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More states pushing for free-range parenting laws
by Beth McKechnie 13 Apr '18

13 Apr '18

Very interesting article in light of the recent case in Vancouver ( https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/01/canada-father-bus-children-ad… ) * * * * * * New Utah legislation says giving well-cared for, mature kids freedom isn’t neglectful * * More states pushing for free-range parenting laws * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/free-range-parenting-l… SALT LAKE CITY— After Utah passed the United States’ first law legalizing so-called free-range parenting, groups in … [View More]states from New York to Texas are pushing for similar steps to bolster the idea supporters say is an antidote for anxiety-plagued parents and overscheduled kids. Free-range parenting is the concept that giving kids the freedom to do things alone — like explore a playground or ride a bike to school — makes them healthier, happier and more resilient. It surfaced nearly a decade ago, when Lenore Skenazy touched off a firestorm with a column about letting her then-nine-year-old son ride the New York City subway alone. Since then, she’s become a vocal advocate for free-range parenting. Critics say letting kids strike out on their own can expose them to serious dangers, from criminals to cars. Parents have been investigated by child-welfare authorities in several high-profile cases, including a Maryland couple who allowed their six- and 10-year-old children to walk home alone from a park in 2015. But lawmakers and policy groups in several states say the protective pendulum has swung too far, and it’s time to send a message that parents who raise their children in a healthy environment can grant them more freedom. Utah’s new law specifies that it isn’t neglectful to let well-cared-for children travel to school, explore a playground or stay in the car alone if they’re mature enough to handle it. Free-range parenting differs from the concept of latchkey kids, or those who take care of themselves after school, in that it generally emphasizes getting kids outside in the neighbourhood as a way to develop independence, Boston-based clinical psychologist Bobbi Wegner said. Fears about letting kids make their own way date, at least in part, to cases like Etan Patz, who was among the first missing children pictured on milk cartons after disappearing while he walked to his New York City bus stop alone in 1979. Meanwhile, as education has become more essential in the workforce, parents are increasingly eager to give their kids a leg up with lessons in everything from coding to cello. “We sign our kids up for all these activities — tutoring, different things — to create this perfect resumé from a very young age, but it’s really at a detriment to the kid’s mental health,” Wegner said. While giving kids independence with parent oversight helps, it’s hard for adults to escape pressure to hover, she said. “Parents need permission to do this,” Wegner said. A self-avowed free-range parent, she said a police officer once knocked on her door and threatened to call child services after seeing her then-3½-old son standing at the end of the driveway talking to neighbourhood kids. She’d like to see Massachusetts follow Utah’s lead. In New York, Democratic state assemblyman Phil Steck said he’s gearing up to introduce a similar proposal. “When I was a child, you let your dogs and your children out after breakfast and... they had to be home for dinner,” he said. “I felt I gained a lot more from just playing on the street than my children did from being in organized sports activities.” It’s an idea that cuts across the ideological spectrum. Brandon Logan with the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation is working with lawmakers for a bill next year. “We expect adults to be independent, and we expect parents to raise their children to be independent, and you can’t do that whenever children are being micromanaged,” Logan said. A conservative group is also pushing for a bill in Idaho, and an Arkansas lawmaker whose effort failed plans to bring it back again. They’re all taking a close look at Utah’s law, which sailed through the legislature andwas signed by the governor of the majority-Mormon state known for big families andwide-open spaces. It doesn’t specify how old kids should be to do things alone, which lawmakers say will allow authorities to weigh each case separately. Discretion like that is important, said Stephen Hinshaw, a University of California, Berkeley psychology professor. Not every child is ready to ride their bike alongside busy roads, and participating in things like music lessons can teach them important skills. “Parents have to be smart about what is helping foster self-reliance and what is putting kids in a dangerous spot,” he said. Amy Coulter, a stay-at-home Utah mom of four girls and a boy, said she doesn’t call herself a free-range parent. But she does avoid intervening with teachers on her older kids’ grades and encourages her kids use their own money to buy things at the grocery store. “I want them to know that they’re capable,” she said of her children, who range in age from five to 14. In her Lehi neighbourhood, kids often roam the block “snack-hopping” at different homes. Recent Utah transplant Krista Whipple said she’s liked the concept of free-range parenting for years, but it was tough to practise it in her old Los Angeles neighbourhood, when most kids stayed behind fences. “I didn’t want to raise my kids all cooped up, but it always made me think twice,” said Whipple, a program manager at a St. George youth homeless shelter who has two boys and a girl who are three, four and six. “Kids are not in constant danger, and it’s OK to let them outside, and it’s OK... to let them get lost,” she said. “They’ll find their way home.” — The Associated Press [View Less]

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AT Webinar: Got Counts? Now What? | Wed, Apr 25, 3-4pm
by Beth McKechnie 12 Apr '18

12 Apr '18

Please join Green Action Centre and Bike Winnipeg on *Wed, April 25th*, for a group viewing of the monthly APBP webinar in the EcoCentre <http://greenactioncentre.ca/uncategorized/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-o…> boardroom followed by discussion for those who wish to stay. Note this is a week later than usual due to ModeShift 2018 <https://modeshift.ca/> happening next week. cheers, Beth -- *Next webinar: April 25, 2018, 3-4pm* *Got Counts? Now what?* * The April webinar … [View More]

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GoManitoba: A Better Commute is Possible (video)
by Beth McKechnie 11 Apr '18

11 Apr '18

Hi everyone, Please check out (and share!) our new video for GoManitoba, the online ridematching tool for carpoolers, bike and transit mentors: http://greenactioncentre.ca/healthy-travel/go-manitoba-video/ Sign up as a bike or bus mentor, and be entered to win an MEC gift certficate and Manitoba parks pass! thanks, Beth -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://… [View More]

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WFP: New transportation manager takes helm - greater emphasis on AT (Apr.9'18)
by Beth McKechnie 09 Apr '18

09 Apr '18

* New transportation manager takes helm * * Aims to restore trust following south Wilkes corridor controversy * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/new-transportation-manager-takes-he… CITY hall’s new manager of transportation realizes he’s got his work cut out for him. David Patman is heading up the public works division that took a public beating in the fall over the controversial south Wilkes corridor project. “There was a lot of talk in themedia about how projects were being … [View More]managed, about how transportation was interacting with other departments and stakeholders,” said Patman, 39. “I think we’re in the process of rebuilding trust and making sure everyone has a comfort level with the department.” Patman was in charge of Winnipeg Transit’s eastern transit corridor study for the past year before moving to the public works department two weeks ago. He was introduced to councillors on the public works committee Friday, where he juggled double duties: briefing the committee on the eastern transit corridor study, and then hearing their beefs about the backlog of studies his transportation division has yet to do. Patman’s predecessor, Luis Escobar, had been with the city for 18 years when he unexpectedly gave notice at the end of August and left in October, just as trouble was about to tear through the division. Staff was openly criticized by city hall’s chief administrative officer, Doug Mc Neil, and the public works chairman, Coun. Marty Morantz, for developing what was derisively described as the “rogue” corridor route through Charleswood. While there were suggestions Mc-Neil and Morantz had ignored reports, it was the staff who were thrown under the bus and two senior planners subsequently left. Patman faces multiple tasks: restoring public trust and rebuilding staff confidence and the department. “People in my department do very good work. They take their work seriously. They’re very professional,” Patman said. “I just want to make sure everyone is aware of this.” Patman, married, is originally from southern Ontario. He moved to Canada with his family at the age of three from Liverpool, and still retains a trace of the English accent. Patman’s background includes working for a private engineering consulting firm and the City of Calgary’s transportation department. He’d been with Transit, in various roles, since September 2013. He’s also a hobby farmer, who for the past six years has been raising five alpacas on a small acreage in Anola. Patman oversees about 70 planners in the transportation division. They are responsible for street design; collecting data on vehicular, pedestrian and cycling traffic; dealing with improvements to intersections; designing bike paths; and overseeing traffic signals. He stresses collaboration as the key to success, within his department and others, with politicians and the public. “You want to make sure when you have a concept, we want to get people excited about it and try something dynamic and different, that everyone is on the same page and moving in the same direction, that it’s not going to hit a roadblock internally before it can get implemented.” Escobar hadareputation of approaching traffic and transportation issues in a very conservative manner. Patman, on the other hand, singles out the innovate approaches of his former employer, the City of Calgary, with the hint Winnipeggers might see some of the same. Patman said Calgary and other cities in North America sometimes deploy a “pop-up” approach to projects. He thinks a similar approach might work here. “They say ‘let’s try it and see if it works. If it doesn’t work, we can take it out.’” Patman said. “I think there’s a lot to be said about those ideas that are quick wins. It gets people paying attention to what we’re doing and giving us feedback.” Patman said Winnipeg has duplicated that process with reverse-angled parking in the Exchange District. A pilot project involving one street last summer became permanent and is being considered for other streets. Patman also wants to put a greater emphasis on active transportation modes: walking and cycling. “I know some people believe there is a war on the car, but the question is if it’s the right (transportation) tool for the right type of trip,” he said. “I’m not going to say I’m anti-car, but we need to look at what we can do to make sure all these different modes work together... and that we’re thinking about the more sustainable modes, which are the active transportation — walking, cycling and transit. They all have a role to play in the transportation mix.” aldo.santin(a)freepress.mb.ca [View Less]

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WFP: AT strategy delayed eight times (Apr.5'18)
by Beth McKechnie 05 Apr '18

05 Apr '18

* Active-transportation strategy delayed eight times* * Two years and counting… for report * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/two-years-and-counting-for-report-4… PRESENTATION of a long-overdue report to the public works committee is being delayed for an eighth time, leaving active transportation advocates wondering if they aren’t a priority for the City of Winnipeg. Coun. Janice Lukes, who represents South Winnipeg-St. Norbert and is the former chairwoman of the infrastructure … [View More]renewal and public works committee, requested a review of the winter maintenance strategy for the city’s active transportation network (including walking, cycling, wheelchair, in-line skating, skateboarding and more) in March 2016. More than two years later, Lukes believes the review is ready, but Mayor Brian Bowman’s office is delaying its release. “I am 99 per cent confident the report is done. There’s no way it would take longer than two years. There’s absolutely no way,” she said. “We just said, ‘Review the current processes, make recommendations and what would it cost.’ We didn’t ask them to implement it, so there’s no reason to hold it back. “Ultimately, the mayor sets every single standing policy committee agenda. He determines what goes on that agenda... I was chair of public works. He always looked to see what was on that agenda.” The public works committee will receive a report Friday detailing alternatives for snow clearing, such as adjusting sidewalk-clearing equipment to cut grass in summer months. Lukes said she thinks the active transportation report will be presented next month. Asked about the review’s delay Wednesday, Bowman said his office isn’t holding it back. “There’s no truth to that. I’m glad it’s coming forward,” the mayor said. “The committee has done their work. “I’m hoping they can look for improvements in quality of service to our residents. That’s, I think, a good discussion for the community to have and I’m looking forward to hearing what they have to say on it. And I would expect that at the coming (executive policy committee meeting), we can weigh in at that point.” The public works department would not accommodate an interview request Wednesday, but a spokesperson confirmed it will ask Friday for a 30-day extension on the report. It appears at least one community group that was to be consulted while the report was being compiled has yet to speak on the matter. Anders Swanson, executive director of the Winnipeg Trails Association, said the group has not had anything approaching “meaningful consultation” with the city. Swanson helped organize a public event last week, Urban Brew —Sidewalks First, where some 90 people showed up to discuss the seriousness of Winnipeg’s winter- accessibility problems. Lukes’ initial motion asked the department work with stakeholders during consultations, including the Winnipeg Trails Association, Bike Winnipeg, Manitoban League of Persons with Disabilities, and the City of Winnipeg active transportation advisory. “We heard from somebody who can’t even make it to work, just because the side street in front of their door was not navigable in a wheelchair. We’re hearing about people being scared for their life having to cross the Osborne Bridge in a wheelchair. That’s messed up,” Swanson said Wednesday. “Mobility is a basic human right, especially if you happen to be in a wheelchair or needing to push a baby in a stroller. It should be one of the top priorities of our municipal government in general, honestly.” Mark Cohoe, director of Bike Winnipeg, said his group was consulted about a year ago, but hasn’t heard anything back about its input. “I think it does make it hard for us to go out to the public and say, ‘The city’s looking for your input. Please help us,’ if people know that it’s potentially meaningless — which is what it feels like when it takes a year to move from that stage,” Cohoe said. “It’s disappointing that we’re not moving forward on this (review). We’re a winter city. There’s no getting around the fact of providing people with options to walk, to bike, to bus or to drive. We need to make sure that they’re going to have an accessible route to get to their destinations... (the delay) tells me that we’re not really a priority.” — with files from Aldo Santin jessica.botelho(a)freepress.mb.ca [View Less]

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Seattle passes parking reforms to tackle carbon free, ped and bike friendly vision for city
by Beth McKechnie 05 Apr '18

05 Apr '18

Citywide Parking Requirement Reform Passes in Seattle The U.S. city with the best recent history of convincing commuters to ditch the auto commute is taking further steps to make the city a little less car-centric. www.planetizen.com/news/2018/04/98053-citywide-parking-requirement-reform-p… "Seattle council members on Monday approved changes to the parking code <https://www.seattlemet.com/articles/2018/3/30/how-seattle-s-new-law-would-c…> that they hope will ultimately tackle their … [View More]

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*NEW DATE* From A to B is now May 2nd
by Mel Marginet 04 Apr '18

04 Apr '18

Greetings, We've had to reschedule our event, *From A to B: Employee Wellness and Our Environment*. The event will now take place on May 2nd! Green Action Centre and the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ present *FROM A TO B: EMPLOYEE WELLNESS AND OUR ENVIRONMENT* *Featuring Keynote Speaker Dr. Larry Frank* Wednesday, May 2nd | The Alt Hotel REGISTER TODAY! <https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/from-a-to-b-employee-wellness-and-our-environme…> Dr. Frank is a Professor in Sustainable Transportation and … [View More]

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Fwd: Reminder-2nd National Bike Summit- Abstracts due March 30th
by Anders Swanson 26 Mar '18

26 Mar '18

FYI. In case you are in the Ottawa area. If not, you can: - also follow parts of the conference via livestream. - consider emailing your MP about this event, and urging them to attend Anders Swanson Chair, Canada Bikes <http://canadabikes.org/> CanadaBikes.org <http://canadabikes.org/> Join us on Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/CanadaBikes>. Follow us on Twitter <https://twitter.com/Canada_Bikes>. Become a member. <http://www.canadabikes.org/members/become-a-… [View More]

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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 … [View More]

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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 … [View More]

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