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WFP: His passion is the wheel thing - Winnipeg cyclist tireless advocate for AT
by Beth McKechnie 23 Jun '11

23 Jun '11

His passion is the wheel thing Winnipeg cyclist tireless advocate for active transportation By: William Burr When he goes on a canoe trip, Anders Swanson likes to be the one holding the map. The walls of his apartment are covered in them. Control freak or visionary, Swanson likes to know where he's headed. And he knows where he wants to take Winnipeg: toward a full-fledged embrace of the bicycle. Probably Winnipeg's most famous cycling advocate, his membership on the steering committee for Bike to Work Day, coming up Friday, is just the tip of the iceberg of Swanson's involvement. He sits on six advisory committees for active transportation, including Manitoba's and Winnipeg's. He participates in seven environmental organizations, some of which he started himself, such as the Orioles Bike Cage, a co-operative where cyclists go to learn how to repair their own bikes. His volunteer work is basically all he does outside his part-time jobs at the Natural Cycle shop and the Physical Activity Coalition of Manitoba. "You get emails from Anders in the middle of the night all the time. I don't know when he sleeps," says Kevin Nixon, Winnipeg's active-transportation co-ordinator. Curt Hull, who works on Bike to Work Day with Swanson, is another peer who sings his praises. "It's his quiet, infectious enthusiasm and how he brings energy into a room -- I've seen him light up a city council meeting," Hull says. "He's pleasant to work with and funny, and he breaks up the gruelling agony -- he's got a good wit about him," says Janice Lukes, who sits on the city's active-transportation advisory committee with Swanson. She says he understands that cycling is more than a "niche market." "People generalize and think cyclists are spandex racer types. But they're not. They're the masses. And he gets it." Lukes says Swanson has been effective at selling cycling to people who were what she calls "tough nuts to crack," such as Mayor Sam Katz and city Coun. John Orlikow. Both speak highly of Swanson. "I'm a big fan of Anders, no question about it. That doesn't mean we're always going to agree," Katz says. "He's an advocate. We have many advocates in the city. We listen to them all, and we take a balanced approach after that," says Orlikow, but adds, "He's passionate and committed and a good community member, for sure." Swanson is a tall, burly, youthful 33-year-old and he has a thick, brown beard. He lives with his girlfriend in a spacious apartment downtown. A bike Swanson is working on sits upside down on the floor, wheels in the air. But he wasn't always a cycling enthusiast. When he was 16, he wanted nothing more than his own car, and he would eventually own several -- but not anymore. The cycling bug only bit him in 2004, when he bought a $25 bike to get to work and learned how to equip it for the winter. Beating Winnipeg's cold gave him a sense of accomplishment, and he was hooked. Shortly after that, he applied to work at Natural Cycle. Senior mechanic David Geisel says the cover letter Swanson wrote was so convincing they had to hire him. "He somehow touched on the cultural aspect of cycling and just made it sound as if nothing else mattered," Geisel says. While repairing bikes at Natural Cycle, Swanson heard many stories from commuters. "You get into discussions with customers and every second one has a story about this or that close call or this or that pathway that floods or doesn't go the right direction or doesn't connect, and I guess a penchant for mapping was making me connect all these dots in my head." He started OneGreenCity.com, a website where people share ideas about what kind of cycling infrastructure they would like to see in Winnipeg and then map it out digitally. One project led to another, and suddenly cycling advocacy was all he did. "It got pretty out of hand. All of a sudden there were so many trails to be built and events that people wanted to plan -- so anyways I started being on a lot of committees." Seeing ideas being turned into real changes to the city's landscape, such as new bike lanes, helps motivate him to sit through so many meetings. "When you see it come out in reality and then you see little kids biking down there, big smiles on their face, then it's like, OK, maybe this is pretty awesome," he says. Despite the bicycling inroads, it will be decades before Manitobans have the cycling infrastructure that other cities have, he says. "Even just to catch up, there's a lot of mapping and ideas and people to connect." william.burr(a)freepress.mb.ca *Put away the car keys... Friday is Bike to Work Day* BIKE to Work Day this year will feature over 20 "pit stops" spread out throughout the city where participants can meet up with each other and get free snacks, coffee, T-shirts and prizes. Largest pit stop will be at Bonnycastle Park -- at the corner of Main Street and Assiniboine Avenue -- where there will be a live TV broadcast. During and following the afternoon commute on Bike to Work Day, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., there will be a barbecue at The Forks with free hotdogs, veggie dogs or burgers for the first 300 cyclists and a prize draw. To register for this year's Bike to Work Day, map your route and find a pit stop, visit biketoworkdaywinnipeg.org

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Winnipeg Free Press Poll: Bike to Work Day
by Beth McKechnie 22 Jun '11

22 Jun '11

Friendly reminder to sign up for and participate in Bike to Work Day<http://biketoworkdaywinnipeg.org/index.html>this Friday, June 24th. In related news, the Winnipeg Free Press Poll question today is: Will you bike to work on bike to work day? Visit http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/ if you are interested in casting your vote! cheers, Beth -- *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) 925-3772 | 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/memberships/>

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WFP: Pedal pusher - Bike Valet Winnipeg
by Beth McKechnie 19 Jun '11

19 Jun '11

Pedal pusher With his bike valet service, David Wieser is hoping more Winnipeggers will two-wheel it to city events By: David Sanderson / Roll With It Revenge is a dish best served cold. And dripping with paint. Not long ago, regulars at a bar in Livingston, Mont., were being plagued by a bicycle thief who would nab their wheels while they were inside, tossing back a few. One night, some of the victims hid near the watering hole's bike rack, and waited for the perpetrator to show up. Within an hour, a dark figure appeared and began sawing the lock off one of their bikes. Before the crook could make his getaway, however, he was greeted by a barrage of paintball pellets. (Charles Bronson fans everywhere will be pleased to learn that the act of vigilantism was filmed by one of the participants, and is now available for all to enjoy, on YouTube.) "That was a good video; I watched it last week," says David Wieser, the founder of Bicycle Valet Winnipeg -- a year-old organization that parks and protects Winnipeggers' bicycles at events all over town. The million-dollar question, then: will Wieser now follow suit, and arm his legion of valets with paintball guns? "Uh, no," Wieser says, with a laugh. "There are no plans to do that at this time." Bicycle Valet Winnipeg is exactly what it sounds like: Cyclists present their bikes to whoever is on duty at happenings like rock concerts and street festivals. Valets park the bikes in a cordoned-off area, then hand out claim stubs. At the end of the event, the bike owners return their ducats, and the valets fetch their rides. Best of all: it's free. "People always ask, 'How much?' but thanks to our sponsors and event organizers, we don't have to charge a penny," Wieser says, adding that Bicycle Valet Winnipeg is a subsidiary of Bike to the Future, a non-profit organization whose mandate is to make cycling in the Peg a safe and convenient transportation alternative, year-round. Wieser came up with the idea for Bicycle Valet Winnipeg in 2007, after reading about a similar enterprise in San Francisco. But before he made his dream a reality, Wieser, a 17-year member of the Canadian Armed Forces, was redeployed to Edmonton for training, and then to Afghanistan for a six-month tour of duty. "It was while I was in Kandahar that I really began jotting down notes, bouncing ideas off other people, and firing off emails," Wieser says. By the time he returned to Winnipeg in April 2010, the married father of one was "pretty much ready to go." Well, not exactly. At Bicycle Valet Winnipeg's inaugural event -- Bike to Work Day 2010 at The Forks -- Wieser had plenty of takers, but nowhere to put their bikes. "It fell on the same day that the Queen was in town," Wieser explains. "The city was supposed to deliver a bunch of bike racks, but they were so busy with the royal visit that they forgot about us." To make sure that never happened again, Wieser began building his own bike racks. (Last week, he put the finishing touches on No. 51.) He's also busy building on Year One, when his valets -- all of them volunteers -- worked at close to 20 events, including the last six Blue Bomber games. Wieser just got word that his services will be needed at all of the Big Blue's home games this year, and Bicycle Valet Winnipeg will also be present at the Red River Exhibition, Canada Day at The Forks, and the M.E.C. Bike Fest in July. To date, Bicycle Valet Winnipeg has tended to everything from skateboards to unicycles to bike trailers. "Last year, we even had a 10-foot-long, four-wheel car cycle -- it was awkward to park but we did it," Wieser says. On the other hand, mopeds need not apply. "No, we won't park anything with an engine. We're trying to encourage people to choose active transportation to get to their event." In addition to establishing relationships with organizers of the Manitoba Marathon, and/or the management of this city's new NHL franchise, Wieser has one other goal in mind. "We parked (Hot 103 DJ) Ace Burpee's bike at the Ciclovia festival last year," Wieser says. "He draws such a crowd, I wish we could have a bike valet following right behind him wherever he goes." For more information, and to see where Bicycle Valet Winnipeg will be setting up next, visit www.bicyclevaletwinnipeg.ca. david.sanderson(a)freepress.mb.ca Valet girl IN August, David Wieser will bid adieu to Winnipeg, and to his "baby," Bicycle Valet Winnipeg. Wieser, an electrical distribution technician at 17 Wing, is being transferred to a base in Ontario. Last month, Wieser hired Rosanne Ritchot to take his place as Bicycle Valet Winnipeg's chief co-ordinator. We recently caught up with Ritchot, and asked her a few questions about the future of Bicycle Valet Winnipeg, and her own passion for getting around town on two wheels. Free Press: Was there a seminal moment in your life when you discovered you were a serious cyclist and not just somebody out for a little fresh air? Rosanne Ritchot: I discovered my love for cycling during a bike trip from Winnipeg to Alaska and back, in 2004. Understandably, it would have been wiser to discover this love before leaving on a 5,000-plus-kilometre trip, but fortunately, it worked out. FP: Just a hunch, but I'm guessing you didn't show up for your interview with a David Wieser behind the wheel of a Hummer. RR: I wouldn't have dreamed of showing up for this job interview in any type of car! I have to admit, though, that I didn't ride my bike. I walked. FP: I know you haven't officially started yet, but do you have any ideas re: your new title? RR: I don't have any specific plans yet. But I do dream of Bicycle Valet Winnipeg getting bigger, if only because I dream of Winnipeg being a city more open and accessible to cyclists. FP: One of David Wieser's chief tenets is that Bicycle Valet Winnipeg will never charge individual cyclists to use its services. Do you subscribe to that belief? RR: Absolutely. In my opinion, BVW's purpose is to make taking your bike instead of your car as easy, as accessible, and as affordable as possible. Using your bike is a glorious thing, and BVW should help to make that true for more and more Winnipeggers.

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New bike plan unveiled for Toronto (includes a number of cycletracks)
by Anders Swanson 16 Jun '11

16 Jun '11

See more here: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2011/06/15/toronto-bike-plan.ht… As per the article, these curb-protected facilities will be a first for Toronto. Winnipeg already has one on Assiniboine... Winnipeg: 1 .....*+0.5 if you count the Norwood Bridge* Toronto: 0 Success. Related note of pride: Thompson is getting its first bike lanes ever, this year (on Burntwood). Anders Swanson Active Transportation Project Coordinator Physical Activity Coalition of Manitoba | www.pacm.ca c.204-294-7027 | activetransportation(a)pacm.ca

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In Mexico, citizens create DIY bike lanes
by Beth McKechnie 16 Jun '11

16 Jun '11

In Mexico, citizens create DIY bike lanes By Colleen Kimmett On Vancouver's city council, support for building bike lanes has been pretty much unanimous <http://thetyee.ca/News/2010/08/11/BicycleBacklash/>. (It helps having a mayor who bikes to work and opposition members who spend their vacation cycling around Europe.) Here, it's the politicians who have had to ease bike infrastructure into the public realm, with communication plans, consultations, and trial runs<http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/Transportation/2009/06/23/BurrardBridgeBike…>. For some, it's still too much. For others, not enough. In Mexico, reports Treehugger.com <http://www.treehugger.com/>, residents of Guadalajara -- a city that adds 350 cars to its street every day -- are taking a different approach, with DIY bike lanes. The city at one point created a cycling plan with recommended bike routes. But nothing ever came of it. Fed up with their government's inaction, a group of citizens led by students and teachers at a local technical college, decided to take matters into their own hands. They erected signs and painted lines on the street to create dedicated bike lanes, and released a video and document explaining how and why they did it. "In Mexico, the cost of building a bike lane reaches about a hundred thousand dollars per kilometer," the group explained. "This means that the section on which we worked, 2.5 kilometers on each side of a two way avenue, could have cost about five hundred thousand dollars. The investment, the citizen's investment, was of only a thousand dollars." The full story and video, can be found here<http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/01/guerilla-diy-bike-lane-guadalajara-…>. *Colleen Kimmett reports for The Tyee.* *http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/2011/01/13/DIYBikeLanes/ * -- *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) 925-3772 | 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/memberships/>

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Register for Bike to Work Day Winnipeg!
by Beth McKechnie 16 Jun '11

16 Jun '11

*** Please share widely *** Dear Fellow Winnipegger, Join us in making an impact by cycling to work on June 24th as part of the 4th annual Bike to Work Day Winnipeg! By registering for free online, not only will you get a chance to take part in all of the days events including complimentary snacks, beverages, BBQ, prizes and parties, you will add your voice to ours and take a stand for cyclists and a greener, more bike-friendly Winnipeg. This year is a year to celebrate both the advances in our city's walking and cycling infrastructure as well as our event plans. Please take a moment to learn more at www.biketoworkdaywinnipeg.org Even if you are unsure today whether you can bike on June 24th--register! Your registration and support of the event will help grow the event each year. Please see below for a schedule of the day. We look forward to seeing you on your bikes soon! cheers, Beth -------- *JUNE 24th is BIKE TO WORK DAY* *6:30-9:00am* Locate a pit stop using our online map<http://bikeplanit.org/map/index.html?site=btwd&ll=49.87335,-97.160518&z=13&…>. Stop along your commute and receive free snacks and coffee (available on a first come, first serve basis) along with other swag and t-shirts. Find a buddy and share the ride to work! *Please note that there is NO pancake breakfast this year; instead we will be hosting a BBQ to bookend the day.* *4:00- 7:00pm* Manitoba Lotteries BBQ at the Forks. Stop by on your way home for free music and a great party! Free food for the first 300.

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New research: Benefits of New and Improved Pedestrian Facilities - Before and After Studies
by Beth McKechnie 11 Jun '11

11 Jun '11

S. Turner, R. Singh, P. Quinn and T. Allatt (2011), "*Benefits Of New And Improved Pedestrian Facilities – Before And After Studies*," Research Report 436, NZ Transport Agency ( http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/research/reports/436/docs/436.pdf ). [snipped from the Executive Summary:] This research, conducted between 2005 and 2009, aimed to investigate whether the implementation of new pedestrian facilities (or the improvement of existing facilities) led to increased pedestrian rates, and to record these changes in a standardised format that could be used in transport planning and project funding. This study also tried to develop an expected pedestrian-usage model, based on before and after data analysis, for planners and funding agents to use when planning new or improved facilities and evaluating projects. The final part of the project involved developing a monitoring database containing before and after pedestrian count data for various new and improved pedestrian facilities, along with a list of accompanying factors such as safety, delay and directness. Results from the before and after pedestrian count surveys and analysis of the individual case studies showed that the implementation of improved pedestrian facilities resulted in increased usage at seven out of the eight sites analysed. The magnitude of these changes varied between sites, from 7% for the Moorhouse Ave signalised pedestrian crossing to 90% for the kerb extensions at Collingwood St. The reasons for the increases in flows were analysed in each of the individual case studies, and were found to be a mix of factors such as safety, delay and directness. Overall, it was observed that the construction of kerb extensions/refuge islands resulted in the largest increase in pedestrian numbers, followed by the installation of kea crossings. -- *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) 925-3772 | 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/memberships/>

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New research: increasing sidewalk coverage to reduce GHG emissions
by Beth McKechnie 11 Jun '11

11 Jun '11

[From the Victoria Transport Institute (VTPI) newsletter] Lawrence D. Frank , et al. (2011), "*An Assessment of Urban Form and Pedestrian and Transit Improvements as an Integrated GHG Reduction Strategy*," Washington State Department of Transportation (http:// www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/765.1.pdf ). This study used detailed data to assess the impacts of various urban form factors on vehicle travel and carbon emissions. This analysis indicates that increasing sidewalk coverage from 30% to 70% of streets in an urban neighborhood would typically reduce vehicle travel 3.4% and carbon emissions 4.9%. Land use mix and parking pricing also had significant impacts. Increasing average parking fees from $0.28 to $1.19 per hour (50th to 75th percentile) reduces vehicle travel 11.5% and emissions 9.9%. Study results were used to develop a spreadsheet tool that can evaluate the impacts of urban form, sidewalk coverage, and transit service quality and other policy changes for local and regional analysis. -- *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) 925-3772 | 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/memberships/>

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Bike to Work Day Winnipeg is June 24
by Beth McKechnie 07 Jun '11

07 Jun '11

If you haven't registered yet for the 4th Annual Bike to Work Day Winnipeg, then please register now! It's easy and FREE! Just go to http://biketoworkdaywinnipeg.org/ and click Register in the top right corner then fill in your information. You'll be entered to win great prizes like a *bike makeover from Natural Cycle*. Then *on Friday, June 24th*, ride your bike to work. *Locate a pit stop near you using our online map and stop by between 6:30 and 9 AM for free snacks and coffee. At the end of the day you can wind down at the Forks from 4-7pm with a free BBQ for the first 300 cyclists and live music. Please note that there is NO Pancake Breakfast at the Forks in the morning.* It is very important for everyone to register as we want to show how important cycling is in Winnipeg with a great turn-out. Please forward this on to all your friends, family and coworkers so that we can make this the most successful Bike to Work Day Winnipeg yet! There are also volunteer opportunities still available. Please contact *CARA FISHER programs(a)thewrench.ca * if you would like to help.

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TRAIL BUILDING WORKSHOP - PROVIDENCE COLLEGE - OTTERBURNE JUNE 18th
by Anders Swanson 07 Jun '11

07 Jun '11

For those of you interested in the nuts and bolts of trails infrastructure development, please see the information on the workshop hosted by the Crow Wing Trail below. Regards, Anders Swanson Active Transportation Project Coordinator Physical Activity Coalition of Manitoba | www.pacm.ca c.204-294-7027 | activetransportation(a)pacm.ca ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Crow Wing Trail <cwta(a)voyageur.coop> Date: Tue, Jun 7, 2011 at 2:40 PM Subject: MORE INFORMATION ON TRAIL BUILDING WORKSHOP - PROVIDENCE COLLEGE - JUNE 18th Please find attached cover letter, press release and poster providing more information about the trail building workshop. Please print and distribute or forward to your members and/or organizations that could benefit from this opportunity. Please register asap to assist us in accommodating everyone. Thank you. Murielle Bugera, President Crow Wing Trail Association

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Grist: How bike tourism helps local economies
by Beth McKechnie 07 Jun '11

07 Jun '11

The grand tour: How bike tourism helps local economies by Elly Blue <http://www.grist.org/people/Elly+Blue> 6 Jun 2011 10:49 AM http://www.grist.org/biking/2011-06-06-the-grand-tour-how-bike-tourism-help… Bike-friendly cities, off-road paths, and scenic country roads where cyclists can spin along in comfort aren't just good for the people who live in those places. They also attract tourists. And tourists mean money for the local economy. Tourism is one of the U.S.'s largest industries and biggest employers, creating millions of jobs and bringing in hundreds of *billions* of dollars each year<http://www.ustravel.org/government-affairs/travel-industry-economic-impact>(not to mention the tax benefits). Bicycle touring has long had an honored place in the tourism economy and culture. This doesn't go unrecognized: In Wisconsin, bike tourism is estimated to contribute $1.5 billion to the state's economy<http://urbanpedal.com/2011/02/04/economics-of-biking/>every year. It's not just about paths or trails, though the measurable impacts these facilities have on local economies are a big deal. Bicycle transportation may not yet be mainstream in the U.S., but recreational bicycling is. More people ride bikes than ski, and more bikes than cars are bought here every year -- presumably for the purpose of family rides along the riverside trail<http://www.bikesbelong.org/resources/stats-and-research/statistics/economic…>and the like. For communities looking to up the ante, in adventure or economic development, there are many enticing opportunities for bicycle touring beyond a short jaunt on the rail trail. Take, as an example, RAGBRAI (that's the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa <http://ragbrai.com/>), which calls itself "the oldest, largest and longest bicycle touring event in the world." Now in its 39th year, the seven-day event follows a different route every year. Participants and spectators drop plenty of cash into small-town economies along the way -- buying pancakes, beer, massages, and souvenirs. The ride also has a longer-term economic impact that's harder to quantify -- in marketing<http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=297766>the state's attractions and even in job creation<http://www.iowacityareadevelopment.com/news/ottumwaragbrai/> . Rides like RAGBRAI -- few are nearly as large, but every state boasts smaller supported tours -- introduce participants to the satisfaction and camaraderie of bicycle touring. And they are ambassadors of mutual goodwill, paving the way<http://pathlesspedaled.com/2011/05/rough-cut-tara-corbin-rural-communities-…>for acceptance in communities where a person on a bike on a rural road might otherwise be seen as an inconvenience. Then there's unsupported touring. It's the same thing you might do with a car -- strap some basics to your rear rack and take off down the road to meet people, see sights, and gaze contemplatively at the road ahead. You can take a bike trip for next to no money by camping and picnicking your way down scenic country roads, picking up supplies and souvenirs at the same places locals shop, finding your focus in grueling mountain climbs and your joy in the long descents. At the other end of the spectrum is what a friend calls "credit card bike camping": short hops between charming bed and breakfasts, stopping at every tucked-away restaurant and winery. Either way, you're expanding your horizons under your own power and putting your money directly into small, local businesses rather than into your gas tank or the chain hotels off the freeway. There's a resurgence of interest in this kind of touring, though few are embracing it as completely as Russ Roca and Laura Crawford, who a year and a half ago decided to sell all their possessions and take off across the country by bike <http://pathlesspedaled.com/about/> without a set destination or plan. They financed the trip in part with speaking engagements at local bike shops, which have proven unexpectedly popular. Roca and Crawford seem to be onto something. The rising price of gas and a growing disenchantment with cars, traffic, and the sedentary life mean have resulted in new interest in different types of vacations and adventures. The hurdle, for local decision makers and business leaders who want to encourage bike tourism, is to avoid the pitfall of classifying bikes as purely recreational, a luxury alternative to the classic Sunday drive. Welcoming bicycle tourists should go beyond a friendly attitude and amenities from business owners, though those two things certainly make a big difference<http://pathlesspedaled.com/2011/05/5-easy-ways-to-be-a-bike-friendly-busine…> . The benefits of bike tourism aren't just for rural communities. In Portland, with its well-established bikeway network, a survey found that 78 percent of visitors said that the city's bicycle-friendly reputation played a role in their decision to travel here<http://bikeportland.org/2009/01/28/60000-free-bike-maps-a-look-at-transport…>. Bikeshare systems can change a visitor's experience of a city<http://www.grist.org/biking/2011-05-25-washingtons-bikeshare-is-a-capital-i…> . Bike touring, when it's embraced at a policy level, breaks down the dichotomy between recreation and transportation. After all, bike-minded improvements in infrastructure and enforcement create healthier<http://www.grist.org/biking/2011-03-28-pedaling-away-from-the-health-care-c…>, more economically sound places not just to visit but to live. Streets and roads where it feels comfortable to ride a bike are good for residents, tourists, and the economy. Elly Blue is a writer and bicycle activist <http://ellyblue.net/> living in Portland, Oregon. You can find her on Twitter <http://twitter.com/ellyblue>.

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WFP: City brings back bike-pad parking
by Beth McKechnie 06 Jun '11

06 Jun '11

Going for a ride? City brings back bike-pad parking By: Melissa Martin THERE is suddenly a surge of parking in the heart of Winnipeg -- as long as you leave your car at home. City workers have installed new bike parking pads over 18 street spots in downtown, the Exchange District and the West End. It is the second year for the active-transportation feature, which was launched as a pilot program last summer. The mobile pads take up about two car-lengths of space on the street, and have room to securely hitch 16 bikes per rack they carry. "They are designed to be semi-portable so that, should a location not be in high demand, they can be moved to an area of higher demand," city spokeswoman Alissa Clark said. For instance, you may have spotted the pads -- which are built on a base of recycled wood -- outside Canad Inns Stadium for last Sunday's U2 concert. Currently, the pads have a home at spots including outside the MTS Centre, near the Sport Manitoba building on Pacific Avenue, and on Langside Street, north of Portage Avenue. In some high-traffic spots, the pads have been a hit with cyclists who have long had to lash their bike to fences or light poles. Unlocking her bike from the pad at the corner of Bannatyne Avenue and Albert Street, one frequent cyclist applauded the pads' return. "It's an incentive," said Elisa Contreras, 24. "Everything that makes a city more friendly for cyclists is great. They're well-made and incredibly easy to lock your bikes to ---- it's a great idea." Not all are so thrilled. Last year during the pilot program, witnesses in the Exchange District watched as a car accidentally drove into one of the pads, damaging bikes and the car itself; on Twitter and in Exchange District cafés, some drivers were overheard voicing concerns that the pads' presence on the street wasn't safe. But the pads are marked by tall blue columns to alert drivers, and Clark pointed out that they are only placed in existing street parking spots to minimize risk. Each spot is vetted by the public works department to make sure it's safe for drivers, she said. The bike-pad program is administered by the city's parking authority and designed to complement the city's active transportation initiatives. They are monitored by local Business Improvement Zone organizations, which keep an ear out for feedback. Last year, the Exchange District BIZ heard a few complaints about where the bike pads were located. So this year, they tweaked the placement of their four pads. "So far, we haven't had a single complaint, and for the most part they're full," said BIZ operations director Derek Manaigre. "So we are happy." The BIZ also hopes to install 15 to 30 more individual bike racks this year. melissa.martin(a)freepress.mb.ca -- *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) 925-3772 | 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/memberships/>

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Active Transportation Canada - New Posts June 3, 2011
by Beth McKechnie 03 Jun '11

03 Jun '11

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Michael Haynes <activetransportation(a)rogers.com> Date: Fri, Jun 3, 2011 at 10:00 AM Subject: Active Transportation Canada - New Posts June 3, 2011 More than 20 new items have been posted on the Active Transportation-Canada Website over the past month. A complete list of titles may be found in the "Blog Archive" box, located on the right margin of the Website. Some sample new items: 1. Halifax - Active transportation plan stalls 2. ‘Cycle tracks’ in cities could save bicyclists lives 3. Nova Scotia Rural Active Transportation Summit Active Transportation Canada URL: http://activetransportation-canada.blogspot.com A "Search" function is available on the site. You will find this at the bottom of the page. With more than 1,000 items posted on Active Transportation - Canada, there are links available to dozens of studies and hundreds of news items from communities across Canada and the world. If anyone has a problem reading this message, please let me know. I welcome suggestions for posts, so if you have news items featuring your community, please share them with the other subscribers from Canada, the US, and Australia on Active Transportation-Canada. Thank you. Michael Haynes Director TransActive Solutions

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Trails Day TOMORROW - NEW special event / invitation !
by Janice Lukes 03 Jun '11

03 Jun '11

TOMORROW is Trails Day in Winnipeg An unprecedented number of events are occurring throughout the city! - see link for details: http://www.winnipegtrails.ca/2011/05/09/june-4th-trails-day-celebration/ and end of day yesterday we just received final confirmation that a ribbon cutting ceremony will occur on the brand new Bishop Grandin Trail West with government dignitaries ( location of Bishop Grandin Trail West http://www.winnipegtrails.ca/trails-maps/bishop-grandin-trail-west/ ) JUST CONFIRMED: Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Bishop Grandin Trail West - (also part of the Trans Canada Trail) 3:00 pm Crampton's Market - 1765 Waverly St (Corner of Bishop Grandin and Waverly) Join MP Rod Bruinooge, Honourable Kerri Irvin Ross (MLA Fort Richmond) and Mr. Phil Sheegl, CAO City of Winnipeg (TBC) in opening this new trail! The three levels of government have made significant investments in trail development over the past few years. IF you have some time on Saturday, join us at 3:00pm and congratulate / celebrate! thank you! Janice Lukes Manager, Special Projects - Winnipeg Trails Rivers West Red River Corridor Inc. 235-614 Des Meurons Street Winnipeg, MB R2H 2P9 Cell (204) 952-4222 Fax (204) 237-4618 <mailto:jlukes@riverswest.ca> jlukes(a)riverswest.ca www.WinnipegTrails.ca <http://www.winnipegtrails.ca/> Member of City of Winnipeg Active Transportation Advisory Committee Chair, Province of Manitoba Active Transportation Advisory Group

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Free Webinar: Linking Transportation, Air Quality, Climate Change and Health Impacts
by Jessie Klassen 02 Jun '11

02 Jun '11

(Apologies for cross postings) Hello All! * Green Action Centre will host a local viewing of the following PHAC webinar on Linking Transportation, Air Quality, Climate Change and Health Impacts on Wednesday, June 8th, from 1-2pm in the Eco-Centre Boardroom (303 Portage Ave, 3rd Floor, enter via the MEC elevator). We'd love it if you would join us! Please let me know at jessie(a)greenactioncentre.ca. Hope to see you then! Jessie Klassen | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/>| Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Avenue | (204) 925-3772 Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/> * * * *The Public Health Agency of Canada is hosting this Fireside Chat to mark 'Clean Air Day' Join one of Canada’s leading environmental health scientists for a presentation describing the current status of air pollution effects on the health of Canadians and opportunities to reduce these impacts through healthy urban design. * Air quality management strategies have resulted in significant improvements in urban air quality in Canadian cities, yet there remains clear evidence of substantial public health impacts amongst Canadians. Linkages between climate change and air pollution through common emission sources and health impacts will require increased application of traditional health protection measures and climate mitigation approaches that do not compromise air quality. These interactions also suggest novel opportunities for climate, air quality and health co-benefits. Healthy urban design, in which active transportation is facilitated, can lead to emission reductions while providing further potential health benefits through increased physical activity. *Advisor on Tap: [image: image001]Dr. Michael Brauer Professor, * School of Population and Public Health The University of British Columbia *Michael Brauer* is a Professor in the School of Population and Public Health at The University of British Columbia. He also directs the Bridge Program – a strategic training program linking public health, engineering and policy. He is recognized internationally for his research on air pollution exposure and health impacts. He has participated in studies throughout the world and served on advisory committees to the World Health Organization, the US National Academy of Sciences, the Royal Society of Canada, the International Joint Commission and governments in North America and Asia. * *

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FW: Science Matters | Burn calories, not gas: Ride a bike
by Kevin Miller 27 May '11

27 May '11

There's probably nothing here that most of us don't know, but it's nice to see cycling as the topic of David Suzuki's weekly column (which appears in many newspapers). Kevin Miller <k.a.miller(a)mts.net> _____ From: David Suzuki Foundation [mailto:subscribers@davidsuzuki.org] Sent: Friday, May 27, 2011 11:39 AM http://tinyurl.com/43ytvhy Having trouble reading this email? View it online <http://cl.exct.net/?qs=5cea98a99a0e97cd12cc612feadcd1b7a63f488a0612cc98 d649e7c36b86a320> . David Suzuki Foundation header <http://image.exct.net/lib/fe5c1570746c0d7a741c/m/1/20thhead-04.jpg> Burn calories, not gas: Ride a bike dtsbike <http://image.exct.net/lib/fe5c1570746c0d7a741c/m/1/dtsbike.jpg> By David Suzuki A U.K. man recently built a bicycle entirely out of wood, with no plastic or metal parts. Everything, including the wheels, gears, and seat, are wood. Inventor Michael Thompson, who made the "SplinterBike <http://cl.exct.net/?qs=5cea98a99a0e97cdce389bca770edb6752f7f6a1bdc41d9f 35e16c218553dfda> " on a bet with a friend, says it can travel up to 50 kilometres an hour. What's amazing is that, almost 200 years after the first two-wheeler was made, people are still able to come up with innovative ideas for one of the simplest and most practical and efficient transportation devices ever invented. Even though I'm impressed by Thompson's wooden bike, and by those with bamboo or wood frames, I'll stick with my old metal-frame bike. I'm just happy that cycling is becoming more popular all the time, and that the city where I live, Vancouver, is making life easier for cyclists. After all, riding a bike is good for your health and the environment. As the Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition points out in its promotion of Bike to Work Week (May 30 - June 5 in several Canadian cities), cycling to work is enjoyable, helps you get and stay in shape, and burns off stress. And when you consider gridlock and traffic, it's often as fast as or faster than driving. It's also way more efficient than car travel. According to the WorldWatch <http://cl.exct.net/?qs=5cea98a99a0e97cd7a725db2b7c0035cc5e8568a547e9fb3 e87e53732ceb4e0e> Institute, a bicycle needs 35 calories per passenger mile, while a car uses 1,860. Reducing your need to stop at the gas pump is both good for the environment and for your pocketbook, especially as gas prices continue to rise. Private automobiles create about 12 per cent of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions, and road transportation in general creates as much as one quarter. Riding a bike doesn't create any emissions. And it's not just gas that costs money. Buying, insuring, and maintaining a car, not to mention paying for parking, costs thousands of dollars a year. Of course, cycling isn't practical for everyone, and it's not always possible to ride - although I've seen my share of die-hard cyclists even on rare Vancouver snow days. But with proper clothing and gear, many people can ride for most of the year in urban centres. And the money saved from not driving is often enough to pay for public transit or taxis on days when cycling isn't possible. Our cities will become more livable and our environment cleaner when more people get out of their cars and onto their bikes. But we still have a long way to go in Canada. Only about one per cent of trips are made by bike here (although Vancouver <http://cl.exct.net/?qs=5cea98a99a0e97cd26820283112d7780b1893af92005aeb0 0d3b140b853dd3af> is higher, at about four per cent), whereas in many parts of Europe, the number is more than 30 per cent. In Amsterdam, 38 per cent of trips are made by bike, thanks to pro-cycling policies adopted since the 1970s. Resistance to change is inevitable, and in Vancouver we've seen some backlash against the expanding network of bike lanes. Many people still believe we should be shelling out loads of money for pavement and parking lots so that individual people can propel themselves to work and shopping in a two-tonne emissions-spewing machine. Others have complained that, because the bike lanes were not immediately crammed with cyclists, they're a waste of money and get in the way of cars and business. But as Amsterdam shows, investing in cycling and pedestrian infrastructure eventually pays off in many ways. As more people take up cycling, it also becomes safer. Although, those who worry about the safety of cycling might be interested in a British Medical Association study that found the health risks of inactivity are 20 times greater than the risks from cycling. For employers <http://cl.exct.net/?qs=5cea98a99a0e97cd18962cc79cbfb44edd6629d4f4e47aac b0ab2a9f240d68dd> , the benefits of encouraging cycling are numerous. A Dutch study found that people who cycle to work take fewer sick days, and research has shown they are generally happier and less stressed. Cyclists can also avoid traffic jams and are not as likely to be late for work. And bike lock-ups cost far less than car-parking facilities. Whether your bike has a state-of-the-art bamboo frame or is a clunky old off-roader, why not try riding it to work, and not just during Bike to Work week? You'll be happy you did. Written with contributions from David Suzuki Foundation editorial and communications specialist Ian Hanington share on: <http://image.exct.net/lib/fe5c1570746c0d7a741c/m/1/share.gif> <http://cl.exct.net/?qs=5cea98a99a0e97cdfeeebf715c7180e2c4d72a8b17c14837 c1d3bf92d9cde3f9> facebook logo <http://cl.exct.net/?qs=5cea98a99a0e97cd0596e0525fb80fdba85550434272265b 565a620db72b6f15> twitter logo This email was sent to k.a.miller(a)mts.net Take <http://cl.exct.net/?qs=5cea98a99a0e97cd0753c23ff3e558a4b65865dbc3001936 669cfce2bc7fe7d9> Action | Donate <http://cl.exct.net/?qs=5cea98a99a0e97cd2f5e93a01523dcb6ee5e50f9f064ea68 507e3f7c6d0978ed> | Unsubscribe <http://cl.exct.net/?qs=5cea98a99a0e97cdb929c68e2ac708f820387bfee6deea15 1d862d4825a00e40> | Privacy <http://cl.exct.net/?qs=5cea98a99a0e97cd596b49828cbc680e758e630ea3e1747b f5cedf19ce9e178a> Policy David <http://cl.exct.net/?qs=5cea98a99a0e97cdc6237878403c8494ad6a4a2c265b10c5 d45d12a057533c3e> Suzuki Foundation 219-2211 West 4th Ave., Vancouver, BC, V6K 4S2 604-732-4228 | contact(a)davidsuzuki.org <http://image.exct.net/lib/fe5c1570746c0d7a741c/m/1/tagline.gif>

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FW: Science Matters | Burn calories, not gas: Ride a bike
by Kevin Miller 27 May '11

27 May '11

There's probably nothing here that most of us don't know, but it's nice to see cycling as the topic of David Suzuki's weekly column (which appears in many newspapers). Kevin Miller <k.a.miller(a)mts.net> _____ From: David Suzuki Foundation [mailto:subscribers@davidsuzuki.org] Sent: Friday, May 27, 2011 11:39 AM http://tinyurl.com/43ytvhy Having trouble reading this email? View it online <http://cl.exct.net/?qs=5cea98a99a0e97cd12cc612feadcd1b7a63f488a0612cc98 d649e7c36b86a320> . David Suzuki Foundation header <http://image.exct.net/lib/fe5c1570746c0d7a741c/m/1/20thhead-04.jpg> Burn calories, not gas: Ride a bike dtsbike <http://image.exct.net/lib/fe5c1570746c0d7a741c/m/1/dtsbike.jpg> By David Suzuki A U.K. man recently built a bicycle entirely out of wood, with no plastic or metal parts. Everything, including the wheels, gears, and seat, are wood. Inventor Michael Thompson, who made the "SplinterBike <http://cl.exct.net/?qs=5cea98a99a0e97cdce389bca770edb6752f7f6a1bdc41d9f 35e16c218553dfda> " on a bet with a friend, says it can travel up to 50 kilometres an hour. What's amazing is that, almost 200 years after the first two-wheeler was made, people are still able to come up with innovative ideas for one of the simplest and most practical and efficient transportation devices ever invented. Even though I'm impressed by Thompson's wooden bike, and by those with bamboo or wood frames, I'll stick with my old metal-frame bike. I'm just happy that cycling is becoming more popular all the time, and that the city where I live, Vancouver, is making life easier for cyclists. After all, riding a bike is good for your health and the environment. As the Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition points out in its promotion of Bike to Work Week (May 30 - June 5 in several Canadian cities), cycling to work is enjoyable, helps you get and stay in shape, and burns off stress. And when you consider gridlock and traffic, it's often as fast as or faster than driving. It's also way more efficient than car travel. According to the WorldWatch <http://cl.exct.net/?qs=5cea98a99a0e97cd7a725db2b7c0035cc5e8568a547e9fb3 e87e53732ceb4e0e> Institute, a bicycle needs 35 calories per passenger mile, while a car uses 1,860. Reducing your need to stop at the gas pump is both good for the environment and for your pocketbook, especially as gas prices continue to rise. Private automobiles create about 12 per cent of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions, and road transportation in general creates as much as one quarter. Riding a bike doesn't create any emissions. And it's not just gas that costs money. Buying, insuring, and maintaining a car, not to mention paying for parking, costs thousands of dollars a year. Of course, cycling isn't practical for everyone, and it's not always possible to ride - although I've seen my share of die-hard cyclists even on rare Vancouver snow days. But with proper clothing and gear, many people can ride for most of the year in urban centres. And the money saved from not driving is often enough to pay for public transit or taxis on days when cycling isn't possible. Our cities will become more livable and our environment cleaner when more people get out of their cars and onto their bikes. But we still have a long way to go in Canada. Only about one per cent of trips are made by bike here (although Vancouver <http://cl.exct.net/?qs=5cea98a99a0e97cd26820283112d7780b1893af92005aeb0 0d3b140b853dd3af> is higher, at about four per cent), whereas in many parts of Europe, the number is more than 30 per cent. In Amsterdam, 38 per cent of trips are made by bike, thanks to pro-cycling policies adopted since the 1970s. Resistance to change is inevitable, and in Vancouver we've seen some backlash against the expanding network of bike lanes. Many people still believe we should be shelling out loads of money for pavement and parking lots so that individual people can propel themselves to work and shopping in a two-tonne emissions-spewing machine. Others have complained that, because the bike lanes were not immediately crammed with cyclists, they're a waste of money and get in the way of cars and business. But as Amsterdam shows, investing in cycling and pedestrian infrastructure eventually pays off in many ways. As more people take up cycling, it also becomes safer. Although, those who worry about the safety of cycling might be interested in a British Medical Association study that found the health risks of inactivity are 20 times greater than the risks from cycling. For employers <http://cl.exct.net/?qs=5cea98a99a0e97cd18962cc79cbfb44edd6629d4f4e47aac b0ab2a9f240d68dd> , the benefits of encouraging cycling are numerous. A Dutch study found that people who cycle to work take fewer sick days, and research has shown they are generally happier and less stressed. Cyclists can also avoid traffic jams and are not as likely to be late for work. And bike lock-ups cost far less than car-parking facilities. Whether your bike has a state-of-the-art bamboo frame or is a clunky old off-roader, why not try riding it to work, and not just during Bike to Work week? You'll be happy you did. Written with contributions from David Suzuki Foundation editorial and communications specialist Ian Hanington share on: <http://image.exct.net/lib/fe5c1570746c0d7a741c/m/1/share.gif> <http://cl.exct.net/?qs=5cea98a99a0e97cdfeeebf715c7180e2c4d72a8b17c14837 c1d3bf92d9cde3f9> facebook logo <http://cl.exct.net/?qs=5cea98a99a0e97cd0596e0525fb80fdba85550434272265b 565a620db72b6f15> twitter logo This email was sent to k.a.miller(a)mts.net Take <http://cl.exct.net/?qs=5cea98a99a0e97cd0753c23ff3e558a4b65865dbc3001936 669cfce2bc7fe7d9> Action | Donate <http://cl.exct.net/?qs=5cea98a99a0e97cd2f5e93a01523dcb6ee5e50f9f064ea68 507e3f7c6d0978ed> | Unsubscribe <http://cl.exct.net/?qs=5cea98a99a0e97cdb929c68e2ac708f820387bfee6deea15 1d862d4825a00e40> | Privacy <http://cl.exct.net/?qs=5cea98a99a0e97cd596b49828cbc680e758e630ea3e1747b f5cedf19ce9e178a> Policy David <http://cl.exct.net/?qs=5cea98a99a0e97cdc6237878403c8494ad6a4a2c265b10c5 d45d12a057533c3e> Suzuki Foundation 219-2211 West 4th Ave., Vancouver, BC, V6K 4S2 604-732-4228 | contact(a)davidsuzuki.org <http://image.exct.net/lib/fe5c1570746c0d7a741c/m/1/tagline.gif>

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WFP: Teen cyclist killed
by Beth McKechnie 27 May '11

27 May '11

Teen cyclist killed AN 18-year-old cyclist has died after being hit by a semi-trailer in Steinbach Thursday afternoon. The crash happened at 2.45 p.m. at the junction of highways 12 and 52. The semi was hauling hogs and was travelling west on Highway 52 when the male driver hit the cyclist. The cyclist, a woman, was pronounced dead at the scene. RCMP continue to investigate. Alcohol was not a factor. *Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 27, 2011 A11*

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In some cities, not walking is as dangerous as walking
by Beth McKechnie 27 May '11

27 May '11

In Some Cities, Not Walking is as Dangerous as Walking<http://alttransport.com/2011/05/in-some-cities-not-walking-is-as-dangerous-…> by Joseph Cutrufo <http://alttransport.com/author/jcutrufo/> on Thursday, May 26, 2011 http://alttransport.com/2011/05/in-some-cities-not-walking-is-as-dangerous-… What’s more dangerous in your community? Walking or not walking? If walking isn’t a safe way to travel in your city, *not walking* may be just as dangerous. The American Colleges of Sports Medicine’s American Fitness Index<http://www.americanfitnessindex.org/quickview.htm>(AFI) and Transportaton for America’s Pedestrian Danger Index<http://t4america.org/resources/dangerousbydesign2011/states/worst-metros/>(PDI) may not at first blush appear to have much in common with one another, except for the fact that they were both released this week. The American Fitness Index is a “scientific snapshot of the state of health and fitness at the metropolitan level,” while the Pedestrian Danger Index is a “measure of the relative risk of walking, adjusted for exposure.” So where’s the connection? The metropolitan areas that the AFI ranks among the healthiest and fittest, are by and large among the safest places for walking, while many of the unhealthiest, least fit metro areas are also some of the most dangerous for pedestrians. In other words, if you manage not to be killed trying to cross the street, you’re still at increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, asthma and obesity. Minneapolis, which got the top spot<http://health.usnews.com/health-news/diet-fitness/fitness/articles/2011/05/…>on the AFI’s list of 50 metro areas, was ranked the 48th most dangerous metro area out of 52 in the Pedestrian Danger Index. Boston<http://articles.boston.com/2011-05-25/news/29582658_1_pedestrian-danger-ind…>was named the least dangerous metro for pedestrians in the PDI, and was ranked third fittest in the AFI. The Pacific Northwest also had strong correlations between fitness and safety: Portland<http://www.oregon.statenews.net/story.php?rid=45627572>, San Francisco<http://www.californiahealthline.org/articles/2011/5/25/san-francisco-sacram…>and Seattle<http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2011/05/23/seattle-falls-in-healthy…>were all, not surprisingly, ranked in the top quintile for fitness and in the bottom quintile for danger. On the flipside, Tampa was ranked the second most dangerous metro for pedestrians, and was 40th in terms of fitness. While the PDI’s four most dangerous metros are in Florida<http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/25/us-florida-pedestrians-idUSTRE74O…>, many of the strongest correlations between fitness and pedestrian safety were more spread out geographically: The Inland Empire<http://www.scpr.org/news/2011/05/25/study-finds-inland-empire-region-among-…>region of Riverside and San Bernardino, California (5th most dangerous, 44th fittest), Las Vegas<http://www.8newsnow.com/story/14715691/las-vegas-6th-most-dangerous-for-ped…>(6th most dangerous, 43rd fittest), Memphis<http://www.memphisflyer.com/NewsBlog/archives/2011/05/24/memphis-bad-for-pe…>(7th most dangerous, 48th fittest) and Houston<http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2011/05/24/houston-in-top-10-on-ped…>(9th most dangerous, 42nd fittest). We’re quick to point the finger at the American diet and the US health care system for obesity and other chronic diseases, but these reports suggest the physical layout of our metro areas and how we move about within them are also to blame. Because of infrastructure that favors automobile travel over active transportation, the odds are stacked doubly high against people living in the least fit, least walkable places. Even those who want to start walking for health or transportation purposes struggle to do so because there’s nowhere safe to walk. The full American Fitness Index report and the Pedestrian Danger Index — part of T4America’s *Dangerous by Design 2011* — are available here<http://www.americanfitnessindex.org/docs/reports/2011_afi_report_final.pdf>and here <http://t4america.org/docs/dangerousbydesign/dangerous_by_design.pdf>.

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Walking on sunshine - 10 am today kick-off Commuter Challenge
by Beth McKechnie 26 May '11

26 May '11

*Looking for an excuse to get outside and enjoy some sunshine this morning? Walk, pedal, bus over to the official kick-off of the 2011 Commuter Challenge! * *When?* 10 a.m., TODAY *Where?* Manitoba Hydro Place outdoor plaza (corner of Edmonton and Graham) *What?* The Commuter Challenge, which takes place from June 5-11, is an annual friendly competition that encourages Manitobans to choose active and green commuting options. Individuals who bus, walk, cycle, carpool, telecommute or use any form of green commuting during that week are eligible to win great prizes! Manitobans can visit www.GreenActionCentre.ca<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/>to register as an employee with their workplace or as an individual, and log their green km during the week of the Commuter Challenge.

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City of Winnipeg Job Posting: Community Climate Change Coordinator (2 year term)
by Beth McKechnie 25 May '11

25 May '11

http://www.winnipeg.ca/resumeol/peoplesoft/job_req.asp?req=107422 Community Climate Change Coordinator (Planner 3) - Temporary 2 year Term *Posting NO.107422 *COMMUNITY CLIMATE CHANGE COORDINATOR (PLANNER 3) TEMPORARY 2 YEAR TERM PLANNING, PROPERTY AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT POSTING NO. 107422 The City of Winnipeg is currently accepting resumes to fill a temporary 2 year term Community Climate Change Coordinator (Planner 3) position for the Planning Property and Development Department. Under the direction of the Environmental Coordinator, the Climate Change Planner leads and facilitates the development of climate change action plans and coordinates corporate climate change actions across the organization. Engages and fosters relationships and partnerships with the community, various government departments, local agencies, community-based organizations and the private sector to achieve action on climate change priorities. Qualifications: 1. Bachelor's Degree in Planning, Public Administration, Environmental Studies/Science, Geography, Natural Resource Management OR Master¿s Degree in City Planning, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Studies/Science, Geography, Public Administration is desirable. 2. A minimum of three (3) years experience in planning/implementing environmental initiatives. 3. Demonstrated organizational, analytical and decision-making abilities. 4. Proven ability to build consensus, to inspire confidence and to lead. 5. Demonstrated ability to analyze complex issues and develop practical solutions. 6. Strong interpersonal skills, including communication (both oral and written), facilitation and collaboration skills. 7. Public presentation and formal report preparation skills. 8. Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective professional and working relationships with a wide variety of people (including elected and senior appointed officials). 9. Demonstrated political astuteness and sound judgment. 10. Positive, team oriented, confident attitude. 11. Ability to operate a personal computer and associated software (word processing, spreadsheet applications). 12. Demonstrated knowledge of local government issues and working knowledge of organizational change, theory and practice. 13. Knowledge of economic development issues as related to sustainable development at the community and neighbourhood level. 14. Knowledge of climate change. A Criminal Record Check will be required for the successful candidate, at their expense. A comprehensive salary and benefits package is offered. Interested applicants should submit a resume indicating Posting Number 107422 to: Competition Coordinator, Planning, Property and Development Department, Mezzanine, Unit 78 - 30 Fort Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3C 4X7 or apply online at www.winnipeg.ca/hr on or before 4:30 p.m. Friday, June 3, 2011. Only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. City of Winnipeg on-line: http://www.winnipeg.ca Online Application Form<http://www.winnipeg.ca/resumeol/peoplesoft/apply.asp> *THE CITY OF WINNIPEG IS AN EMPLOYMENT EQUITY EMPLOYER ABORIGINAL PERSONS, WOMEN, VISIBLE MINORITIES AND INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO SELF-DECLARE IN THEIR COVERING LETTER *

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Nova Scotia success: Province will lower speeds in school zones
by Beth McKechnie 25 May '11

25 May '11

Yesterday the Province of Nova Scotia announced that it will reduce speeds in school zones from 50 km/h to 30 km/h. The Ecology Action Centre’s Active & Safe Routes to School program has been asking for this change since last fall. Find the news release here: http://www.gov.ns.ca/news/details.asp?id=20110524004. Ecology Action Centre congratulates the Nova Scotia government for making this change. It will contribute to making streets in our school communities safer, especially for children and youth who walk or wheel to school. Here are two short media clips on the announcement: http://www.metronews.ca/halifax/local/article/869412--school-zone-speeds-to… http://thechronicleherald.ca/NovaScotia/1245137.html (scroll down to the third item). Janet Barlow, Coordinator Active & Safe Routes to School Ecology Action Centre 2705 Fern Lane, Halifax, NS B3K 4L3 asrts(a)ecologyaction.ca (902) 442-5055 www.saferoutesns.ca Follow ASRTS on Twitter: www.twitter.com/asrts Help us celebrate our birthday with 40 days of action! www.ecologyaction.ca/40days

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E-Bulletin - Recreation Connections Manitoba
by Beth McKechnie 25 May '11

25 May '11

FYI... ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Cory Jackson <recconnections(a)sportmanitoba.ca> Date: Tue, May 24, 2011 at 12:50 PM Subject: [Physical-activity-coalition-mb] E-Bulletin - Recreation Connections Manitoba *After The School Bell Rings: A Manitoba After School Recreation Project * *Call for Applications Reminder* Applications for pilot program funding for After The School Bell Rings: A Manitoba After School Recreation Project are being accepted until Friday, *May 27, 2011*. The pilot programs will focus on increasing physical activity, healthy eating and active transportation in existing after school programs. If you are interested in having your after school program involved please visit our website at www.afterschoolmanitoba.ca for more information and an application form. I would also like to point out an error in the Information Package – Appendix B – Blended Program Framework. On the chart there are two boxes with the heading “Recreation 30%”. The heading for the lower box (left hand side) should read “Learning 20%”. There are also two boxes with the heading “Health 20%”. The heading for the lower box (right hand side) should read “Local Content 30%” For more information, please contact Roy Mulligan, Project Coordinator at (204) 925-5751 or via email at recconnections.pro(a)sportmanitoba.ca . ** *RCM Provincial Conference 2012* *Call for Presenters* *February 29 - March 2, 2012* *Winnipeg, Manitoba* Recreation Connections Manitoba (RCM) is seeking qualified workshop and keynote presenters for the 2012 Recreation Connections Manitoba Annual Provincial Conference. The conference will be held at the Victoria Inn, Winnipeg, Manitoba February 29 - March 2, 2012. Those interested in presenting at the event are asked to fill out the Call for Presenters 2012 online form. Deadline to receive proposals is June 15, 2011. *Please click on the Call for Presenters button on the RCM home page.* For more information, please contact Jackie Onagi, Training and Event Coordinator at (204) 925-5747 or via email at recconnections.events(a)sportmanitoba.ca *Sogo Active*** The Sogo Active Program is a for youth by youth program executed by ParticipACTION Canada along with provincial and territorial partners to motivate young Canadian/Manitobans to get active. Sogo Active puts power in the hands of youth to take charge of their own lives, and to inspire their peers to get moving. It’s a national network that connects youth with their peers and with community organizations. Is your organization looking for funding to run, enhance, or initiate a physical activity initiative that would include or target youth between the age of 13 and 19? Register as a community host at www.sogoactive.com to get started and access funding grants for up to $500. For more information, please contact Jackie Onagi, Provincial Coordinator – Sogo Active at (204) 925-5747 or via email at recconnections.events(a)sportmanitoba.ca *Aquatic Facility Operators Course*** Recreation Connections Manitoba, together with Manitoba Healthy Living, Youth and Seniors is hosting a 3 day course for Aquatic Facility Operators, June 21st - 23rd in Dauphin. Only a few seats left. Register today. To register, visit the RCM website at www.recconnections.com and click on the Online Event Manager button on the home page. For more information, please contact Jackie Onagi, Training and Event Coordinator at (204) 925-5747 or visit the website at www.recconnections.com…then click on Training and Development….then Aquatics.

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Trails Day Celebrations - Saturday June 4th - 6 GREAT PARTIES !
by Janice Lukes 25 May '11

25 May '11

Good morning on a sunny day in Winnipeg! Here is your invitation to party! Pass this on to your friends / family and co workers! This is our 5th year of celebrating International Trails Day and wow we have lots to celebrate this year ! There are six great & unique parties occurring on six different trail systems in Winnipeg - full details can be found here: http://www.winnipegtrails.ca/2011/05/09/june-4th-trails-day-celebration/ Trails Day Poster is attached. Detailed trail maps can be found here (and more are being posted daily!): http://www.winnipegtrails.ca/trails-maps/ There will be all kinds of FREEBIES at the parties! - bike bells to alert pedestrian - brand new Winnipeg cycling maps, - local food samplings and refreshments, - in motion water bottles, - CBC Live Right now goodies, - massages for feet, bodies and more! The celebrations will occur on some of Winnipeg's classic trails - the Harte Trail, Bishop Grandin Greenway Trail, the Seine River Trail system AND on two of our newest stellar trail systems, the Yellow Ribbon Greenway Trail (be sure to stand under the incoming planes as this trail is right alongside a busy flight path) and the Bishop Grandin Trail West (part of Winnipeg's longest and BEST connected trail system)! See this great article in today's community newspaper (also posted below): http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/souwester/Trails-Day-set-to -connect-communities--122526619.html Check out Crampton's Market (http://cramptonsmarket.blogspot.com/). Crampton's is located on the Bishop Grandin West Trail and is proving to be an ideal Winnipeg case study on the economic benefits of trails - Crampton's was only accessible by motorized vehicle before the Bishop Grandin Trail West was built. People walking / cycling from even the closest communities of Waverly Heights and Waverly West had to take a vehicle. Today, Crampton's is fully embracing the trail and promoting it - and reaping the economic benefits of being located beside Bishop Grandin West Trail, the east - west connecting AT spine in south Winnipeg! happy trails! Janice Lukes * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * CANSTAR Community News article: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/souwester/Trails-Day-set-to -connect-communities--122526619.html Trails Day set to connect communities by simon.fuller(a)canstarnews.com ( CANSTAR Community News, May 25, 2011) Winnipeggers will soon get the chance to become even more connected. June 4 is Trails Day, when there will be six multi-use trail events for individuals to explore across the city throughout the day. One brand new trail will be Bishop Grandin Trail West - a five-kilometre route that runs west from the Red River at Bishop Grandin Boulevard to McGillivray Boulevard.It was funded by all three levels of government under the banner of the Manitoba Rural Infrastructure Fund. A key event organizer says the new trail - which is also part of the Trans Canada Trail system - will help bring communities in southwest Winnipeg together. "This new trail is a stellar example of community connectivity," said Janice Lukes, manager of special projects for Winnipeg Trails. "It also enables access to the University of Manitoba on the east end and the Kenaston big box shopping centers and FortWhyte Alive on the west end." Lukes, who lives in St. Norbert, said the trail links the communities of University Heights, Waverley Heights, Waverley West, Linden Ridge and Whyte Ridge. On Trails Day, the new route will be showcased by the four-kilometre Cycle Tour - FortWhyte Alive to Crampton's Market, during which participants will get a guided tour of FWA before continuing on the trail for a trip to the market. Erin Crampton, who co-owns and operates Crampton's Market with her partner, Marc DeGagne, is excited about the new trail - not least because she hopes it will improve safety for local cyclists and pedestrians. "I've seen our customers, including mothers with young kids, dodging traffic when they cross the intersection at Bishop and Waverley," said Crampton, who lives in Waverley Heights. "I'm too scared to cycle on these routes. So, for me, the new pathway is absolutely necessary. There are the road warriors, who will nudge their way through traffic on their bikes. But for the rest of us, the new trail will make it safe and easy, which is lovely." When event participants arrive at Crampton's Market, they can expect to find a selection of locally grown produce, dry goods and baked goods, as well as the chance to score goody bags and receive bicycle and sports therapy advice from various organizations. "There will be a whole bunch of local food producers and we'll also be giving out swag bags. People will get a rewards card and receive a sticker at every station they visit. When they get five, they can collect a bag," Crampton said. Other Trail Day events will include Harte Trail's Paw Trek and Dog Show, which starts at Oakdale Street and Ridgewood Avenue in Charleswood and Discover Transcona's Many New Trails, which begins at the Transcona Historical Museum on Regent Avenue West. Crampton's Market is located at 1765 Waverley St. For more information, and downloadable maps, visit www.winnipegtrails.com. Janice Lukes Manager, Special Projects - Winnipeg Trails Rivers West Red River Corridor Inc. 235-614 Des Meurons Street Winnipeg, MB R2H 2P9 Cell (204) 952-4222 Fax (204) 237-4618 <mailto:jlukes@riverswest.ca> jlukes(a)riverswest.ca <http://www.winnipegtrails.ca/> www.WinnipegTrails.ca Member of City of Winnipeg Active Transportation Advisory Committee Chair, Province of Manitoba Active Transportation Advisory Group

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Kick off the Commuter Challenge with us - May 26th, 10am
by Jessie Klassen 24 May '11

24 May '11

*Come and kick-off the 2011 Commuter Challenge!* *When?* 10 a.m., Thursday, May 26 *Where?* Manitoba Hydro Place outdoor plaza Corner of Edmonton and Graham (Rain location: Manitoba Hydro Place foyer) *What?* The Commuter Challenge, which takes place from June 5-11, is an annual friendly competition that encourages Manitobans to choose active and green commuting options. Individuals who bus, walk, cycle, carpool, telecommute or use any form of green commuting during that week are eligible to win great prizes! Manitobans can visit www.GreenActionCentre.ca to register as an employee with their workplace or as an individual, and log their green km during the week of the Commuter Challenge. Last year, over 8,100 employees at 197 workplaces participated, helping Winnipeg snag first place over other cities in our population category, including Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa. Join the Honourable Jim Rondeau, Minister of Healthy Living, Deputy Mayor Justin Swandel, Mr. Lloyd Kuczek, Vice President, Manitoba Hydro, and Green Action Centre to kick-off the 12th annual Commuter Challenge! The Commuter Challenge in Manitoba is organized by Green Action Centre, a non-profit, non-governmental hub for greener living based in Winnipeg. Sponsors of the 2011 Commuter Challenge include: the Government of Manitoba, The City of Winnipeg, Winnipeg Transit, MTS, Winnipeg Free Press, Manitoba Hydro, Investor’s Group, Great West Life, Manitoba Public Insurance, and Assiniboine Credit Union. For more information, please contact: Francine Carrier, Commuter Challenge Coordinator Green Action Centre Tel: (204) 925-3779 E: challenge(a)greenactioncentre.ca W: www.GreenActionCentre.ca **

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WFP: Floodway rec plan unveiled - Province reveals pedestrian-centred overpass, trail (May21'11)
by Beth McKechnie 21 May '11

21 May '11

Floodway rec plan unveiled Province reveals pedestrian-centred overpass, trail By: Bill Redekop BIRDS HILL PROVINCIAL PARK -- Former premier Duff Roblin dreamed not just of building a floodway but of developing the floodway corridor for recreational use for all Manitobans. The first one he got built in short order. The latter took 50 years. On Friday, the province gave a glimpse of the first phase of that floodway development that includes construction of a $3-million pedestrian overpass bridge spanning Highway 59, across from the Birds Hill Provincial Park entrance. The bridge is a key component in a 48-kilometre recreational trail for non-motorized travel being built along the west side of the floodway here. The bridge will also connect cyclists and others with Birds Hill Park, which has over 100 kilometres of additional trails, starting at the Cedar Bog Trail. The pedestrian bridge and a portion of the trail -- from about Garven Road to Lockport -- is expected to be completed possibly as early as August. Finishing touches are likely to continue until fall when a grand opening is scheduled. The entire trail, extending as far south as Duff Roblin Provincial Park, at a cost of $6 million in addition to the bridge's cost, will be completed by next summer. It will be open for four-season use including walking, jogging, cycling, in-line skating, cross-country skiing, even dogsledding. There will be a dedicated toboggan hill close to Kirkness Road, north of the Birds Hill Park entrance. There will be up to six staging areas where people can park and load their bikes. Janice Lukes, a director with the Winnipeg Trails Association, expects some people will be skeptical. "It's pretty hard for the average Joe to get the picture," she said. But Lukes has no doubt the trail system, once built, will attract hordes of users. "Just look at the usage that old rail line (the former CPR rail line between Gateway Road and Raleigh Street the city converted into a biking/hiking trail) gets. People are really getting into this," she said. The floodway project is just the north extension of the trail system being built through Winnipeg. You could soon be able to travel on a dedicated recreational trail from the University of Manitoba (following the Rapid Transit Corridor), through The Forks, along the old CPR line that divides Gateway and Raleigh, all the way to Birds Hill Park and beyond to Lockport. "Cycle tourism is a massive industry in Quebec, in Minnesota. We're flat here. We're perfect," Lukes said. The project -- which will also include landscaping and beautification, with the planting of thousands of trees and natural flowers and prairie -- is being undertaken by the Manitoba Floodway Authority. The steel bridge is necessary to hook up with the extensive trail system in Birds Hill Park, and because people are already crossing the highway there. "This is a major safety concern," said Ronuk Modha, floodway authority communications director. The bridge is 4.2 metres wide, from curb to curb. It will have an enclosure similar to wire fencing so people can't fall out or throw things down on traffic. There will also be a viewing area in the centre. About a six-kilometre stretch of trail between Dunning Road and Garven Road is asphalt and already completed. The rest of the trail will be crushed limestone. The floodway authority is also building a three-kilometre trail into Birds Hill Park to hook up to the Cedar Bog Trail. People can't cross the floodway from Birds Hill Park to the floodway's west side when it's full with flood water but that is only one to two months of the year, said Modha. Otherwise, people can cross at Dunning Road, west of the 59er Restaurant. This is just the floodway authority's first phase of development. The second phase will take place on the southern portion of the floodway near St. Mary's Road, Modha said. bill.redekop(a)freepress.mb.ca -- *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) 925-3772 | 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/memberships/>

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Bixi hits the streets in Ottawa
by Beth McKechnie 18 May '11

18 May '11

CAPITAL BIXI HITS THE STREETS IN CANADA'S CAPITAL http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/capital-bixi-hits-the-streets-in-ca… OTTAWA, May 18 /PRNewswire/ - The* *Capital* *BIXI bike share service officially kicked off today. Residents and visitors in the core of Canada'sCapital will have 24/7 access to 100 bikes located at 10 stations in downtown Ottawa and Gatineau. "The National Capital Commission (NCC) is proud to add another important building block to the cycling infrastructure in the core of Canada'sCapital," said Marie Lemay, Chief Executive Officer at the NCC. "The NCC has been in the cycling business for over 40 years. We've come a long way since the early 1970s and we want to go even further. The Capital BIXI service not only represents a means of active transportation but also a means to build a greener Capital for all to enjoy." "The purpose of the program is to provide immediate access to public bikes as an alternative mode of transportation," said Alain Ayotte, President at the Public Bike System Company. "The BIXI bikes are designed to complement public transit, and as such, they are intended for one-way trips of less than 30 minutes. At the end of the trip, the bike can be dropped off at any of the 10 docking stations. We're convinced local residents and tourists will quickly embrace Capital BIXI." *PARTNERSHIPS* The NCC and the Public Bike System Company are proud to welcome TELUS as the major sponsor of the Capital BIXI bike share service. "TELUS is thrilled to help bring easy, accessible and economical bike sharing to Canada's Capital Region with Capital BIXI," said Michael Sangster, Vice-President at TELUS. "Support for healthier cities is an important part of TELUS' 'give where we live' philosophy, which our team members live every day. Initiatives like the Capital BIXI bike share further our mission by giving Canadians an opportunity to be good stewards of the environment while staying active in our day to day lives." The NCC is pleased to announce that Public Works and Government Services Canada will be adding a station to the Capital BIXI network. The NCC is also in discussion with Environment Canada for stations at their buildings. The NCC looks forward to the participation of public and private organizations who are interested in providing the bike share service to their employees and their partners. The NCC, the City of Ottawa and Ville de Gatineau continue to partner on significant cycling initiatives in Canada's Capital. *CAPITAL BIXI EXPERIENCE* Regular users can purchase a monthly ($28) or yearly ($78) Capital BIXI subscription which entitles them to a BIXI-key. Members then use their BIXI-key to take out a bike at any station in the network. Non-members can purchase a 24-hour pass ($5) or a 72-hour pass ($12) directly at the station. Users can take out a bike as often as they like for 30 minutes or less. Fees apply to longer trips, the second half-hour will cost $1.50 and the third half-hour will cost $3. General information and subscription details can be found at capital.bixi.com. The first 100 annual subscribers will receive founding member status and a distinctive dark purple BIXI-key to access the service. Subscribers can also take advantage of a $10 discount on a monthly pass, until June 30, 2011. *About the National Capital Commission (NCC) * The NCC is a federal Crown corporation whose mandate is to create pride and unity through Canada's Capital Region by making the Capital a meeting place that communicates Canada to Canadians. As the steward of federal lands, national landmarks, parks, transportation infrastructures and buildings, the NCC takes great pride in developing and planning a Capital that today's visitors will enjoy and that future generations will treasure. *About BIXI and the Public Bike System Company (PBSC) * PBSC is responsible for the implementation of the Capital BIXI service in Canada's Capital Region. PBSC offers a highly advanced bike sharing system on three continents, to private campuses and cities, such as London (UK), Melbourne (AU), Minneapolis, Washington and Arlington (USA). *About TELUS * TELUS is a leading national telecommunications company in Canada, with $9.9 billion of annual revenue and 12.3 million customer connections including 7 million wireless subscribers, 3.7 million wireline network access lines and 1.2 million Internet subscribers and more than 350,000 TELUS TV customers. Led since 2000 by President and CEO, Darren Entwistle, TELUS provides a wide range of communications products and services including data, Internet protocol (IP), voice, entertainment and video. For more information about TELUS, please visit TELUS.com<http://www.telus.com/>. To learn more about TELUS' commitment to the community, please visit TELUS.com/community <http://www.telus.com/community>. For more information regarding the bike share service Capital BIXI, please contact the Public Bike System Company at 1-855-CAP-BIXI or 1-855-227-2494 (toll free), or visit the website at capital.bixi.com. SOURCE BIXI - PUBLIC BIKE SYSTEM COMPANY -- *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) 925-3772 | 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/memberships/>

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Active & Green Spring 2011 E-Newsletter
by Jessie Klassen 17 May '11

17 May '11

Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.<http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a183a3f55cc&id=32490864f8…> Let us help! *Looking to improve commuter options at your workplace?* Request resources<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…> on cycling, carpooling, commuting surveys and tracking progress, among others. Book a presentation<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>on the various commuting options, as well as fuel-efficient driving, creating a commuter friendly workplace, and greening the workplace. Talk to us about implementing a Smart Trips<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…>program at your workplace. ------------------------------ Upcoming Events: *Winnipeg Transit Bus Tutorial<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…> May 24th <http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>Trails Day Celebration<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…> June 4th Commuter Challenge<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…> June 5-11th Clean Air Day<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…> June 8th Bike to Work Day<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…> June 24th Ciclovia<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…> September 11th* ------------------------------ Green Action Centre staff whip up a bike blender smoothie on a sunny afternoon! Like what you read? Become a member<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>of Green Action Centre (membership is free!), visit our website at greenactioncentre.ca<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>, or make a donation<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…>. Commuter Challenge It’s that time of year again – time to sign up your workplace<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>for the Commuter Challenge! Take part in this friendly competition to explore greener transportation options for personal, environmental, and community health, and for a chance to win great prizes<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>! If you are already signed up and looking to spread the word to other workplaces, send new recruits here<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…>and you will both be entered to win a $75 gift certificate to the store of your choice. Motivate your coworkers with our list<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>of fun ideas compiled by past workplace coordinators. ------------------------------ *FREE transit to Folk Fest* (and sing this retro transit song along the way) Take the Festival Express<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…>bus to the Winnipeg Folk Festival this year. It’s free and you won’t need to worry about parking or idling in a long line at the end of the night. Wagons, strollers and gear are welcome on all buses leaving from the Downtown area every 30 minutes and the McPhillips Station Casino every 60 minutes. Stay right to the end of the night and catch the last bus home before drivers even leave the parking lot. Before you catch the bus, watch this hidden gem of a video<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…>encouraging Winnipegers to try transit in the 1980s. This might make a good song for the trip out to Birds Hill! ------------------------------ *All things bike-worthy!* Find your ride to work (and other destinations) with the 2011 Winnipeg Bike Map! Update your route to take advantage of the $20.4 million worth of new cycling and pedestrian infrastructure built last year. The bike map will be available at the end of May for FREE at bike stores and other retailers along with places like Green Action Centre. Not comfortable riding in traffic? Register for a Commuter Cycling Skills course through the City's Leisure Guide<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>(see page 81). Taught by CAN-BIKE certified instructors from Bike to the Future<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>, the next half-day course takes place Sunday, May 29. We could all learn a tip or two! Whether you're a seasoned commuting cyclist or new to the seat, join hundreds of other Winnipeggers biking to work during the Commuter Challenge<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>(June 5-11) and on Bike to Work Day<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>(Friday, June 24). Even CAA is joining the bike-olution with their new Bike Assist<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>program that offers roadside assistance 24/7 for cyclists. CAA is also attempting to broker some increased respect and safety amongst road users with their Watch for Bikes<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…>campaign. ------------------------------ *Bus, walk, bike, carshare?* Need a car but only sometimes? Carsharing could be the answer and it's now in Winnipeg! Peg City Car Co-op<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>gives you easy and affordable access to zippy little cars without the hassle and cost of owning your own vehicle. With gas prices soaring, this is one solution that is easy on the pocketbook and can fit nicely into your life if you mostly get around by bus, walking or cycling. Peg City Car Co-op's first vehicles will be located in Osborne Village with plans to expand into neighbouring areas as the number of members and cars in the fleet grow. ------------------------------ *Commuting takes its toll* A recent U.S. survey<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…>found that 4% of employees – a whopping 5 million people – called in sick because they couldn't face their commute to work. Almost half of respondents noted that the valuable time spent commuting has a significant impact on their job satisfaction, with a third saying it played a role in their decision of where to work. So how can employers help? The good folks at Grist magazine <http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…>have a few suggestions. For the local perspective, check out Green Action Centre's Workplace Commuter Options<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>program and ideas, including 7 steps<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>to get you started and making the business case<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>for improving commuting options. You are receiving this email because you are an Active & Green subscriber. Unsubscribe<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage2.com/unsubscribe?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…> jessie_klassen(a)hotmail.com from this list. Our mailing address is: Green Action Centre 3-303 Portage Ave. Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2B4 Add us to your address book<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/vcard?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a183a3f5…> Copyright (C) 2011 Green Action Centre All rights reserved. Forward<http://us2.forward-to-friend.com/forward?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a183a3f55cc&id=324…>this email to a friend Update your profile<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/profile?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a183a3…> [image: Email Marketing Powered by MailChimp]<http://www.mailchimp.com/monkey-rewards/?aid=af15a2f9f91ef9a183a3f55cc&afl=1>

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Please vote for Green Action Centre's WOW project
by Beth McKechnie 16 May '11

16 May '11

Hello friends and colleagues, Green Action Centre's WOW (We Often Walk to School and Play) program was selected by the Keg Foundation as a potential winner of $25,000 towards expanding/developing this project! We hope you will consider supporting us by voting for our project! Details on "We Often Walk to School and Play" can be found by clicking on the project picture on the link below. If you are so inclined, you can VOTE for our project ONCE PER DAY up till June 14 at : http://www.thekegthanksamillion.com/en/phase2/projects/show/r/19 Please share this link widely with others who might be willing to help. thanks! Beth -- *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) 925-3772 | 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/memberships/>

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Montreal: City cycling network 'to keep getting better'
by Beth McKechnie 16 May '11

16 May '11

City cycling network 'to keep getting better' *Another $10M invested to expand, improve routes* By MICHELLE LALONDE, The Gazette May 13, 2011 Montreal cyclists will be cruising along 70 new kilometres of bicycle routes by next fall if the city follows through on a promise to invest another $10 million in its cycling network this summer. Michel Bissonnet, the city official responsible for bike paths, on Thursday unveiled the city's 2011-12 plan for expanding and improving the cycling network, which already offers 530 kilometres of lanes and paths. "We want our network of bike routes to keep getting better, more accessible and better-integrated, so that the bicycle becomes a real alternative to car use," Bissonnet said. The city has pledged the network will measure 800 km by 2015, but achievements over the last two years have fallen short because of bad weather and a change in the contracting process. Last year, the city completed 23.4 km of the 50 km that had been planned. In 2009, it was 42 km of 60. Nonetheless, cycling advocates welcomed Thursday's blueprint for summer, noting it includes many small extensions that connect gaps in the network, and a couple of promising pilot projects to improve safety at busy intersections. "Improvements can't always be measured in kilometres," said Jean-François Pronovost, who heads Vélo Québec. The city will try the "bike box" concept, popular in many European cities, at the corner of Milton and University Sts. A painted green box across the width of the road in front of the white line where cars must stop will allow cyclists to wait in front of cars and proceed through the intersection first. Also, new concrete medians will separate bike lanes from car traffic at three intersections along the busy St. Urbain St. bike lane (at Pine Ave., St. Cuthbert St. and Duluth Ave.) Other highlights: --The de Maisonneuve Blvd. bike path will be extended east from Berri St. to Dorion St. to give cyclists safer access to the Jacques Cartier Bridge. --Bicycle commuters from Laval will be able to take advantage of new bike lanes that link to the downtown bike path network, from the Viau Bridge down along Berri, Lajeunesse, Émile Journault, Henri-Julien, De Castelnau and St. Dominique Sts. --In LaSalle, cyclists will be able get from the Lachine Canal bike path to the path along the river by taking a new route down Senkus St. to Cordner St., then west along Cordner, Hardy, and Bédard Sts. to 90th Ave. ner St., then west along Cordner, Hardy, and Bédard Sts. to 90th Ave. An updated map of the bike path network, including Bixi stops, will be available by the end of May at Accès Montréal offices, libraries, and bike shops. Information on the new projects, as well as the bike network map, are posted on the city's website: www. ville.montreal.qc.ca mlalonde@ montrealgazette.com © Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette

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Positive results for Walkable Edmonton's communities on foot map series
by Beth McKechnie 12 May '11

12 May '11

*Walkable Edmonton - Taking Steps E-News* http://www.industrymailout.com/Industry/View.aspx?id=252445&q=312226532&qz=… While Walkable Edmonton has had lots of positive feedback around our Communities on Foot Map Series, we now are fortunate to have a study undertaken by the School of Public Health at the University of Alberta looking at the Avenue Communities Walking Map that was released this past summer. The study showed some really positive indicators around the maps encouraging people to get out walking and connect with their communities. * Executive Summary*: http://www.industrymailout.com/Industry/Home/2656/3801/link252445/FINAL%20E… -- *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) 925-3772 | 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/memberships/>

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Analysis of Bicycling Trends and Policies in Large N.A. Cities (Pucher, 2011)
by Beth McKechnie 11 May '11

11 May '11

Analysis of Bicycling Trends and Policies in Large North American Cities: Lessons for New York*Source: University Transportation Research Center (Region 2)* *Download*: http://fulltextreports.com/2011/04/11/analysis-of-bicycling-trends-and-poli… [Note: this is an extension of the "Bicycling Renaissance in North America" journal article that was distributed previously. -Beth] This research report reviews trends in cycling levels, safety, and policies in large North American cities over the past two decades. We analyze aggregate national data as well as city- specific case study data for nine large cities (Chicago, Minneapolis, Montréal, New York, Portland, San Francisco, Toronto, Vancouver, and Washington, DC). Cycling levels have increased in both the USA and Canada, while cyclist fatalities have fallen. The number of bike commuters in the USA rose by 64% from 1990 to 2009, and the bike share of commuters rose from 0.4% to 0.6%. Over the shorter period from 1996 to 2006, the number of bike commuters in Canada rose by 42%, and the bike share of commuters rose from 1.1% to 1.3%. >From 1988 to 2008, cycling fatalities fell by 66% in Canada and by 21% in the USA; serious injuries fell by 40% in Canada and by 31% in the USA. There is much spatial variation and socioeconomic inequality in cycling rates. The bike share of work commuters is more than twice as high in Canada as in the USA, and is higher in the western parts of both countries. Cycling is concentrated in central cities, especially near universities and in gentrified neighborhoods near the city center. Almost all the growth in cycling in the USA has been among men between 25-64 years old, while cycling rates have remained steady among women and fallen sharply for children. -- *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) 925-3772 | 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/memberships/>

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Webinar: Using Social Media to Improve Bicycle & Ped Facilities, Wed, May 18, 2-3 pm, EcoCentre
by Beth McKechnie 10 May '11

10 May '11

* Green Action Centre will host a Winnipeg viewing of the following APBP (Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals) webinar on Using Social Media to Improve Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities on Wednesday, May 18. If you would like to join us for a group viewing of this webinar, please let me know at beth(a)greenactioncentre.ca. See you then! cheers, Beth 925-3772 ------------------------------ Using Social Media to Improve Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Wednesday, May 18 • 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. CDT * *Location: EcoCentre boardroom, 303 Portage Ave, 3rd floor (enter via elevator inside Mountain Equipment Co-op)* Recent current events have demonstrated that social media offer serious and effective tools for change. Join this APBP webinar on May 18 at 2:00 p.m. CDT to explore different types of social media and their potential for helping bicycle and pedestrian professionals and advocates build powerful coalitions, foster community, and reach new audiences. A trio of presenters from three areas of practice—consulting, advocacy, and government—who are using social media and Web 2.0 tools creatively and successfully will share their insights and experience. The session will include a brief explanation of different tools and their uses, a discussion of policies and best practices for managing content, and case studies that showcase different real world examples of social media helping to improve bike/ped facilities and conditions: Bike|Walk|Idaho, the NE 125th Street road diet project in Seattle, and Cascade Bicycle Club's BikeWise.org project. Presenters are Brice Maryman, ASLA, SvR Design; Maureen Gresham, Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator, Idaho Transportation Department; and Chris Rule, Political Program Manager, Cascade Bicycle Club.

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Changing Lanes: Improving the Bike-Car Relationship on Canada's Roads (CAA)
by Beth McKechnie 10 May '11

10 May '11

*PLEASE NOTE*: The organizers have advised that there will be more details available by next Wednesday regarding the webcast, plus they are intending to record the conference for later viewing. We at Green Action Centre are interested in hearing some of the excellent speakers lined up for this conference, so will keep you informed as to a potential group viewing for those who are interested. [image: CAA_Changing_Lanes_503x384web-EN.jpg] CAA has always advocated on issues of concern to its members, and today that includes how bikes and vehicles can better co-exist on Canada’s roads. Millions of our members are both drivers and cyclists, and they see the debate from both sides. Our goal is to provide neutral information, tips and best practices so members can drive and cycle safely. CAA is putting its commitment to the bike-car relationship into action through the services we offer. For example, several CAA clubs offer Emergency Roadside Assistance to bicyclists year round as part of the CAA membership. As part of our commitment to further the bike-car discussion, CAA is hosting a national conference on the topic. Changing Lanes: Improving the Bike-Car Relationship on Canada’s Roads will be hosted on May 25th, 2011, in Vancouver, B.C. The conference will bring together leading international and domestic experts to discuss the latest thinking on bike/car safety, infrastructure, and the business opportunities and costs of increasing the presence of bicycles in our cities. *Conference topics include:* - “Building a Better Connection” – How can we build infrastructure that supports a smoother relationship for drivers and cyclists? - “A Safer Way Forward” - A discussion about strategies and actions that both drivers and cyclists can adopt to help make the road ahead a bit safer for us all. - “The Business Cycle” - Engaging proponents and opponents in the ongoing debate about the real costs and opportunities for business of more biking in Canadian cities. *Confirmed speakers include:* - Gil Penalosa, Executive Director, 8-80 cities, Toronto - Margaret Mahan, Executive Director, Better Environmentally Sound Transportation (B.E.S.T), Vancouver - Jean-François Pronovost, Vice-President, Development and Public Affairs, Vélo Québec, Montreal - Eleanor McMahon, Founder and C.E.O., Share the Road Cycling Coalition, Burlington, Ontario - Hans-Jurgen Becker, Velocities 2012, Vancouver - Jennifer Dill, Oregon Transportation Consortium , Portland … and many more! Email: For further information, please contact us at 613-247-0117 ext. 2006 or via email at changinglanes(a)national.caa.ca. Webcasting: Please join us on May 25th for simultaneous coverage of Changing Lanes. Please feel free to submit any questions you may have for our panellists to changinglanes(a)national.caa.ca or participate in our live chat on the day of the conference.

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After The School Bell Rings: A Manitoba After School Recreation Project News
by Beth McKechnie 10 May '11

10 May '11

Recreation Connections Manitoba and Green Action Centre are pleased to announce the latest exciting developments in the After The School Bell Rings: A Manitoba After School Recreation Project. *Website* We invite you to visit the new After The School Bell Rings: A Manitoba After School Recreation Project website at www.afterschoolmanitoba.ca Officially launched as of May 6, 2011, the website includes information on the project; resources related to after school programs, physical activity, nutrition, and active transportation and will be used to keep stakeholders informed on the project and related topics. Interactive features to encourage information sharing and communication among after school program providers will be developed over the next while. *Call for Applications* The After The School Bell Rings: A Manitoba After School Recreation Project has released a Call for Applications for after school providers interested in participating as a pilot site during the 2011 – 2012 school year. Funding of up to $10,000 will be provided to assist after school programs, for children ages 6 – 12 years, increase physical activity, healthy eating and active transportation within their program. A minimum of *6* sites from across the province will be selected to participate. The deadline for applications is *May 27, 2011*. For more information and to download the application form and an information package with background information, application process and eligibility criteria please visit www.afterschoolmanitoba.ca Roy Mulligan Project Coordinator After The School Bell Rings: A Manitoba After School Recreation Project Recreation Connections Manitoba 317-145 Pacific Ave. Winnipeg, MB R3B 2Z6 Phone: (204)925-5751 Email: recconnections.pro(a)sportmanitoba.ca

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CAA Launches Bike Assist Road Side Assistance Program
by Shoni Litinsky 10 May '11

10 May '11

May 10/11 10:24 am - CAA Manitoba Launches Road Side Assistance & Awareness Programs Posted by *Editoress* on *05/10/11* CAA Manitoba is being proactive with bicycles; launching two new programs: *Bike Assist* CAA Manitoba members can now call for road side assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week when their bike chain breaks or a tire tube pops. Available beginning today, Bike Assist is an innovative new benefit that allows CAA members to use any of their four annually allotted service calls to receive road side assistance if their bike breaks down. Members can use the service to be transported home or to the bike repair shop of their choice. Mike Mager, President and CEO of CAA Manitoba, says with more than 198,000 members, it is important to recognize the changing transportation needs of all members - no matter how they chose to go. "For the first time in Manitoba, our always reliable roadside assistance is now available for bikes, too," Mager said. "Whether you're an avid cyclist who commutes to work to save money on gas, or a casual biker that runs into trouble on the trail, CAA now has all of your wheels covered." Jean-Francios Ravenelle, Owner and operator of Gord's Ski and Bike, says his customers are excited about the Bike Assist service. "It's a fact. Commuters are increasingly looking at alternative options for getting to work," said Ravenelle. "Our Donald location is especially busy most mornings in the summer when bikers and cyclists pop in for a quick tune up on their way into Downtown." A Fact Sheet on Bike Assist can be read Here<http://www.canadiancyclist.com/races11/Bike_Assist_CAA_Manitoba.pdf> . *Watch for Bikes* In an effort to increase awareness about how easy it is for cyclists and motorists to have accidents, CAA Manitoba is launching an awareness campaign that provides motorists with small plastic decals that say "Watch for Bikes" - specifically designed to be placed on their driver's side rear-view mirror. According to police-reported data, in 2009 there were 239 bicyclists involved in collisions with a motor vehicle in Manitoba. (Source: 2009 Traffic Collisions Statistics, published by MPI, Table 7-3, page 124). It's a statistic President and CEO of CAA Manitoba Mike Mager says could be lower if cyclists and motorists knew how to safely share the road. "A cyclist can be virtually invisible from inside a car," said Mager. "When motorists place this sticker on their mirror, it provides a constant reminder to check for cyclists and other traffic." Cam Lundgren, an avid cyclist who enjoys commuting to work, has had several close calls with cars. "When a driver opens their door without checking, it's what cyclists call the 'door prize'," said Lundgren. "Last summer I came within inches of getting this 'gift'. I'm an experienced cyclist - so I know it can happen to anyone!" Dan Vandal, City Councilor responsible for Infrastructure Renewal and Public Works, says the city is working hard to continually develop and improve the alternative infrastructure networks. He says education about how to safely share the road will always be important. "No matter how many kilometres of bike lanes and trails are built in Winnipeg, cars and bikes still need to respect each other and safely share the road," Vandal said. "With more bikes on the road during the summer - and even more on the road once school is out at the end of June, Watch for Bikes is a simple way to remind motorists to look twice before they change lanes or open their car door." -- *Shoni Litinsky* | 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/>

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Free bus service to 2011 Winnipeg Folk Festival
by Beth McKechnie 06 May '11

06 May '11

MEET YOUR FRIENDS ON THE* FESTIVAL EXPRESS – * THE FREE BUS SERVICE TO THE 2011 FESTIVAL [image: Old Ladies] We have some really exciting news to share with you today! As you may know, we've been working hard to reduce the carbon footprint of the festival over the years – with everything from compostable cups at our taverns to our organized *Bike Ride to Site<http://smr.mm.ticketmaster.com/track?type=click&enid=bWFpbGluZ2lkPTEyNTI1OD…> *. And now, we're making it even easier for you to join us in our efforts to green the festival with our new and improved Winnipeg Transit service – the *Festival Express<http://smr.mm.ticketmaster.com/track?type=click&enid=bWFpbGluZ2lkPTEyNTI1OD…> *. *The Festival Express is... The QUICKEST, EASIEST way to get to and from the festival – even with your gear! And it's FREE with your festival ticket, wristband or pass. * - Downtown departures every 30 minutes; - Park & Ride departures every 60 minutes; - Wagons, strollers, all your gear – welcome! - Accessible buses for everyone’s use; - More buses than ever – enjoy Main Stage until the end! - FREE! with your festival ticket, wristband or pass. *For more information about the *Winnipeg Transit / Winnipeg Folk Festival Expres*s *visit our website*<http://smr.mm.ticketmaster.com/track?type=click&enid=bWFpbGluZ2lkPTEyNTI1OD…> .

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[At-network] Ticketing blitz seeks rapport between cyclists, drivers
by Beth McKechnie 29 Apr '11

29 Apr '11

Ticketing blitz seeks rapport between cyclists, drivers CORBETT HANCEY From Saturday's Globe and Mail Published Friday, Apr. 29, 2011 10:27PM EDT http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/ticketing-blitz-seeks-… As warmer weather brings out more cyclists, Toronto police have started a ticketing blitz in a bid to persuade downtown cyclists and drivers to respect each others’ rights on the road. Police say most cycle-related accidents in the downtown core happen when drivers open car doors without first looking for cyclists. They also said residents have complained about cyclists driving on the sidewalk and not obeying traffic signals. Urban cycling consultant Yvonne Bambrick agrees that it’s the job of the police to enforce cycling-related traffic laws, but thinks police should focus more on public education for cyclists. “Not everybody knows the rules or how they apply to cyclists. People do need to know,” she said, adding, “and ideally they would be wearing lights on their bike at night and obeying the stop signs and giving right of way to pedestrians.” As the ticketing began on Friday, cycling advocates from across Canada and the world met at a downtown cafe to talk about strategies for promoting cycling to municipal politicians. It was part of the Complete Streets Forum, a conference organized by the Toronto Coalition for Active Transportation. The group’s website says the goal of the conference was to “embrace and protect cyclists and pedestrians while accommodating all road users, including transit and cars.” “The most important issue is creating excellent bikeways and encouraging people to bike, to get out there and do it, enjoy it, take it seriously and smile while you're doing it,” said Mia Birk, a speaker at the conference, and president of Alta Planning and Design, a Portland, Ore.-based firm that works with cities across North America to promote biking, walking and mass transit. “That’s far more important than focusing on enforcement,” she added. She said less attention should be paid to the negative aspects of cycling like ticketing for violations and more on the positives, such as the city-wide bike-sharing program that launches next week. The program starts May 3 and will put 1,000 bikes at the disposal of Torontonians. “Having all these bikes is going to be a big moment for Toronto,” she said. But not everyone at the event shared Ms. Birk’s enthusiasm. The police campaign comes after council voted to stop work on the Fort York pedestrian and cycle bridge, and Mayor Rob Ford’s executive committee voted to dissolve the cycling advisory panel, along with 20 other citizen advisory groups. Toronto Councillor Mike Layton said he worries that eliminating the advisory committee shuts down an important line of communication between Torontonians and their municipal government. He said he hopes it’s not a sign of things to come under Mr. Ford. “The cycling committee is made up of people who actually bike and are dedicated bike activists,” he said, adding, “We need to have their opinion when we’re making decisions.” The advisory committees will be shut down after the next council meeting unless something is done to save them, Mr. Layton said. More related to this story - Rob Ford could become a champion of cycling<http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/marcus-gee/rob-ford-co…> - Ford’s committee criticized for vote to cancel citizen panels<http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/fords-committee-critic…> - Ford pedalling away from downtown bike-lane network <http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/ford-pedalling-away-fr…>

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Shine your walking shoes - Jane's Walk Festival May 7 & 8
by Beth McKechnie 29 Apr '11

29 Apr '11

** please share widely - thanks! ** Shine your walking shoes Winnipeg: The fifth annual Jane's Walk festival is coming up May 7 & 8 ! On Saturday May 7 & Sunday May 8, join a walking tour in your community led by your neighbours. Explore Winnipeg's diverse and vibrant neighbourhoods while walking, talking and sharing ideas. What is Jane's Walk? Jane's Walk is an annual celebration of sustainable cities, walkable neighbourhoods, and vibrant communities. Named in honour of Jane Jacobs<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Jacobs>--an urbanist and activist whose writings championed a fresh, community-based approach to city building--the first Jane's Walk was organized in Toronto five years ago and has since spread to more than 30 cities across Canada and 70 cities worldwide. Jane's Walk is now in it's fifth year in Winnipeg and includes walks on a range of themes and topics, including local history, urban biodiversity, city planning, design and transportation issues, social experiences of the city, and more. Jane's Walks are intended to create a space for citizens to talk about what matters to them in the places they live, work and play. How do I join a Jane's Walk? Participating in Jane's Walk is simple: local community members with a passion for urban issues and local history have organized walking tours in their neighbourhood; a list of confirmed walks is published on the Jane's Walk website <http://janeswalk.net/cities/landing/category/winnipeg/> and the public is invited to join any walk of their choosing—no registration or RSVP required. Simply meet your walk leader at the time and place indicated in the online listing. Remember, Jane's Walk is a "walking conversation" and we encourage walk leaders and participants alike to contribute to the conversation by asking questions and sharing their knowledge and passion for cities. What walks are being offered this year? Some of the walks confirmed for this year's Jane's Walk include: - *History Lives In North Point Douglas* with Robert Galston - *Winnipeg Modern: Explore Winnipeg's Modernist Architectural Heritage*with Serena Keshavjee - *The Rapid Tranist Walk* with Paul Hesse - *So You Thought You Knew the West End: Murals and More* with Gloria Cardwell-Hoeppner - *Discover Public Art in Downtown Winnipeg* with Tricia Wasney - *Echoes of Our Past: Walk the Historic Seine & Red Rivers in St. Boniface and visit of Fort Gibraltar* with Jean-Pierre Brunet - *New Central Park* with Designers from: Scatliff Miller + Murray Inc. Landscape Architects, David Penner Architect, Cohlmeyer Architecture Ltd. - *West Broadway* with Robert Shaw - *The Heart of Fort Rouge Tour: Riverview a Place with it all* with Jino Destasio - *Sharing Cars and Gardens: An educational walk through Osborne Village *with Melissa Dupuis and Shauna Carmichael - *Urban Wildlife in Winnipeg *with Laurel McDonald - *Transcona Remembers with ** Transcona Historical Museum* - Matthew Komus - *Winnipeg Modern: Explore Winnipeg’s Modern Architectural Heritage* with Serena Keshavjee New walks are being confirmed everyday. For a complete listing of Jane's Walks check out our website: www.janeswalk.net Contact Facebook: http://on.fb.me/janeswalkwinnipeg Matt Koop-Pearce, volunteer organizer mgcarreau(a)gmail.com (204) 421-2903

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Join the Commuter Challenge!
by Jessie Klassen 28 Apr '11

28 Apr '11

*Join the Commuter Challenge!* Sign up to bike, bus, carpool or walk to work for the Commuter Challenge running June 5-11! Sign up by stopping in at one of Downtown Biz's conveniently located kiosks or register online! Wednesday, May 4 from 11:30 to 1:30 in the walkway by the Millennium Library stairs, Thursday, May 5 from 11:30 to 1:30 in Portage Place, Edmonton Court, or on Friday, May 6 from 11:30 to 1:30 in Portage Place, Edmonton Court. Free mini muffins and cinnamon buns from Tall Grass Prairie Bakery will be available for those who stop by. Also, enter to win a $100 gift certificate to Sydney's and a $50 gift certificate to Mountain Equipment Co-op. This is an initiative of the Green Action Centre and Downtown Winnipeg BIZ. For more information, please contact Francine at 204-925-3779 or challenge(a)greenactioncentre.ca. **For more information on the Commuter Challenge, go to: http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/commuter-challenge/

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Postdoctoral Research Fellowship - Active Transport lab UBC
by Beth McKechnie 28 Apr '11

28 Apr '11

Postdoctoral position in Health and Community Design - *Employer:* Bombardier Active Transportation Lab, University of British Columbia<http://jobs.phds.org/employer/jobs/5376/university-of-british-columbia> - *Location:* Vancouver, BC, Canada<http://jobs.phds.org/in-vancouver-bc-canada?location=Vancouver,%20BC,%20Can…> - *Posted:* Apr 26, 2011 *Expires:* May 31, 2011 Description: *Full Time Postdoctoral Research Fellowship(s) in Health and Community Design Research* *Active Transport lab -- University of British Columbia (UBC)* The Active Transportation Lab (ATL) at the University of British Columbia, directed by Dr. Lawrence Frank, invites applications from accomplished researchers in the fields of environmental health, epidemiology, health promotion, urban planning, geography, engineering, and others. The Lab’s mission is: *assessing and conveying how community design, including the location and form of transportation investments and land development actions, impacts travel, time use, and activity patterns; air quality; climate change; energy consumption; and public health*. The lab is positioned between the Schools of Environmental Health and Community and Regional Planning at UBC. Postdoctoral fellow(s) will be encouraged to traverse health and environmental impacts of community design with a direct focus on comparative work across socio-demographic sub-groups. This is an excellent opportunity for a candidate with strong quantitative skills to play a leadership role in cutting-edge research that has societal implications for health, environmental and economic sustainability, and overall quality of life. The Vancouver region is a wonderful setting for this work with several very progressive and supportive organizational partners at the municipal, regional, and provincial level along with a growing transit system. Canada is making several advances in promoting healthy communities that offer unique research opportunities. Postdoctoral Fellow(s) will participate in recently funded longitudinal studies and conduct original research and publishing drawing upon several recently completed large scale observation studies (4 NIH funded Neighborhood Quality of Life Studies see www.nqls.org – Sallis, Saelens, Frank, King and others); the King County (Seattle) Healthscape Study; and the NEWPATH Study which integrates travel diary, dietary, and objectively measured physical activity and built environment data including pedestrian infrastructure. Data include objectively measured physical activity, sedentary time, and features of the built environment in GIS at the parcel level, transit and roadway accessibility, and most have in field collected micro scale features of the pedestrian environment. We have also audited parks and food establishments and collected dietary data. Applicants should have a sound theoretical and practical understanding of the linkages between the built environment and travel behavior, including relationships with secondary outcomes such as physical activity, obesity, air pollution, and access to food. Strong research design skills are desired. Applicants are requested to provide a cover letter detailing their research interests and expertise. The application should also include a current CV, representative publications, and contact information for three references. Please submit these documents as pdf files to andrea.procyk(a)ubc.ca by May 31, 2011. Source: http://jobs.phds.org/job/28492/university-of-british-columbia/postdoctoral-…

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New report on Complete Streets
by Beth McKechnie 27 Apr '11

27 Apr '11

*Complete Streets - New Report* The National Complete Streets Coalition in the U.S. has just released a new report updating and comparing the skyrocketing number of Complete Streets policies that have been implemented in the past couple of years. Waterloo, ON became Canada's first community to implement a Complete Streets policy last week. The report can be downloaded from: http://www.completestreets.org/news-blog/blog/ If you're not sure what this is all about, here's a quick explanation from the report: "Complete Streets policies formalize a community’s intent to plan, design, and maintain streets so they are safe for all users of all ages and abilities. Policies direct transportation planners and engineers to consistently design and construct the right-of-way to accommodate all anticipated users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation users, motorists, and freight vehicles. Complete streets can be achieved through a variety of policies: ordinances and resolutions; rewrites of design manuals; inclusion in comprehensive plans; internal policies developed by transportation agencies; executive orders from elected officials, such as Mayors or Governors; and policies developed by stakeholders from the community and agency staff that are formally adopted by an elected board of officials..." The report identifies the strongest policies existing today and provides guidance on the key elements that should be included. cheers, Beth -- *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) 925-3772 | 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/memberships/>

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Canada gets a failing grade for childhood fitness
by Beth McKechnie 27 Apr '11

27 Apr '11

Canada gets a failing grade for childhood fitness ANDRÉ PICARD, PUBLIC HEALTH REPORTER— From Tuesday's Globe and Mail Published Tuesday, Apr. 26, 2011 6:00AM EDT Canadian children spend a mere 14 minutes of their after-school hours being physically active, a new study shows. “The days of biking home from school and putting the nets out for a game of road hockey are long gone,” said Mark Tremblay, chief scientific officer with Active Healthy Kids Canada. In its annual report card on physical activity, published Tuesday, AHKC identifies a number of factors that contribute to the sedentary behaviour of kids in the key 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. time period, including: * After-school programs do not see activity as a priority; * Lack of supervised programs, particularly for older children; * Schoolyards that are devoid of play structures; * Transportation policies that result in kids being whisked away as soon as the bell rings; * Latch-key children who come home and plunk themselves down in front of the TV; * Parental fears about community safety that keep children inside. “We need a fundamental rethink of how we deliver after-school programs,” said Elio Antunes, chief operating officer of ParticipACTION. “Getting kids outside needs to become a priority.” While it is often argued that modern children are overwhelmed by homework and that the pressure to succeed takes precedence over activity, Mr. Antunes does not buy that argument. “If they can find hours a day to watch screens for entertainment, they can find time to be active,” he said. “Besides, we know that kids who are physically active do much better in school.” Canadian research shows that young people aged 5 to 19 who spend time outside after school take about 2,000 additional steps a day – the equivalent of walking two kilometres. The new data reveal that that 72 per cent of children do not have access to after-school programs, which are geared principally to young kids. Further, less than half the after-school programs focus on physical activity. “Essentially, it’s babysitting – sedentary babysitting,” Dr. Tremblay said. The children who are on their own after class is dismissed seem to fair even worse. “Screen-time is replacing after-school activity. We have to find a way to turn that around,” Dr. Tremblay said. Active Healthy Kids Canada is a charitable organization that advocates the importance of physical activity for children and youth where they live, learn and play. It has published an annual report card for the past five years. The group now assigns 23 grades related to childhood physical activity. This year’s grades include: * F for overall physical activity: Only 9 per cent of boys and 4 per cent of girls meet guideline recommendations of 60 minutes daily of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity; * F for active play: Only one in eight children engage in play every day after school; * F for screen-related behaviour: Canadian kids spend, on average six hours daily in front of TV, computer and game screens; * D for active transportation: One in four children get to and from school under their own steam, such as walking or biking; * C- for physical education: One in four children get no gym classes; half get one to two gym periods a week and; one in four gets three to four periods; * C for organized sport: 75 per cent of parents say their children participate in organized sport in the past year; * A- for proximity and availability: 95 per cent of parents polled say that parks and outdoor spaces are available locally. Dr. Tremblay noted that the grades have remained fairly consistent over the years - “consistently and uniformly grim” - but that will not change until there is a concerted effort to improve the situation. “We talk a lot about all this stuff, about childhood obesity and lack of physical activity, but we don’t seem to do anything about it,” he said.

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Japan: Out of disaster, a burst of enthusiasm for bicycling
by Beth McKechnie 26 Apr '11

26 Apr '11

Out of Disaster, a Burst of Enthusiasm for Bicycling By MIKI TANIKAWA Published: April 18, 2011 http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/18/business/global/18iht-rbog-bicycle-18.htm… TOKYO — Whenever Shigeki Kobayashi spots a salaryman on a bicycle with his bag in the front basket, he knows that he is watching a novice bike commuter: putting the heavy load up front makes steering harder, an elementary mistake. Mr. Kobayashi also realizes that someone is new to street cycling when the rider is on the sidewalk. “Some people mistakenly think it is safer on the sidewalk,” he said. “That’s wrong, because on the sidewalk there is greater chance you’d bump into someone or something.” Mr.Kobayashi is director of the Bicycle Usage Promotion Study Group, a nonprofit organization that promotes usage of bicycles in Tokyo. Since March 11, when an earthquake devastated northern Japan and rattled the Tokyo metropolitan area, the streets of Suginami ward, where he lives, have teemed with wobbly bikers pedaling their way to work. “The increase was sudden and visible,” he said during an interview. Over the past 20 years, more commuters in urban areas like Tokyo have been switching gears and choosing to bicycle to work instead of using trains and cars, citing concerns for health, environment, costs and an escape from packed trains. The catastrophe last month has now converted some of the holdouts by proving one more benefit to cycling: you have a means to go home when the trains stop moving. On that fateful day, millions of workers were stranded in the middle of the city when virtually the whole Tokyo train and subway system — which together shuttle nine million people in and out of the megalopolis daily — ground to a halt. Railways stopped trains for fear of aftershocks. While most of the trains and subways resumed service toward midnight, hundreds of thousands walked home or took shelter in their offices or public halls. Amid worried colleagues wondering how to get home, Masataka Isashiki, 32, a government worker in downtown Chiyoda ward, wowed his colleagues when he announced he was going like he always did: He put on his helmet and headed for his bike. The street was jammed with traffic, “but I simply found my way between cars which were stuck,” he said. “My colleagues were impressed.” That night, hordes of workers trailing home, sometimes as far as 20 kilometers, or 12 miles, on foot, swarmed any bicycle shops they found on their route. “There were many, many people who bought a bike on their way home,” said Kenji Tanaka, secretary general of a bicycle retailers’ association in Tokyo. “Many stores went empty that night.” Since then, “sales have been steadily growing and orders have been pouring in,” he added. Reflecting that, “there are more people on a bike on the road in the morning” now than a month ago, Mr. Isashiki said. “I also see more bicycles parked in the premise of the building I work in.” Mr. Kobayashi, director of the bicycle advocacy group, regularly counts the number of bikers passing by a busy boulevard that leads to downtown Tokyo. On a day last November, he counted 105 bicycles from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. That rose to 243 on March 14, three days after the earthquake and to 330 on March 30. “The quake has clearly changed the number of bike commuters,” he said. “It resembles the sudden spike in bike commuters in London after the 2005 bombings when public transportation was suspended for a while.” People who try biking to work quickly discover that finding their way on the meandering Tokyo streets is neither as daunting nor as exhausting as they expected. “With smartphones and Google<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/google_inc/index.html…>map, the task is made easy,” Mr. Kobayashi said. “They also notice it is quite a pleasant experience cycling. All together, the earthquake may have triggered a change in lifestyle for many.” Mr. Isashiki, the government worker, rides 10 kilometers each way — a 40 minute trip — on his silver Bianchi, an Italian-made bike for which he paid 80,000 yen, or $960. “It just feels good on the bike, generally,” rather than being squeezed into a train, he said. Riding lowers stress, said Takayuki Maruyama, 51, an executive with an information technology company in downtown Tokyo, who cycles to work once or twice a week. “Some people say you might get exhausted on the bike,” he said. “But I feel refreshed. The only snag is parking. There is no dedicated bicycle park, so I leave it on the sidewalk.” For most metropolitan riders, the mental and cardiovascular benefits outweigh the perceived environmental gain, since most have switched from train commutes rather than cars. “Since around 2002, people began talking about the metabolic syndrome and so forth for middle-aged people, which gave birth to the initial boom in bicycling,” Mr. Kobayashi said. According to the Japan Bicycle Promotion Institute, a government affiliated agency, bike ownership in Tokyo rose to 8.99 million in 2008, the most recent available yearly figure, from 7.07 million in 2000. Recently, electric-powered bicycles have also seen something of a boom in demand, particularly in the aftermath of the March temblor. Tooru Miyake, manager of the sales planning team at Panasonic<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/matsushita-electric-i…>Cycle Technology, based in Osaka, said that, probably as a result of the earthquake, the company’s sales of electric bicycles rose about 30 percent in March from that month last year. In February, the increase was just 10 percent, he said. The company would not say how many bikes it had sold, but it said total electric bike sales in Japan were running at about 380,000 a year, of which Panasonic holds a 40 percent market share. *This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:* *Correction: April 19, 2011* * An earlier version of this article stated that bicycle ownership in Tokyo rose to nearly nine million in 2008 from 7.07 million in 1990. The 7.07 million figure was for 2000, not 1990. *

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Research shows biking, walking can thrive in suburbia
by Beth McKechnie 26 Apr '11

26 Apr '11

Research shows biking, walking can thrive in suburbia<http://bikeportland.org/2011/04/26/research-shows-biking-walking-can-thrive…> Posted by Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)<http://bikeportland.org/author/jonathan-maus/>on April 26th, 2011 at 8:47 am http://bikeportland.org/2011/04/26/research-shows-biking-walking-can-thrive… It's a somewhat generally accepted concept in urban planning circles that there's no hope for suburbia. Cinderblock walls, cul-de-sacs, and wide arterials all make for a car-centric lifestyle. But new reseach shows that among suburban multifamily housing — the fast growing housing type in the U.S. — biking and walking can thrive. In *Overlooked Density: Re-Thinking Transportation Options in Suburbia<http://otrec.us/project/216> * Nico Larco <http://otrec.us/research/researcher/larco/>, an assistant professor of architecture at the University of Oregon, focuses on suburban multifamily housing, which he calls a "widespread and overlooked example of density." "Dispelling commonly held beliefs about the amount of walking and biking occurring in suburbia, our study shows that more than a third of all trips to the LCA [local commercial area]... are active travel trips." His findings show that, not surprisingly, site design and connectivity to commercial areas are major factors in whether or not residents choose to walk or bike. Among developments in the study that were well-connected to commercial areas, more than 44% of residents choose to walk or bike to them — a rate that's nearly twice as high as multifamily developments that lack connectivity. But what is surprising is that, contrary to our popular perception of suburbia, "Across *all* studied developments, more than a third of all trips to nearby commercial strips are taken on foot, with a total of 38.7 percent taken on foot or by bicycle." Nico Larco, AIA Larco writes that there may be, "additional latent active transport in suburbia," but it will only be realized if developers and planners make connectivity and "pass through" between their units and commercial areas a top priority. For those that get it right, here's what they have to look forward to (taken from chapter 2 of the study): "The latent potential in proximity of residences and commercial areas can reduce residents’ reliance on automobiles and increase active modes of travel such as walking and biking, especially for short trips under a half mile. Increasing active travel might reduce vehicle miles traveled, which has positive impacts on the environment as it reduces carbon emissions. In addition, walking and biking can have a positive effect on residents’ physical and mental health and can provide economic savings." Especially significant in Larco's field of study are the health, economics, and equity implications. As he notes in the study, the typical demographic of suburban multifamily housing includes the elderly and lower-income individuals. "Increasing active travel for these populations," Larco writes, "can have an economic effect as residents do not need to have access to automobiles or pay for additional fuel for these short trips." Larco's study was funded by the Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium (OTREC). Learn more and download the final report at the OTREC website<http://otrec.us/news/entry/suburban_developments_can_build_in_walking_and_c…> .

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Active Transportation - Canada: April 26, 2011
by Beth McKechnie 26 Apr '11

26 Apr '11

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Michael Haynes <activetransportation(a)rogers.com> Date: Tue, Apr 26, 2011 at 10:26 AM Subject: Active Transportation - Canada: April 26, 2011 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. Twenty new items have recently been posted to the Active Transportation - Canada Blog. To view in more detail, go to: http://activetransportation-canada.blogspot.com **************************************************************************************************** 1. A dreadful accident, a wake-up call on street safety 2. City of Waterloo Adopts Canada's First Complete Streets Policy 3. The Federal Election and Cycling 4. Toronto - 2011 Complete Streets Forum 5. Guerilla Urbanism: North Oak Cliff residents create their own Complete Street ************************************************************************************* 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 **activetransportation(a)rogers.com<http://ca.mc883.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=activetransportation@rogers.com> 613.424.2803

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WFP: Pedestrians risk life and limb - Dodge traffic after pathway submerged (Apr.26'11)
by Beth McKechnie 26 Apr '11

26 Apr '11

Pedestrians risk life and limb Dodge traffic after pathway submerged By: Melissa Martin High water and heavy construction have choked off key walkways through one of Winnipeg's busiest downtown routes, triggering a jaywalking jam many fear is a disaster waiting to happen. On Monday afternoon, as the first waves of southbound rush-hour traffic started to flow south down Osborne Street from downtown, dozens of pedestrians and cyclists gingerly picked their way between oncoming cars to make it to Osborne Bridge's single open sidewalk. "This is what passes for planning in this city," said Paul Hesse, who walks or bikes every day from his Osborne Village home to his downtown law office. "It's terrible. Something has to be done." The problem: Since Monday morning, the east side of the Osborne Bridge sidewalk has been closed to accommodate the bridge's year-long rehabilitation. The city expected pedestrians and cyclists crossing the bridge from Osborne Village to use a path underneath the bridge's north side to get to the legislature grounds or the Assiniboine Avenue bikeway. But with that walkway deep under the swollen Assiniboine River and no temporary crossing from Mostyn Place to the legislature grounds, pedestrians walking downtown are forced to either walk north to Broadway -- or, as hundreds of people did on Monday, nip across three lanes of bustling Osborne Street traffic. Until the underpass reopens, Hesse worries, a scheme that pushes dozens of people an hour across Osborne Street traffic risks tragedy. "People haven't been warned about this," he said, minutes after a construction worker in a bright orange vest helped escort an elderly woman through the traffic. "Will people have to risk lives crossing illegally through Osborne's traffic?" Monday was a holiday for city employees, who were not available to discuss the issue in-depth. But in an email to Hesse on April 21, a city bridge engineer acknowledged the concern and said the city had "considered installing a temporary crossing at street level but determined that it is not safe to do so." The letter also noted that once the Assiniboine River water level retreats, the city will raise the walking path so it isn't impacted by future flooding. The bridge-level sidewalk will not re-open until October. The bridge project will also add a permanent pedestrian crosswalk between Assiniboine Avenue and Mostyn Place, the city said, but that will not be open until October 2012. At the impromptu crossing on Monday, some pedestrians scooting between cars were taken aback by the city's decision. "It's too dangerous (to put a temporary crossing)? Oh, that's good," said Kendall Hinds, an Osborne Village resident, on his way to toss a Frisbee on the legislature grounds. "They really thought this one through -- this is the major access point into the village." On the flip side, drivers seemed to understand that too, as they slowed down and stopped on Monday to let pedestrians and bikers cross. "It's a little inconvenient, but for the most part motorists have been really considerate," said bike commuter Bonnie Van Steelandt, waiting for an opening in traffic to pedal across to the west side of Osborne Street. "But it would be nice to have a crosswalk here. I don't know the right answer -- I just hope it doesn't last long." melissa.martin(a)freepress.mb.ca -- *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) 925-3772 | 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/memberships/>

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Employment opportunity: Bike to the Future Office Administrator / Bicycle Valet Winnipeg Project Coordinator
by Beth McKechnie 25 Apr '11

25 Apr '11

The Bike to the Future Office Administrator / Bicycle Valet Winnipeg Project Coordinator will report to Bike to the Future's Board of Directors and provide administrative support to the organization. This person will also be the primary leader and executive director of Bicycle Valet Winnipeg, a project of Bike to the Future. Find the job posting and more details here: http://biketothefuture.org/news/archives/2011/04/23/employment-opportunity-… For more info, or to submit a resume, please email contact(a)biketothefuture.org.

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AASHTO withdraws objection to stronger bike-ped rules
by Beth McKechnie 25 Apr '11

25 Apr '11

http://dc.streetsblog.org/2011/04/25/under-pressure-aashto-withdraws-object… Under Pressure, AASHTO Withdraws Objection to Stronger Bike-Ped Rules by Angie Schmitt <http://dc.streetsblog.org/author/angie-schmitt/> on April 25, 2011 The Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials is withdrawing its opposition to an important federal policy change that puts cyclists and pedestrians on a more equal footing with motorists. Active transportation groups were outraged earlier this month when AASHTO requested<http://dc.streetsblog.org/2011/04/12/aashto-new-rule-makes-it-too-hard-to-i…>that the FHWA revert to an old standard that required state DOTs show only that “due consideration” had been given to the needs of cyclists and pedestrians in federally financed transportation projects. *A newer requirement increased the standard to “due accommodation,” shifting the burden on transportation agencies to demonstrate that extreme circumstances prevent the inclusion of bike and pedestrian infrastructure.* In his statement Friday, AASHTO Executive Director John Horsley said the agency’s request was meant “to streamline the effort and paperwork required to justify why bicycle or pedestrian facilities may or may not be appropriate on a given federal aid project.” But he added that the group would withdraw the request in light of opposition that emerged after the League of American Bicyclists<http://www.bikeleague.org/blog/2011/04/aashto-wants-to-weaken-us-dot-bicycl…>, this blog<http://dc.streetsblog.org/2011/04/12/aashto-new-rule-makes-it-too-hard-to-i…>and other bike advocates<http://bikeportland.org/2011/04/19/odot-expresses-disappointment-in-aashto-…>took up the issue. Horsley said that since that time several state DOT chiefs also came out against the request, including Matthew Garrett of the Oregon DOT<http://bikeportland.org/2011/04/19/odot-expresses-disappointment-in-aashto-…> . “In response to the concerns expressed by several members of AASHTO’s Board of Directors, President [Susan] Martinovich has directed AASHTO for the time being to withdraw its request that FHWA rescind its guidance on the meaning of ‘due consideration’ of bicycle and pedestrian needs,” said Horsley. “This will give AASHTO an opportunity to meet with bicycle and pedestrian advocacy groups on May 19 to discuss this issue.” Andy Clarke of the League of American Bicyclists is planning to attend the meeting. He says he’s glad AASHTO is warming to the idea that all transportation projects should begin with the idea of including bicycles and pedestrians in the plan “rather than ‘we’re not going to include bike stuff unless someone makes us.’” Clarke said AASHTO’s backpedaling is an important demonstration of the collective power of bicycle and pedestrian advocates. “I’m glad we called them on it,” he said. “I’m glad they heard a good deal of dissent.” -- *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) 925-3772 | 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/memberships/>

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Illinois tracking 'dooring' crashes involving cyclists
by Beth McKechnie 25 Apr '11

25 Apr '11

State begins tracking ‘dooring’ crashes involving cyclists SUN-TIMES MEDIA WIRE Apr 25, 2011 11:50AM Gov. Pat Quinn on Monday announced the state will begin tracking “dooring” crashes — accidents involving bicyclists struck by opened doors from parked cars. The change will help determine locations where road improvements and public outreach efforts may be necessary to protect cyclists, a release from the Active Transportation Alliance said. The new policy is the result of a collaboration between the Illinois Dept. of Transportation and the Active Transportation Alliance. Before the change, dooring collisions went unrecognized in IDOT’s annual reporting of traffic statistics because a moving vehicle was not involved. The data will be used to plan for improved roadway designs and additional communication with motorists in areas with high concentrations of cyclists, the release said. IDOT’s Division of Traffic Safety is also reaching out to law enforcement agencies with instructions on how to begin recording dooring crashes. Police departments that have already begun tracking them, including Chicago, will have their data included in the state’s statistics retroactive to May 2010. http://www.suntimes.com/5014213-417/state-begins-tracking-dooring-crashes-i… -- *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) 925-3772 | 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/memberships/>

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