN4cVp2sRA8Zz8WQ%3D%3…> | Rapid removal with SafeUnsubscribe <http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&m=001A4zklBfN4cVp2sRA8Zz8WQ%3D%3…>™ | Privacy Policy <http://ui.constantcontact.com/roving/CCPrivacyPolicy.jsp>. <http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp?pn=quidnovis&cc=TEM_BusLet_003> Canada Walks | 416 Chambers Street, 2nd Floor | Peterborough | K9H 3V1 | Canada -- *Shoni Madden* | Active and Safe Routes to School Green Action Centre <http://greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Avenue* | *(204) 925-3773 Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/> Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> * Please note that my regular office hours are Tuesdays/Thursdays. I will respond to your communication at this time.

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