- AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

Friday smile: Toddlers take to the streets
by Beth McKechnie 23 Mar '18

23 Mar '18

*Toddlers Take to the Streets* What happens when toddlers explore urban environments on their own terms? For the past year, Jacob Krupnick has been setting one- and two-year-olds loose on city streets, filming the answer to this question. The delightful film series, entitled Young Explorers Club, shows what happens when parents allow their kids to engage with urban spaces without any prompts, directions or guidance. Warning: cuteness ensues. Allissa Walker explores why this experiment is more important than just the smile it brings to our faces. Full story: https://www.curbed.com/2018/2/8/16981456/kids-cities- walking-film-jacob-krupnick-young-explorers-club Direct link to videos - https://www.youngexplorers.club/home -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3777 x102 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your green living hub Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://www.gomanitoba.ca>

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Urban Brew: Sidewalks First! Winter City Accessibility March 28
by Beth McKechnie 23 Mar '18

23 Mar '18

A timely discussion next Wed after work at the Good Will (poster attached)... *From:* Urban Brew <urbanbrewwpg(a)gmail.com> *Subject:* Urban Brew: Sidewalks First! Winter City Accessibility March 28 Hello! There’s been a lot of talk lately about sidewalk accessibility – not just during Winnipeg’s winters, but all year round. And not just for people with disabilities, but for older folks, parents with strollers and pedestrians of all kinds. We’re tackling this topic at our next Urban Brew event, March 28 at the Good Will Social Club. If you don’t know, Urban Brew is a group of Winnipeggers who meet quarterly over beers to talk about better urban design. At this event, we’ll hear from experts and then break out into smaller discussion groups to explore ways other winter cities deal with sidewalk maintenance that might work in Winnipeg. All the details are on the enclosed poster! Please consider attending, and sharing the event with your network. We would love to see you there! Sincerely, The Urban Brew team www.facebook.com/pg/UrbanBrewWPG @UrbanBrewWPG

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ModeShift in Winnipeg: Janette Sadik-Khan, Herbert Tiemens, Kay Teschke, Robin Mazumder and YOU
by Anders Swanson 22 Mar '18

22 Mar '18

Hello AT network... I wanted to make sure to extend a warm early invitation to ModeShift <http://Modeshift.ca>- an exciting new event coming up next month, starting on the 15th April. I doubt any of you will want to miss it. Tickets for Janette Sadik-Khan at the WAG on April 16 <https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/street-fight-an-evening-with-janette-sadik-khan…>are on sale now and likely to sell out, so get yours soon. Choosing the early bird ModeShift registration option gets you into the WAG event and a whole lot more, including a full conference on April 18-19. What's happening that week? We have high profile guests coming to speak from the US, the Netherlands, Canada, and equally exciting folks from here at home. Besides a tight-knit conference, there will be public events in the evening that week, outdoor tours, dinner dates, action taking place on the street and more. Engineers, urbanists, planners who love cycling take note: Herbert Tiemens and engineer/planner responsible for bicycle policy for the region of Utrecht is a go-to voice both nationally and internationally on all things Dutch design. He will be giving an intensive pre-conference workshop. Be there. Details coming soon, but save April 16-17 if you can. And academics, culture makers, public health experts: don't miss Kay Teschke talk. She wants to talk about helmets (yes, she's going there...) and other things she has not been shy to research in her time heading up some of the most well-known transportation research coming out of the UBC. Robin is a veery smart and interesting guy. I can't wait to tell you what Mr.Mazumder is cooking up. If any of you would be willing to use your professional expertise to work with youth to help make their city-building dreams come alive, you will want to join us for that too. A full slate will be released by the start of April but I think you will find this all pretty darn exciting already. I do. Watch the website for regular updates as we put on the final touches. Check out this video teaser on Twitter <https://twitter.com/WinnipegTrails/status/974325127973400576> and Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/WinnipegTrails/videos/1617833251633548/> and share widely if you like it! If you want to get more directly involved or here details, give me a call. Would love to chat and tell you more. Kindly, Anders ED, Winnipeg Trails Conference Director for ModeShift

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Last Chance to Register! | From A to B: Employee Wellness and Our Environment
by Mel Marginet 21 Mar '18

21 Mar '18

Greetings, We hope you can join us next week for *From A to B: Employee Wellness and Our Environment* <https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/from-a-to-b-employee-wellness-and-our-environme…>, featuring a keynote from *Dr. Larry Frank* <https://scarp.ubc.ca/people/lawrence-frank> and break-out sessions on *Healthy, Sustainable Workplaces*, *Workplace Transportation 101* and *Connecting Workplace Health to Our Environment*. The event will include a 24 page resource guide for you to take back to your workplace, a delicious lunch and a post-event mixer with a complimentary beverage and snacks where you can network with other attendees in a relaxed environment. To assist us in planning for the event, please register <https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/from-a-to-b-employee-wellness-and-our-environme…> by *noon on Friday, March 23rd*! *REGISTER TODAY! <https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/from-a-to-b-employee-wellness-and-our-environme…>* *Mel Marginet* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3777 x112 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your green living hub Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://www.gomanitoba.ca>

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Montreal considering separate traffic laws for cyclists
by Beth McKechnie 17 Mar '18

17 Mar '18

Many cyclists (including this one) complain that rules designed for cars don't make sense for bikes. Some even occasionally just slow down for stop signs. In the City of Montreal they are finally having a look at this, and developing new rules for cyclists. Full story: https://www.treehugger.com/bikes/montreal-considering-separate-traffic-laws…

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WFP: Mayor mulls snow-clearing changes after complaints (Mar.15'18)
by Beth McKechnie 15 Mar '18

15 Mar '18

* Mayor mulls snow-clearing changes after complaints* COMPLAINTS about the poor job of sidewalk clearing following last week’s snowstorm have prompted Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman to speculate about changing how the work is done. Bowman told reporters Wednesday he is willing to change the sidewalk snow-clearing policy, if the city can afford it. “I’m open to making changes, if we can improve the quality of service for thosewho rely on our sidewalks to get around our city,” Bowman said. “I think reviewing the policy is a good idea. I think we should be open to changes that can work within our financial means to improve the quality of service for those that have accessibility needs.” Advocates for the disabled, cyclists and transit have long complained the policy favours vehicles over other forms of transportation, and last week’s storm only added to the controversy. While most Winnipeg streets are clear of snow, sidewalks in many areas remain impassible. Many people complained city hall wasn’t following its own rules for clearing sidewalks downtown and on busy streets within 36 hours of the end of a storm. “It doesn’t matter if you’re walking, biking or taking transit, the system we have is just not working for everyone,” said Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg. “A week delay between a snowstorm and a clean street that is accessible for you is just not workable.” Allen Mankewich, a wheelchair user who lives and works downtown, said there’s no question the city is not complying with council’s direction to clear sidewalks on busy streets at the same time as the roads. “I live on a P1 (regional) street and I wasn’t even able to get down my street until earlier this week. A week after the storm, I had to go a different way each day just to get to work,” he said. Mankewich said when he tried to manoeuvre a downtown sidewalk three days after the storm, he ended up flipping his wheelchair. “The job that they’ve done wasn’t adequate,” he said. “As far as I can tell, the snow-clearing policy that is on the books, they weren’t even following that.” Mankewich said clearing sidewalks to compacted snow conditions is acceptable when the temperature falls below -20 C. When the temperature hovers around freezing, as they have since the March 5 storm, the snow is too soft and creates conditions that are impossible to traverse for people who have mobility issues and for those who use a wheelchair. He said some of those people have been forced to use roads, despite concern over safety. Councillors have been waiting two years for a report on how to improve sidewalk snow-clearing. In March 2016, the public works committee directed the public works department to work with various stakeholders— Winnipeg Trails Association, Bike Winnipeg, Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities and the city’s own active-transportation advisory committee — to establish terms of reference for a review of the policy, with the aim of developing a strategy that refocuses the priority to include sidewalks, as well as pedestrian and cycling paths. It also asked for cost estimates. After repeated delays, the administration is expected to deliver a report to the public works committee at its April 6 meeting. While Bowman said he’s looking forward to hearing what the administration has to say, Cohoe pointed out it’s taken the public works department two years just to return with a request to initiate a study that will include cost estimates and options. Cohoe said he suspects public works department staff is reluctant to initiate a study requiring council to find additional funds, if making sidewalks accessible across the city in winter is a priority. In the meantime, Bowman said he wants to know if the department complied with the sidewalk policy this past week. “The question that I’ve raised with the public service (is) whether or not the policy as directed has been followed and to what extent, over the last week,” he said. “The direction previous councils have established is that P1 (regional) sidewalks are cleared in the same priority as P1 roads. aldo.santin(a)freepress.mb.ca

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study of health benefits of cycling
by Jeremy Hull 14 Mar '18

14 Mar '18

Report in today's Sun: http://winnipegsun.com/life/living/cycling-slows-down-aging-study-says/wcm/… The key to the fountain of youth may rest on the back of a bicycle. A new study found that cycling can hold back the effects of aging and help boost the immune system. Researchers studied a group of 125 amateur cyclists aged 55 to 79 and compared them to a group of 75 healthy adults aged 57 to 80 who did not exercise regularly and 55 young adults between the ages of 20 and 36. It found cyclists preserved muscle mass and strength as they aged, while maintaining stable levels of body fat and cholesterol. According to the research, an organ called the thymus, which makes immune cells called T-cells, typically starts to shrink at 20-years-old. However, the thymuses of older cyclists were generating as many T-cells as those of young people. “Hippocrates in 400 BC said that exercise is man’s best medicine, but his message has been lost over time and we are an increasingly sedentary society,” said professor Janet Lord, director of the Institute of Inflammation and Aging at the University of Birmingham to the U.K. Guardian <https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/mar/08/cycling-keeps-your-imm…> . “However, importantly, our findings debunk the assumption that ageing automatically makes us more frail. Our research means we now have strong evidence that encouraging people to commit to regular exercise throughout their lives is a viable solution to the problem that we are living longer but not healthier.” The study’s findings were outlined in two papers for the journal Aging Cell <http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1474-9726>.

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WFP: City homes in on option two for greenway extension (Mar.14'18)
by Beth McKechnie 14 Mar '18

14 Mar '18

City homes in on option two for greenway extension *Addition will connect pedestrians from St. James to Dan Mac * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/sports/City-homes-in-on-o… *l* The City of Winnipeg is prioritizing a fasttracked option for the Yellow Ribbon Greenway extension. On March 6, the CoW hosted a public info session on the YRG at the Bord-Aire Community Centre (417 Hampton St.), which saw a small but engaged turnout. The drop-in event was aimed at providing area residents with probable plans for a pedestrian (cycling and walking) corridor to be added between the existing YRG and St. Matthews Avenue. Option one is a connected pathway which would take pedestrians northeast off of the existing greenway, just as it dips south to meet Silver Avenue. Option two is a much shorter pathway and would take cyclists and walkers north from the greenway, just before it meets Silver Avenue, to where it would join St. Matthews Avenue. The budget for option two is $750,000, while the budget for option one, including the construction of a bridge, is $1.3 million. The City’s active transportation co-ordinator Stephanie Whitehouse said most people want to see this connective trail put into place as soon as possible, and the difference for cyclists is only 60 seconds extra time with option two, making it favourable with the community as well. Whitehouse said while stakeholders and engineers explored a number of options internally, cost and timeline are big factors in why the City is tentatively moving ahead with option two. “It proved the preferred option because we can roll it out relatively quickly within this year,” Whitehouse said. “Option one wasn’t really within our current budget, so it meant construction would have to happen over a few years.” The plan looked promising to some residents. “It’s encouraging,” Westwood resident Paul Gittel said at the event. “If you have more people cycling, you’ll have a healthier population. I don’t cycle in the winter, I cross-country ski, but that adds an option for people who do (cycle).” Whitehouse said the project will connect two areas of the city that already see a lot of cycling. “What it’s supporting is, of course, local access to this amazing YRG, but as well, we want to support the commuter movement towards the downtown, where we’ve got the University of Winnipeg, the downtown core, Polo Park.” St. Matthews Avenue should also see the completion of buffered bicycle lanes this summer, which Whitehouse says is a “key corridor” towards the downtown. Coun. Scott Gillingham (St. James-Weston-Brooklands) said the extension was a campaign promise that he’s very excited to see through. “I’m hearing more and more from people that want to cycle, not just for recreation but as a means of commuting to and from work or school, and by providing this pathway, it increases the confidence that cyclists have because a lot of it will separate cyclists from vehicles,” Gillingham said. “This will connect St. James to the River Heights area and downtown, and it’s a very important project.” More info and maps can be found at winnipeg. ca/publicworks/pedestrians Cycling/ walkbikeprojects/yellowribbongreenwayextension. stm#tab-documents

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From A to B | Post event mixer confirmed!
by Mel Marginet 08 Mar '18

08 Mar '18

Greetings AT community, March 27th is *From A to B: Employee Wellness and Our Environment <http://greenactioncentre.ca/featured/2018-speaker-event-from-a-to-b-employe…>.* *When the program wraps at 4:30, we move into the ALT's Banquet Hall for a post event mixer, featuring snacks, a complimentary beverage and cash bar. This is an excellent opportunity to debrief and network in a relaxed environment. * *REGISTER TODAY! <https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/from-a-to-b-employee-wellness-and-our-environme…>* *Don't miss this event linking Workplace Wellness and sustainability. * Dr. Frank is a Professor in Sustainable Transportation and Public Health at the University of British Columbia and President of Urban Design 4 health, Inc. which builds software tools and documents health impacts of transportation and land development actions. He specializes in the interaction between land use, travel behavior, air quality; and health; and in the energy use, and climate change impacts of urban form policies. He coined the term “walkability” in the early – mid 90’s; his work led to WalkScore and has been cited over 24,000 times making him one of the 2 most cited planning academics. Thompson and Reuters lists him in the top 1% globally as a highly cited researcher. Dr. Frank has published over 150 peer reviewed articles and reports and co-authored two of the leading books – *Heath and Community Design *and *Urban Sprawl and Public Health *on which helped to map out the field emerging at the nexus between built, natural, and social environments and health. Dr. Frank works directly with local, regional, provincial or state, and federal agencies and developers to help translate results from leading edge research into practice based tools. *Mel Marginet* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3777 x112 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your green living hub Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://www.gomanitoba.ca>

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Inspiration from Calgary
by Beth McKechnie 07 Mar '18

07 Mar '18

DON’T LET ANYONE TELL YOU WE DON’T KNOW HOW TO INCREASE BIKING IN A CITY The latest bike counts <http://www.calgary.ca/Transportation/TP/Pages/Cycling/Bike-Data.aspx?redire…> from Calgary, Alberta — the site of a 2015 pilot project that cheaply installed a five-street downtown protected bike lane network <https://peopleforbikes.org/blog/calgary-rolls-out-a-downtown-protected-bike…> in one swoop — show that the Canadian city continues to be the continent’s clearest example of an auto-oriented city that got immediate results by quickly building a simple low-stress biking network in an area where many people want to go. ...in purely technical terms, Calgary’s recent experience is a message for any city that wants to change its transportation habits: Yes, it can be done. And we already know how. *Full story *(with maps!) - https://peopleforbikes.org/blog/dont-let-anyone-tell-you-that-we-dont-know-…

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