- AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

Boston Pilot Project Finds Free Transit Increases Ridership | Less Free Parking, More Shopping
by Beth McKechnie 15 Dec '21

15 Dec '21

Two topics of potential interest in this article from Next City: https://nextcity.org/urbanist-news/boston-pilot-project-finds-free-transit-… 1) Boston Pilot Project Finds Free Transit Increases Ridership 2) A Gift to City Retailers for the Holidays: Less Free Parking, More Shoppers cheers, Beth -- Beth McKechnie (she/her) *| *Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> 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 located on the ancestral lands of the Anishinaabeg, Ininew, Anishininiwag, Dakota, and Dene Peoples, and the homeland of* *the Métis Nation. We acknowledge that our water is sourced from Shoal Lake 40 First Nation and that our hydro is sourced from numerous First Nations here in Manitoba**. * 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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Fwd: Winnipeg Trails is Hiring Active Aging Facilitators
by Anders Swanson 03 Dec '21

03 Dec '21

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Winnipeg Trails Association <leighanne(a)winnipegtrails.ca> Date: Fri, Dec 3, 2021 at 6:16 PM Subject: Winnipeg Trails is Hiring Active Aging Facilitators To: Anders Swanson <andersswanson(a)gmail.com> View this email in your browser <https://mailchi.mp/b276c7f05fe2/winnipeg-trails-is-hiring-active-aging-faci…> *Winnipeg Trails is Hiring Active Aging Facilitators!* *We are looking for multiple active aging facilitators focused on outreach for programming and retail service for our Dutch bike shop. * SEE FULL JOB POSTING ON OUR WEBSITE HERE <https://winnipegtrails.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=128342d81c494f9ed…> *IMPORTANT: We value diversity and inclusion and will prioritize applicants who are BIPOC, older adults (55+), and women/non-binary. We also warmly welcome ESL speakers. If we can make this easier through accommodation in the recruitment process, please contact us. We will review applications as they are received and we look forward to hearing from you. Note that these two positions are funded thanks in part to funding from the Government of Canada’s New Horizons program. That program is geared at helping community organizations offer exciting new job opportunities to older adults. As a result, ideal candidates will identify as BIPOC women and/or non-binary folk aged 55 or older. We strongly encourage others to be in touch, but understand that as part of a push towards more inclusion in a field that presents itself as a bastion of the young and male, identity matters. This is not our only job posting, so we strongly encourage all interested parties to send us their resume and a letter of interest in working here. For more info about all available positions, view our website, social media or send an email to leighanne(a)winnipegtrails.ca <leighanne(a)winnipegtrails.ca>.* *Brief Job Description* (see more on our website <https://winnipegtrails.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=128342d81c494f9ed…> ) The job begins as soon as possible, up to 32 hrs/week starting at $17/hour. Lasting 3 months. Longer if funding allows. Depending on the skills you already have and what you want to learn, picture yourself making people happy by fitting bikes, sharing ski equipment, reaching out to community and seniors organizations to make connections and develop new and/or current programs like Winnipeg Trails’ Goal 5 project. You may also find yourself waxing skis, fixing bikes, and brainstorming ways of building new trails or running a shop! There are multiple positions so don’t hesitate to send this along to a friend, or even apply as a duo! And don’t sell yourself short know matter what your current skill set. You will be joining a team of action-oriented people whose multidisciplinary expertise ranges from mechanics, to city planning, to gardening and land steward knowledge, all with a commitment to learning, listening, and understanding. *Background on the opportunities* Winnipeg Trails runs a social enterprise called the *Plain Bicycle Project.* Since 2017, it has been successful in bringing lessons learned from Dutch cycling culture to Winnipeg. In the Netherlands, it is common to see groups of elderly people traveling daily to the grocery in complete comfort on bicycles designed to serve generations with comfortable rides, all blithely unaware that sights like this are much less common throughout North America. Winnipeg Trails and the Plain Bicycle project want to change that. Winnipeg Trails also runs *Winter;Peg*, a project whose goal is to bring winter fun to everyone. We have a by-donation equipment library where we stock snowshoes, skis and kicksleds! A large part of our audience includes older adults looking for recreation opportunities near their home. Another project of note is our *Goal 5* bike project where we get plain bikes into the hands of BIPOC women in exchange for volunteer hours. We also offer a variety of workshops and how to ride a bike lessons. In general, Winnipeg Trails is responding to sweeping international issues through local action, and we believe strongly that active aging is critical not just for the health and wellbeing of the people we serve, but our city and planet too. *Please spread the word about this opportunity to older adults that may appreciate an opportunity to connect with people in a fun retail environment. Have a fabulous weekend! Thank you for your continued support. Winnipeg Trails Team* [image: Twitter] <https://winnipegtrails.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=128342d81c494f9ed…> [image: Facebook] <https://winnipegtrails.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=128342d81c494f9ed…> [image: Website] <http://Winnipegtrails.ca> [image: Instagram] <https://winnipegtrails.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=128342d81c494f9ed…> Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences <https://winnipegtrails.us10.list-manage.com/profile?u=128342d81c494f9ed0578…> or unsubscribe from this list <https://winnipegtrails.us10.list-manage.com/unsubscribe?u=128342d81c494f9ed…> . This email was sent to andersswanson(a)gmail.com *why did I get this?* <https://winnipegtrails.us10.list-manage.com/about?u=128342d81c494f9ed0578c1…> unsubscribe from this list <https://winnipegtrails.us10.list-manage.com/unsubscribe?u=128342d81c494f9ed…> update subscription preferences <https://winnipegtrails.us10.list-manage.com/profile?u=128342d81c494f9ed0578…> Winnipeg Trails Association · 306 Edwin St · Winnipeg, MB R3B 0Y6 · Canada [image: Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp] <http://www.mailchimp.com/email-referral/?utm_source=freemium_newsletter&utm…>

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Fwd: Trails MB Virtual Presentation - Trail Design for ALL abilities
by Anders Swanson 01 Dec '21

01 Dec '21

Should be a good one. See below. ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Tim Coffin <executive_director(a)trailsmanitoba.ca> Good day, We are excited to announce that we’ll be hosting a virtual presentation by the amazing Janis Neufeld on December 10th. Janis, the CEO of *Inclusion by Design*, will be discussing what it means to design trails for all abilities, while highlighting some of the many examples that she has been involved with in B.C. Presentation will be approx. 50 min, followed by a short Q&A. Join us for this FREE, VIRTUAL, WATCH & LEARN EVENT. No registration required. Please share with your networks. Date: Friday, December 10th Time: 12:00-1:00pm (CST) Joining Instructions: *https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89032712434?pwd=V002UEF1ZXMyeUxMOW41TEdWa09Gdz09 <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89032712434?pwd=V002UEF1ZXMyeUxMOW41TEdWa09Gdz09>* Zoom Meeting ID: 890 3271 2434 Passcode: 385575 Dial by your location: 855 703 8985 Canada Toll-free *Primer:* https://www.westcoasttraveller.com/kootenay-mountain-bike-trails-poised-to-… Hope to see you online. Best, Tim Tim Coffin *Executive Director* *Trails Manitoba/Sentiers Manitoba* *3-303 Portage Ave.* *Winnipeg, MB R3B 2B4* *204-786-2688*

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Bike Winnipeg 100 x 100 challenge
by Charles Feaver 30 Nov '21

30 Nov '21

<https://gallery.mailchimp.com/0eef3792ad826742c2565b5d5/images/bb5526a0-e05 6-4228-8b3c-f931c6193105.png> The challenge: Show that 100+ cyclists in Winnipeg care enough about safer cycling to contribute $100 on Giving Tuesday for a strong campaign to speed up cycling infrastructure implementation in City transportation plans. <https://bikewinnipeg.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0eef3792ad826742c256 5b5d5&id=cd92080f90&e=74a3f90507> I'm in; safe biking is worth $100 Giving Tuesday is about donating to things that matter, after the spending sprees of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Safer cycling in Winnipeg matters a lot. * The City has underspent its 2015 pedestrian/cycling implementation plan by more than $60 million. * Now, the City is developing a Transportation Master Plan to guide road infrastructure investments to 2050. * Winnipeg must achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 * Emissions from transportation account for over half of Winnipegs GHG emissions * To meet its climate targets, Winnipeg must change course NOW to make travel by bicycle a safe, convenient and enjoyable choice. Bike Winnipeg will use resources from this campaign to collaborate with CAA on a city-wide survey on climate and transportation, place strategic advertising, and other projects to inform City leaders on the benefits of redirecting resources to encourage travel by bicycle. <https://bikewinnipeg.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0eef3792ad826742c256 5b5d5&id=eb5b413da6&e=74a3f90507> I'm in; safe biking is worth $100 The first 18 $100 donations will be matched by our amazing sponsors for this campaign; HTFC Planning and Design and Bikes and Beyond <https://mcusercontent.com/0eef3792ad826742c2565b5d5/images/00357f97-4e61-0a 56-b6e0-2633cd84c6bc.jpg> <https://mcusercontent.com/0eef3792ad826742c2565b5d5/images/1aefffa5-f538-4d ab-23d1-9974c0bee1b1.png> Alternatively, $100 will buy ¾ of a tank of gas for a Ford F150 and produce 170 kg CO2! Please share this message with your friends today. Watch our <https://bikewinnipeg.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0eef3792ad826742c256 5b5d5&id=d838c10c39&e=74a3f90507> Facebook page for progress updates on this 100x100 Challenge. Charles Feaver <mailto:charles@bikewinnipeg.ca> charles(a)bikewinnipeg.ca 204.293.6332

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What If Riding the Bus Were Free? (or similar to the U-Pass)
by Beth McKechnie 30 Nov '21

30 Nov '21

Interesting article circulated by Functional Transit on fare free transit. In terms of paying for it, a possible funding approach (similar to the U-Pass) would entail every person over 18 years old paying for a monthly bus pass equivalent (with specific exceptions) whether they ride transit or not. This could provide even more funding to enhance and expand transit services than the status quo. https://thetyee.ca/News/2021/11/29/Free-Bus-Fare-Public-Transit/

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It's Time for Public Participation to Evolve With Transportation Planning
by Beth McKechnie 30 Nov '21

30 Nov '21

Helpful article on recommended do's and don'ts of public engagement today: https://www.planetizen.com/features/115279-its-time-public-participation-ev… cheers, Beth -- Beth McKechnie (she/her) *| *Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> 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 located on the ancestral lands of the Anishinaabeg, Ininew, Anishininiwag, Dakota, and Dene Peoples, and the homeland of* *the Métis Nation. We acknowledge that our water is sourced from Shoal Lake 40 First Nation and that our hydro is sourced from numerous First Nations here in Manitoba**. * 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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WFP Analysis: A chance to redefine transportation (Nov29'21)
by Beth McKechnie 29 Nov '21

29 Nov '21

A chance to redefine transportation https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/a-chance-to-redefine-tra… OVER the next two weeks, the City of Winnipeg is looking for public feedback on Transportation Master Plan: 2050, a 30-year blueprint to guide development of Winnipeg’s transportation network. In the past, transportation planning has focused primarily on strategies to move cars, but today it’s seen as a central tool for building healthy, sustainable and prosperous communities. Urban mobility is fundamental to economic viability, environmental sustainability and social equity, making Transportation Master Plan: 2050 a key document for the city. The first step in developing a new transportation strategy will be to learn from the past and accept that current economic challenges, including Winnipeg’s $3 billion infrastructure deficit for roads and bridges, are largely the result of previous planning decisions. We have spent decades building a city almost singularly focused on automobile transportation, resulting in a sprawling, low-density urban form that has become economically unsustainable. Despite record-breaking road maintenance spending, our current pace of renewal means new roads built today won’t be replaced for more than 100 years. Nearly 10,000 more cars are added to Winnipeg’s streets every year, and in response we build more roads to accommodate them. This begins the endless cycle of induced demand. The convenience of expanded road capacity encourages more people to drive, increasing the number of cars on the road until the new capacity is met. This results in traffic congestion and pressure to build yet more roads. After decades of designing North American cities around cars, it has become clear you get what you build for. If you build for more cars, you get more cars. Thankfully, induced demand works for all modes of transportation. If you build a more efficient public transit system, you get more people riding the bus. If you build a safe and connected network of sidewalks and bike lanes, you get more people walking and biking. A car-centric city is not only economically unsustainable, but also environmentally unsustainable. Vehicles account for almost half of Winnipeg’s greenhouse-gas emissions, by far the largest contributor. Transitioning to electric vehicles is important, but the climate crisis is far too immediate to rely on that approach exclusively. Strategies that allow people to drive less are much more effective at reducing environmental impact. Winnipeg’s Climate Action Plan has set a target of doubling the number of trips taken by walking or biking by 2030. To achieve this aggressive goal, Transportation Master Plan: 2050 will likely have to reconsider the Winnipeg Pedestrian and Cycling Strategy. Winnipeg’s cycling network has increased by 75 per cent since 2015, but the vast majority of this is suburban, off-street shared-use pathways, directed mainly at biking for recreation. If we want people to use bikes for transportation, we must build protected lanes on higher traffic, main streets. Winnipeg’s plan calls for few larger streets to have cycling infrastructure, focusing instead on easier, low traffic, out-of-the-way residential streets. This summer, Salter Street was rebuilt without bike lanes because the plan is to have a “greenway” on nearby Powers Street. If you have never heard of Powers Street, it’s because unless you live there, or know someone who does, you would never find yourself driving on that small residential street. Salter Street has the destinations that people want to go to — shops, restaurants, schools, libraries — so the cycling infrastructure should be located there. This scenario is playing out across the city on such streets as Sargent Avenue, Corydon Avenue and Provencher Boulevard. If we want to encourage people to use bikes as transportation, we must plan for it in the same way we plan for driving, with direct routes on major streets connected to the places people need to go, particularly in lower-income neighbourhoods where only nine per cent of the city’s cycling current infrastructure exists. A renewed strategy for cycling infrastructure on main streets, dovetailed with Winnipeg Transit’s plan to implement a high-frequency transit model that will transform main streets into transit conduits, presents an important opportunity to redefine many of Winnipeg’s major arteries into complete streets. A complete street is designed to safely support a broad range of mobility options, including walking, biking, transit and driving. A successful complete street supports transportation equity by providing a range of accessible mobility options that improve access to education, employment, and recreation for people of all ages, abilities, and income levels. As mobility hubs, complete streets attract a diversity of people, that can stimulate investment, new development and improve neighbourhood economies. They can create more livable communities, provide local employment opportunities and be catalysts for small business entrepreneurship. Mobility has become a fundamental component of good city-building, and Transportation Master Plan: 2050 is an important opportunity to move Winnipeg in a new direction that makes our city more economically and environmentally sustainable, builds great communities and improves quality of life for everyone. *Brent Bellamy is senior design architect for Number Ten Architectural Group.*

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WFP: Speed limit changes for safety recommendations (Nov28'21)
by Beth McKechnie 28 Nov '21

28 Nov '21

Speed limit changes for safety recommendations https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/curb-protected-bike-lanes-proposed-… A new city report recommends modifying speeds on seven roads, including Bison Drive and Bishop Grandin Boulevard, to improve safety. Winnipeg’s infrastructure committee will review the proposed changes at its Wednesday meeting: ● Changing Bison Drive, between a point 100 m west of Barnes Street and a point 300 m west of Pembina Highway, from 80 km/h to 60 km/h; ● Reducing Marion Street from 60 km/h to 50 km/h between Youville Street and a point 100 m east of Archibald Street; ● Adjusting Youville Street between Marion and Goulet streets to 50 km/h from 60 km/h; ● Lowering Plessis Road’s 80 km/h limit to 70 km/h from 100 m south of Camiel Sys Street and the city’s boundary; ● Setting Ethan Boyer Way’s limit to 70 km/h from Brady Road to Waverley Street; ● Changing the Winnipeg stretch of Hallama Drive to 60 km/h; ● Adjusting Bishop Grandin Boulevard between Lagimodiere Boulevard and Boulevard des Hivemants to 80 km/h.

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WFP: Curb-protected bike lanes proposed (Nov28'21)
by Beth McKechnie 28 Nov '21

28 Nov '21

Parked vehicles a problem for cyclists Curb-protected bike lanes proposed https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/curb-protected-bike-lanes-proposed-… ICY ruts, potholes and poor visibility aren’t cyclists’ only problems in bike lanes — parked vehicles are an ever present nuisance. Curb-protected bike lanes, which separate active transportation from rows of parked cars and vehicle traffic, will be safer than the current standard of painted lines and parking signs, a new City of Winnipeg report says. City bureaucrats recommend the city erect curb barriers on six parking protected bike lanes. However, only one lane route has money set aside for the enhancements. “We need to be spending more to make our city walkable, bikeable and transit friendly,” said Mark Cohoe, Bike Winnipeg’s executive director. “If we don’t radically change what we’re doing, we’re going to see that our climate goals are impossible to meet.” Cohoe said he often encounters parked cars in Arthur Street’s bike lane. It may be hard for motorists to recognize they’re not in a parking spot, he said. “Often times (as a biker), it’s not like you can just shift left and go past that vehicle,” Cohoe said. Instead, cyclists must merge into traffic, hop onto the sidewalk or try and squeeze past in their lane. “It’s an unpredictable manoeuvre,” Cohoe said. “Someone coming up behind you might not expect it, so it’s dangerous.” A big reason why people don’t bike across Winnipeg is a fear of traffic, Cohoe said. “Getting these (barriers) in place really provides people that space where they’re going to feel safe, comfortable and secure,” he said. The city report, to be reviewed by Winnipeg’s infrastructure committee Wednesday, proposes upgrading Sherbrook Street, Arthur Street, Princess Street, Bannatyne Avenue, Notre Dame Avenue and Eastway bike lanes “over time”. The barriers cost about $10,000 per 100 metre of bike lane, based on previous pricing and excluding other concrete work, the report says. Winnipeg has budgeted $177,000 to upgrade the 595-metre strip of Sherbrook Street between Wolseley Avenue and Broadway. Bannatyne Avenue has been left unprotected to accommodate truck loading and turning manoeuvres. The other four roads have “no current plan or funding to upgrade” and must be prioritized against other projects in the city’s pedestrian and cycling program, the report reads. Coun. Matt Allard, who chairs the infrastructure committee, said he’s in favour of constructing more barricades. “(They’re an) effective way of substantially improving the quality, safety, and desirability of existing painted bike lanes and other locations where the (physical) space exists on the current road width,” he wrote in an email. The city considered poly-posts to separate bike lanes from parked vehicles, but the plastic bollards must be removed in the winter. Allard said he’ll ask questions about snow clearing for active transportation at the upcoming meeting. City cycling paths can be treacherous this time of year, depending on the route, according to Currie Gillespie, who’s on the Manitoba Cycling Association’s board of directors. He’d love additional barriers between lanes and parking spots — but in the meantime, he’d appreciate more maintenance. “The sanding on the bike paths has not been appropriate,” Gillespie said, adding it’s gotten better over the years. “We get more butts on bikes by making a safe, efficient, well-maintained route for those people to get where they want to go,” he said. “There’s not enough attention to that principle yet.” The city would need to increase its equipment designed for treating snow and ice in bike lanes, should more become barrier protected, Gillespie said. Vehicles parked in bike lanes could be ticketed. — With files from Kevin Rollason gabrielle.piche(a)winnipegfreepress.com

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WFP: ‘No cheap answer’ to fixing icy sidewalks (Nov23'21)
by Beth McKechnie 23 Nov '21

23 Nov '21

*‘No cheap answer’ to fixing icy sidewalks * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/no-cheap-answer-to-fixing-icy-sidew… AT least once per winter, Allen Mankewich’s wheelchair loses traction and spills over onto an icy Winnipeg sidewalk. Less than two weeks after winter conditions set in for the season, it’s happened again. “There’s ice buildup on a lot of the sidewalks, it gets really rutted. I actually flipped my chair (Sunday) trying to get through a spot on the sidewalk at Portage Avenue, which is a major route. If they can’t even clear those major routes properly, the side street (sidewalks) are going to be terrible,” said Mankewich. While speeding up to avoid getting stuck, the front wheels of his chair caught on ice ruts, forcing him to be flung out, he said. “It’s a safety risk for people who use any sort of mobility device. It’s even challenging for people who can walk. You see people walking very carefully over sections of the sidewalk that appear really slippery,” said Mankewich. He’s among several residents now urging the city to find ways to better clear the walking paths of ice and snow. “We are a winter city, so we need to properly allocate our resources to making sure that people can actually get out during the winter,” said Mankewich. The city considers its latest snow clearing operation complete but is still monitoring conditions, said Michael Cantor, Winnipeg’s manager of streets maintenance. Fluctuating temperatures have unfortunately led to some ice accumulation, noted Cantor. “When you have temperatures around zero... you have some thawing and frosting again and icy sidewalks. Mother Nature (gave) us some challenges,” he said. While city policy does not include a set timeline to sand sidewalks to add traction, Cantor said crews begin inspecting how slippery sidewalks are right after plowing ends. The length of the sanding process depends on how much equipment is available to get the work done. “We make sure that we use every piece of equipment, we man the equipment we have and we hire every piece of equipment that the industry can provide us. We really do it on an as-soon-as-possible basis… We monitor streets and sidewalks in the same manner,” said Cantor. He said work on streets begins promptly, in part to clear paths for emergency vehicles. Street snow clearing vehicles also tend to move faster than those used on sidewalks, making the former process quicker, Cantor added. City staff are now studying ways to make sidewalks and active transportation routes less slippery and more passable during winter weather, with a report expected to offer suggestions by next spring or summer. Cantor said there are no obvious solutions at this point. While adding more staff and equipment could be considered, it would come with a cost, he cautioned. “There’s no cheap answer,” he said. Cantor urged Winnipeggers to report specific sidewalk concerns to 311. Omar Kinnarath said sidewalks in the West End now resemble skating rinks with icy peaks, conditions that have triggered many complaints among his fellow bus riders in recent days. Kinnarath, who has already fallen twice since the snow set in for the season, said the city should explore several options to improve winter sidewalk maintenance, including the purchase of more equipment, hiring more staff and possibly even reimbursing citizens for clearing snow. He believes the city has consistently cleared snow off roads to a higher standard than sidewalks, which won’t help convince citizens to walk and bike, something the city hopes they will do to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. “We’re pushing active transportation and we’re pushing cycling… (so) the mechanism and the infrastructure needs to be put in place for this to happen. If it doesn’t happen, then we’re back to driving cars,” said Kinnarath. Marilyn Bird argues an “icy, slippery, hazardous mess” of pedestrian paths in the North End would have been greatly improved by quicker snow removal. “The first snowfall of the year is also the most important. They’ve got to get on that way quicker,” said Bird. For sidewalks along major routes, bus routes and collector streets, city policy aims to maintain a compacted snow surface, with clearing to follow five centimetres of snow accumulation or drifting. Plowing should be completed within 36 hours after the end of an average storm. The city also aims to clear residential sidewalks near elementary schools and active living centres within 36 hours of a storm. The target timeline to clear all other residential sidewalks is within five working days after the operation starts, which occurs after eight centimetres of snow accumulates. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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