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WFP: Transit trouble frustrates bus riders (Dec19'22)
by Beth McKechnie 19 Dec '22

19 Dec '22

Transit trouble frustrates bus riders https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2022/12/19/transit-turmoil-frustrat… ERIN Riediger’s Winnipeg Transit tracking app told her the bus she was waiting for Dec. 9 was four minutes away. When the countdown reached zero, the estimated wait time jumped back up to four minutes. She kept checking, and waiting in the cold. About 20 minutes past the original arrival time, the bus scheduled for the Wellington Avenue stop vanished from the list entirely. “It didn’t say, ‘cancelled,’ it didn’t say, ‘unavailable,’ it just disappeared from the schedule,” Riediger said. “And then when I was walking to try to catch another bus, I ran into other people along the route, basically, that were waiting for the same bus, and I even said to a few of them: ‘Just so you know, it’s not coming.’” It’s a frustrating occurrence Winnipeggers know all too well. When Riediger shared her experience via social media, her replies were filled with people who, too, had waited for a scheduled bus that never showed up. Riediger uses the Winnipeg Bus Live app, which she said is usually accurate. She noted while she had the ability to walk to another bus stop, not everyone has that privilege. “For transit to be effective, you have to be able to trip plan, and you have to be able to have the reliability of transit so that you can show up to work on time,” she said. “So if you’re going to work in bad weather, you don’t have to wait. If you have mobility issues, you’re not trying to get yourself to another bus stop.” Schedules misaligned to actual vehicles on the road can be caused if a bus has a mechanical issue and is taken out of service — there can be a lag in between the bus being removed and it showing up on the Transit schedules — or as a result of staff shortages, a City of Winnipeg spokesperson said. Those staff shortages result in some buses never making it onto assigned routes, causing cancellations. As with a mechanical issue, sometimes there is a lag between the bus being cancelled and it showing up on riders’ schedules. “We, like many public transportation providers across North America, are experiencing staff shortages that, combined with an increase in operator absenteeism, have resulted in us designating a small number of buses as DNOs (did not operate),” the spokesperson said in an email. “While we never want to see DNOs, what we are experiencing currently is intermittent and is limited to the peak periods (rush hours).” Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505 president Romeo Ignacio said the reduction in transit service over the COVID-19 pandemic (which resulted in temporary layoffs, less frequent service and fewer buses on the road) made an impact that remains today. “The schedules that the city has provided were actually based on the last two years. And you know what the last two years was, right? There was no traffic, there were no people taking the buses,” said the leader of the union representing Transit bus operators. “And they cut the service, they cut the schedules. Not only that, they actually cut the service by six per cent, they actually cut the times. And that has an impact on whether the bus will show up on time or even show up at all.” The issue snowballs, Ignacio said, when you consider buses often take routes known as “interlining” — when a bus does one route for its first trip, then a different route for its second trip. This means if a bus is running late after completing a route, it can often get its next route cancelled entirely to keep it on schedule. “There’s actually a joke out there that ‘not in service’ is the most common bus (route) that the city has… It cascades.” Before the current shortage, the city would have drivers on standby to fill in for emergencies. Now, Ignacio said around 50 driver positions out of 1,100 remain unfilled. To have a fully-operational bus service, he said Transit would need 100 more operators. It’s a cyclical struggle — while 200 drivers have been trained in the last three years, 330 have resigned or retired, Ignacio said. “It takes time for an operator to develop that experience, where they can come in on time all the time, but with the cuts in the service, with the cuts in the schedules, with more traffic out there than the schedules will permit, and the lack of support… Because of all that missing, we’re having a tough time retaining even the (drivers) that we have right now.” malak.abas(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Cyclist dies after collision with front-end loader (Dec17'22)
by Beth McKechnie 17 Dec '22

17 Dec '22

Cyclist dies after collision with front-end loader https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/12/16/cyclist-dies-afte… A CYCLIST was killed after colliding with a front-end loader in an industrial area near St. Boniface Thursday night. The man was riding his bike near the intersection of Mission and Plinguet streets when the incident happened around 10:20 p.m. Off-duty officers who were in the area tried to save him by giving him emergency care. The man was pronounced dead when emergency services arrived. Police said the driver of the front-end loader remained on the scene. The identity of the cyclist hasn’t been confirmed, and no charges have been laid against the driver of the front-end loader, Const. Jay Murray said Friday. “Typically, these types of investigations are very extensive, and require a lot of work before we ultimately determine the circumstances that led up to the collision,” he said. Murray said it’s rare for a front-end loader to be involved in such an incident. “Anecdotally speaking, it doesn’t seem to be a common thing,” he said. “The reality is that there’s quite a bit of front-end loader work that occurs across the city in the winter months, we live in a city where there’s often quite a bit of snow. It doesn’t seem to be something that happens commonly.” Bike Winnipeg executive director Mark Cohoe said the tragedy underscores the need to address cycling infrastructure. “These deaths, and these serious injuries, I think we really have to recognize that these are preventable circumstances, they are preventable events,” he said. It’s time, Cohoe said, for the city to consider a “vision zero” policy — a strategy adopted in cities across the world that looks at city planning and road safety with the goal of reaching zero traffic-related deaths and severe injuries, rather than viewing collisions as inevitable. “When we have these serious collisions, especially fatalities, are we doing an audit to look at what were the circumstances that led to this and asking ourselves, are there sort of links in that chain of events and circumstances that we can alter so that this doesn’t happen again?” he said. There is no bike path or sidewalk on the section of road where Thursday’s tragedy occurred. City planning should ensure people who cycle outside high-traffic areas are safe in winter, Cohoe said. While he hopes this tragedy will inspire those conversations at the municipal level, Cohoe said he isn’t confident. “Obviously, the police will investigate. I would hope that that will be shared. MPI will look at this. But to what level does it come back to that system of looking at our roads, our programming, our public education, our maintenance and looking at how we’re training the staff that clean the streets?” he said. “Am I confident that it will be filtered back up through that change? No.” At the Winnipeg Repair Education and Cycling Hub, the organizers who create community bike programs are well-prepared for winter cycling. While the group could make safety recommendations, executive director Lucas Stewart said nothing can replace safer infrastructure. “We recommend a studded front tire to help with steering and having a bike that you don’t mind getting a little rusty, because salt is applied to the streets,” he said. “The limiting factor really is having a safe place to ride either with or without cars, and the quality of the snow clearing.” Along with infrastructure changes, Stewart said he’d like to see urban cycling implemented into elementary school education. “My daughter’s four. I have a dream that when she’s 13, she can get herself to soccer practice by bike,” he said. “That’s not the case at the moment.” malak.abas(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Citizen shovellers want clear paths, better city response (Dec12'22)
by Beth McKechnie 12 Dec '22

12 Dec '22

Citizen shovellers want clear paths, better city response https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/12/12/citizen-shovelers… FOR some who recently watched the city threaten to fine Winnipeggers who took clearing snow from bike lanes into their own hands, it feels like history repeating itself. When the water rose and froze over the Omand’s Creek footbridge in 2019, Chris Beauvilain and others felt they were forced to clear the snow- and ice-covered bridge themselves. The city had blocked off the pedestrian link and said it wouldn’t be clearing it until spring, despite repeated requests for service from Wolseley community members. “The city had made a choice at that time… which we thought was unacceptable, given that’s our toboggan park, my kids used that trail to get to their grandparents’ house,” Beauvilain said Thursday. “And so we went and did it.” At the time, the public works department said the job was too dangerous to complete, due to thick ice blocking off machine access. After Beauvilain and Brad Hignell spent hours chipping the ice off the bridge with hand tools on a December Saturday, the city eventually plowed the entire trail leading up to the bridge on either side. It didn’t come with a thank you, however — rather, the city said through a spokesperson the pair’s efforts “did not mitigate the public safety risk” and the unsanctioned cleaning, luckily, hadn’t affected the bridge’s structure. The idea of fining the shovellers was brought up but eventually discarded; internal emails obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation through a freedom of information request and shared with the Free Press described their work as “reckless.” “It was a pretty frustrating experience to do that, and then be threatened with fines,” Beauvilain said, adding people were fed up with slow-moving response to snow-clearing. “And I just felt like the city was being kind of a bully and aggressive, and I didn’t really understand it.” Beauvilain said he feels “inspired” by residents who have been clearing icy paths across the city in recent weeks after complaints to the city’s 311 service reportedly went unanswered. Last month, a group took matters into their own hands and dug ice and snow from a bike lane on Westminster Avenue. They were given a warning of possible bylaw fines. Undeterred, they later cleared a lane in the Exchange District. A City of Winnipeg spokesperson clarified it had no plans to fine anyone. Beauvilain said he was a little surprised the city was quick once again to jump to threatening fines before backing down. “It seems so ridiculous, but it is not uncommon for me to see these kinds of situations happen and the response is typically quite defensive and aggressive,” he said. “I’ll give credit to the city this time, the spokesperson was very clear… but then also kind of surprised that we’re still dealing with the same issues as a winter city.” Hillary Rosentreter, who has been organizing groups to clear ice and snow from lanes, didn’t live in Winnipeg in 2019, and hadn’t heard about the Omand’s Creek incident until recently. “I’m not surprised… I’m certain that this has been a longer-standing problem than any of us could imagine,” she said. Like Beauvilain, she acknowledges the city has been making efforts to streamline its snow-clearing processes, but said until it moves faster, people will continue to be inclined to take the work upon themselves. “I’m not necessarily concerned about them learning from their mistakes. More so I’m more concerned about… the amount of time it takes before policies are changed, the amount of time it takes before 311 gets to a trouble spot, that kind of thing,” Rosentreter said. A motion from Coun. Matt Allard to update bylaws to remove the possibility of receiving a fine for clearing snow off of public sidewalks and bike paths was met with interest at city hall last week. malak.abas(a)freepress.mb.ca

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CBC: Edmonton set to build $100M in bike lanes as city council votes to amend capital budget (Dec9'22)
by Beth McKechnie 11 Dec '22

11 Dec '22

After hours of debate Friday, council approved a plan to fund $100 million to implement the city-wide bike lane network, many of which are multi-mode paths. Full story: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/edmonton-city-council-1.6681387

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WFP: ‘Not one easy solution’ amid deadly year on Winnipeg roads (Dec7'22)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Dec '22

08 Dec '22

‘Not one easy solution’ amid deadly year on Winnipeg roads https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/12/07/not-one-easy-solu… The heightened death toll on Winnipeg roads this year is “bleak” and “awful,” an active transportation advocate says. Katheryn Loewen, senior sustainable transportation co-ordinator at the Green Action Centre and a Bike Winnipeg board member, said most pedestrian deaths are preventable, despite often being written off as accidents. “Where the blame lies, it depends on the situation, but where the responsibility lays, it’s usually pretty clear it’s either in road design of the city and the manufacturers of cars,” Loewen said Wednesday. “One person involved is wielding a heavy machine that is capable of instantly killing someone if they’re not careful, and the other person, the pedestrian, is not… The responsibility is imbalanced.” Manufacturers are building autos larger than in previous generations, worsening injuries when collisions happen, Loewen said. Cities could increase the number of crosswalks and improve pedestrian infrastructure — with sidewalks farther and protected from roads — to reduce risks, she added. “It’s a big issue and there’s not one easy solution, but road design is definitely a big factor,” Loewen said. “People should be able to get around on foot and on bike and on scooter and wheelchairs and not be worried about (collisions) like this happening to them constantly.” Eleven pedestrians had been killed in Winnipeg so far this year, compared to six in all of 2021, police data show. An additional six pedestrians have been seriously injured after bring struck by vehicles. Most recently, a pedestrian was killed Dec. 3 on the southbound Century Street entrance to the St. James Bridge in a two-vehicle collision. In total, at least 21 people, including vehicle occupants, have been killed in road collisions this year, compared to nine in 2021. Three pedestrians were killed in hit-and-runs in less than a week in October, while another hit-and-run claimed the life of an 81-year-old vehicle occupant in the same time frame. In 2021, two people were charged for failing to remain at the scene of a collision in which a pedestrian was killed. Three face such charges so far this year, according to the latest police data available. The Winnipeg Police Service would not provide any updates Wednesday on the four fatal October hit-and-run investigations. A request first made Tuesday to speak with the head of the police traffic division in general terms about collision investigations was denied Wednesday, with a spokeswoman saying the inspector was not available “at this time.” A former city police officer — who retired in 1991 and now runs a firm focused on helping drivers fight traffic tickets — said collision investigations can be difficult. “Hit-and-run or leaving the scene of an accident — that’s always a tricky investigation,” said Len Eastoe of Traffic Ticket Experts. Eyewitness accounts, licence plate numbers and dash, business and home surveillance video footage are among the crucial evidence that needs to be collected, he said. Police have made public pleas for such footage to be brought forward to investigators in the spate of October hit-and-runs. Pieces of vehicles left at the scene too are key, Eastoe said, because the wreckage can be sometimes tracked to a specific type of vehicle. “Sometimes, they then have the colour or make and model even of the vehicle they’re looking for.” Police have past said traffic investigators use, among other tools, a scanner to create 3D images of collision scenes in reconstructions. Eastoe said recovering vehicles involved in collisions is “huge” for police. “It gives you all sorts of other possibilities. Who’s the registered owner? It gives you a person to talk to in that regard. Sometimes, the vehicles are stolen and just haven’t been reported that way yet, and that may be legitimate. It may also be bogus that it’s been reported stolen,” said the former cop who worked in uniformed patrol and plainclothes. “If they can’t say it was stolen or you can prove it wasn’t, then the owner can be held responsible.” erik.pindera(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @erik_pindera

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WFP: Councillor seeks to dump threat of shovelling fines (Dec8'22)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Dec '22

08 Dec '22

Eliminate risk of penalties for citizens clearing snow: Allard Councillor seeks to dump threat of shovelling fines https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2022/12/07/councillor-seeks-to-dump… CALLS to eliminate potential fines for citizens who opt to shovel snow off Winnipeg public sidewalks and bike paths are gaining traction at city hall. Coun. Matt Allard wants council to update bylaws to permanently eliminate the risk of a financial penalty for such volunteers. “I’m saying residents should not have to fear a fine (for) being good citizens by doing the snow-clearing work that the city should be doing, according to our snow-clearing bylaw, which the public service has acknowledged they don’t have the resources to do,” Allard said Wednesday. The city didn’t meet its own standards last winter, according to a recent civic staff report. That policy requires sidewalks adjacent to major routes and collector streets to be cleared within 36 hours after an “average” storm ends, with residential street sidewalks cleared within five working days after plowing starts. While last winter’s especially harsh, stormy conditions certainly hampered snow and ice control, many residents have complained winter sidewalks have been impassable far too often for several years. Allard said he believes residents can manage any risk in clearing such routes for themselves. “For people trying to get around on their bicycles (who are) being caught in the snow, I think that’s more of a safety issue than people taking out some shovels and clearing that active transportation path.” While city officials have assured the public they don’t intend to levy such fines, Allard said a bylaw update is needed to completely rule out the risk of that happening in the future. Hillary Rosentreter, who has organized multiple do-it-yourself snow-clearing efforts on bike lanes and sidewalks over the past few weeks, said the risk of a fine should be clearly eliminated. “Those who go out and put the effort in to clear sidewalks near their homes or in their communities should not be threatened with a fine or have to face any kind of repercussions for doing so — especially from the city, when the city is obviously not keeping up with that responsibility,” said Rosentreter. The city must do more, however, than simply ruling out punishment for folks who volunteer to clear paths for bikes and pedestrians, she added. “The reason why we’ve been out there and why we continue to be out there (clearing snow) is because the clearing is inadequate… Ultimately, we want the policy of snow-clearing to change. We want more money to go into clearing of sidewalks and bike lanes because (snow-clearing) disproportionately focuses on vehicles.” Allard’s motion appears to be gaining some traction with his city council colleagues. Mayor Scott Gillingham said he believes there’s a “common sense” need to ensure no one is fined for shovelling a sidewalk. However, he said council needs further debate to determine how to proceed on bike paths. “Some areas for bike lanes are a shared lane on a road (with vehicles). There (are) different safety concerns… related to bike lanes, as opposed to a sidewalk,” said Gillingham. Council’s public works chairwoman said she was surprised to confirm fines were possible for clearing a sidewalk. “Common sense needs to prevail, because I think it’s ridiculous… I’m going to be working with the department on this one,” said Coun. Janice Lukes. However, Lukes said she fears making it easier for residents to clear bike lanes on their own could pose a significant safety risk. “It isn’t safe to really have people (shovelling) on the road in the winter with moving vehicles.” Overall, the councillor said the key focus must be to improve the city efforts to clear ice and snow from sidewalks and bike paths. “The bottom line is I think we need to be looking at doing much better,” said Lukes. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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Researchers net $3M to create sustainable transportation interventions in Canadian cities
by Beth McKechnie 06 Dec '22

06 Dec '22

A national research team is taking aim at creating more sustainable transportation options in cities across the country. Simon Fraser University (SFU) health sciences professor Meghan Winters leads the interdisciplinary group with $3 million in funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). The team will focus on improving bicycling networks for all ages and strategies to reduce speed. Full article: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/973429

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WFP: Urban outcasts: Leaving our most vulnerable to struggle for themselves in the cold shames this city (Dec1'22)
by Beth McKechnie 03 Dec '22

03 Dec '22

Urban outcasts: Leaving our most vulnerable to struggle for themselves in the cold shames this city https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/columnists/2022/12/01/urban-outca… An open letter to the man I saw on Selkirk Avenue on a recent Thursday afternoon just before 2 p.m. It’s good that you were wearing a red sweater. It stood out against the snow, a blotch of crimson on a dirty white tableau, which made you very easy to see. I spotted you from a block away, at least, inching slowly down the street. The wheels of your wheelchair sank into the soft snow, so you were mostly dragging the chair forward by your slippered feet. There was nowhere else you could be at that moment. I don’t know where you were going, but you had to go somewhere and the sidewalk was rutted and clogged by snow. Behind you, prowling cars slowed and veered into the oncoming lane, my lane, making a cautious arc to avoid where you laboured, one inch at a time, down the road. I was embarrassed. Not by you. As we drove past, my passenger, a newcomer from Ukraine, pursed her lips and watched you with curious eyes. We did not speak enough of each other’s languages for complex conversation, so it’s hard to say what went through her mind, but she made a sympathetic murmur. Matching the sentiment, so did I. So yes, I was embarrassed that a newcomer should see this Winnipeg, the one that pushes citizens with the greatest need of safe passage out into the street. It can’t be hidden though. It’s the truth. But I’m speaking to myself, here; the failures of our city’s responsibility to people with disabilities will be very well-known to you. And you aren’t the only one who has to get around like this, which I’m also sure you know already. It’s an epidemic. A few days after I saw you, I was stuck in rush hour traffic where Broadway branches off from Portage Avenue, when the knot of SUVs ahead parted to show a woman in a power wheelchair, slowly rolling forward, while drivers gave her a berth. She looked so small amidst the wall of vehicles around her. So vulnerable. A street built for cars is no place for people. But with winter sidewalks so often impassable to wheelchairs, where else could she go? Having no answer to that, how about a more uncomfortable question: what would we say to her family, or to yours, should an accident occur? We’ve raised this as an issue in the *Free Press* before. Sometimes, it’s poignant. Last December a reader wrote to us, hoping to thank a stranger. She’d taken a friend to get his flu shot, she wrote, but when she took him home, his wheelchair got stuck in the sidewalk snow. All her strength could not move it forward, until a person driving by stopped to help. In October, the snow-clearing budget was briefly an issue <https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/10/17/winter-of-our-dis…> in the mayoral election, and my colleague Joyanne Pursaga spoke to Peter Tonge, a wheelchair-user, about how the winter steals a good chunk of his independence. Sometimes, he explained, his power chair will get stuck on the sidewalk for long minutes until a pedestrian comes by to push him out. And this winter, after bike lanes got covered with snow, residents in one neighbourhood took matters into their own hands <https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/11/23/tired-of-waiting-…> to dig them out. A city spokesman said residents shouldn’t do that, due to road safety issues. I had to laugh a little, reading that, thinking of the road safety issues that come when non-vehicular thoroughfares remain impassable. In all three of these stories, I see the duality of Winnipeg. The one I love and the one that breaks my heart. The one where Winnipeggers band together to help each other through the winter — I write this with appreciation for every stranger who has ever pushed my car out of a snowdrift — and the one where the city falls short of what those people deserve. The most important work of a city, any city, is to facilitate the movement of its people. Winnipeg has never been a star on this end: not in our groaning, threadbare public transit. Not in our slow and piecemeal approach to improving options for active transportation. And certainly not in accessibility, for seniors and others who need it most. Some things can’t be changed, of course. The climate comes with the city’s location. The winter will always be a burden on Winnipeg’s human and financial resources, and we all understand that living here requires a certain level of perseverance. But Winnipeg is not uniquely disadvantaged. Other cities in the world get more snow, but still manage to be more accessible. In Sapporo, Japan — the third-snowiest city in the world, with an average annual snowfall of 485 centimetres, compared to Winnipeg’s 118 — geothermal conduits heat the sidewalks to keep them bare year-round. Other cities, including Oslo and Helsinki, have made similar investments. Experts there have found the cost of keeping snow melted on key pedestrian routes is cheaper than the cost of mechanically clearing them. Of course, the value to safety, dignity and accessibility, especially for seniors, people who use wheelchairs and others, should be considered as priceless. I don’t know what the solution is, for Winnipeg. What I do know is that if, every winter, a city becomes partially impassable and outright dangerous for so many of its residents, then that city is not doing the work it most needs to do. And I also know that no challenge of this nature is insurmountable, that there is always a creative solution yet to be tried. And to you, the man I saw on Selkirk Avenue on that Thursday afternoon, forced onto the road, trying only to get where you needed to go, I’m sorry you had to be there. I’m sorry you had to drag yourself through a city that isn’t designed for you. I’m sorry that you had no choice but to inch down the street while cars growled behind you. melissa.martin(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP Editorial: Clearing a path for active transportation (Dec3'22)
by Beth McKechnie 03 Dec '22

03 Dec '22

EDITORIAL: Clearing a path for active transportation https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/editorials/2022/12/02/clearing-a-… THE white stuff has barely settled in, and Winnipeggers are already displaying dissatisfaction with the city’s snow-clearing efforts. Over the last week, a brigade of local cyclists has taken it upon themselves to dig out and chip away at the icy ruts left along bike lanes across the city following a recent freeze-thaw cycle. By taking up shovels, these concerned citizens have effectively captured the attention of politicians and public works officials. After their complaints to 311 went unresolved, the group of 10 or so cyclists cleared a path in West Broadway, and then later turned their attention to a protected lane in the Exchange District. The latter action resulted in threats of fines for contravening the city’s streets bylaw, which prohibits residents from occupying or working on public roadways. Though the city is well within its rights to dole out penalties — people mingling in roadways and conducting unpermitted work on public property can create a safety hazard and a potential liability nightmare — officials walked back the position on Wednesday, saying there are no plans to issue fines to those involved. This isn’t the first time Winnipeggers have taken snow-clearing matters into their own hands. In 2019, a pair of neighbours chipped and shovelled ice from the Omand’s Creek pedestrian bridge — a well-trod connection between Wolseley and River Heights — after the city closed the route for the season, citing safety concerns. Without citizen intervention, the corridor would have remained cordoned off for months. Had this happened on a main road, more than a few drivers would have been up in arms. The fact taxpayers are, yet again, taking to the streets is a sign snow-clearing services in some areas need improvement. For the sake of user safety, enjoyment and accessibility, let’s hope the city takes heed. By virtue of urban sprawl and a spotty public transportation system, Winnipeg has grown into a staunchly car-centric city. Year-round, there are numerous barriers — such as unconnected bike routes — for those who get around by cycling, walking, rolling and scooting. In the winter, active transportation ceases to be an option for many people unwilling to deal with dodgy road conditions in addition to dodging vehicles. Seventy-six per cent of respondents to a Bike Winnipeg survey reported riding less last winter because of inadequately plowed routes. The latest group of self-appointed snow clearers expressed frustration with city policy, which sees cycling and walking paths left with a compacted layer of snow instead of being cleared to bare pavement. Roads are also given priority after a snowfall, leaving sidewalks and bike lanes to languish, often for days. Last week, the city’s manager of street maintenance said it’s not feasible to plow these routes to the pavement, owing to equipment capabilities and infrastructure concerns. Perhaps, then, we should look to other jurisdictions for workable solutions. A white paper out of Chicago on best practices for winter bike-lane maintenance recommends prioritizing busy cycling routes after a snowfall and being proactive about de-icing. An example from North Dakota suggests applying salt or sugar-beet juice — options the city is already employing — before a snow event can actually reduce costs because less de-icing material is needed in the long run. Winnipeg is a winter city, and treating cycling and walking as if they’re three-season activities is a disservice to those who can’t afford or don’t want to use a personal motor vehicle. If shovel disobedience is ruffling feathers at city hall, perhaps it’s a sign officials need to roll up their sleeves and scrape their way toward a solution.

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Fwd: We are Hiring!
by Anders Swanson 02 Dec '22

02 Dec '22

[Anders note: It may not be a transportation position, per se, but I am forwarding this opportunity along to the AT network because in my experience, this wonderful organization is just as mindful of accessibility outside of the gyms/pools/fields too as they are in.on one. It would be a great place to get some experience in mobility/recreatiomn/urbanism and program development! They look at sport in a very inclusive way, but if there is someone in your life that identifies as a person with a disability who is into planning - whether its cities or events - please especially take a moment to pass this on to them as its especially good opportunity for someone itching to make a difference. ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: ASC Manitoba <mbaccessiblesport(a)gmail.com> Date: Fri, Dec 2, 2022 at 4:41 PM Subject: We are Hiring! To: <ed(a)winnipegtrails.ca> Apply to be our Program Coordinator! We are looking for someone who is passionate about creating strong communities through accessible and inclusive sport and recreation. *Position Title: Program Coordinator (Part-time Casual Term Employment) * *Your Role * *The ASC Manitoba Program Coordinator is the primary face of the organization to the public. You will lead the implementation and delivery of planned programs and act as the primary liaison between the Community and the Board of Directors. * *Start Date:* To be negotiated with the successful candidate *End Date:* March 31, 2022 (with the possibility of extension) *Hours of Work: *20 hours per week (flexible). Evening and weekend work may be required *Wage: *$19.00 per hour *Work Location: *Must have the ability to work remotely. Occasional workspace may be available at Sport Manitoba (145 Pacific) *Closing Date: Open until filled* Descriptive Text: A moment in the gym at the 2022 Manitoba Accessible Sport Expo! A participant tries a motorized trike with the support of retired Paralympic athlete Jared Funk. In the foreground is the Maker Making Change booth. * WE ARE* Accessible Sport Connection Manitoba is a peer-led collective of local Accessible Sport stakeholders. Through collaboration, innovation, and leadership, we envision a unified space where Manitobans of all abilities have equal access to sport and recreation. We aspire to be the HEART and Hub of the Accessible Sport & Recreation community in Manitoba. *YOU ARE* Our Program Coordinator! An individual who embodies community and the spirit of inclusion. You bring forth a passion for sport and recreation with a welcoming nature and a creative eye. You contribute thoughtfully, communicate kindly, and aspire to forge new paths while building strong bridges within our community. *Your Responsibilities * *● Lead and collaborate in the planning and delivering of ASC Manitoba-led and partnered events (ex, HEART awards, Discovery Accessible Sport Expo & Para Sport Have-A-GO initiatives) ● Identify funding sources (ex, grant writing) and sponsorship opportunities ● Promote ASC Manitoba initiatives to the community at large ● Monitor and respond to all communications (email, mail, phone) ● Respond to questions from members and the public about ASC Manitoba programming ● Ensure ASC Manitoba's social media channels and website are current ● Work with the Board to develop and maintain policies appropriate for a Provincial Sport Organization in Manitoba * *● Prepare meeting Agendas and Minutes for the Board of Directors ● Provide post-program reports to the President of ASC Manitoba ● Basic bookkeeping and reporting ● Other duties as assigned/required * *What You know * *● High School Graduate, Post-Secondary or equivalent experience ● Experience of at least one year in Sport and Recreation for People with a Disability. Similar experiences will also be considered ● Basic understanding of Microsoft Office products and/or similar software ● Basic understanding of leading social media platforms * *● Basic understanding of website editing or the capacity to learn * *● Ability to work with minimal direction and supervision * *● Provide a satisfactory criminal record check and clean child abuse registry check Valid Driver’s license and access to a vehicle considered an asset * *Please forward CV / Resume to: mbaccessiblesport(a)gmail.com <mbaccessiblesport(a)gmail.com> * *We appreciate your interest in this position, but due to the expected volume of applications, we apologize in advance if we do not contact all applicants.* Find Out More About Us! <https://ascmanitoba.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9d4c405ffca9df06eef79…> [image: Facebook] <https://ascmanitoba.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9d4c405ffca9df06eef79…> [image: Link] <https://ascmanitoba.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9d4c405ffca9df06eef79…> *Copyright © 2022 Accessible Sport Connection Manitoba, All rights reserved.* You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. *Our mailing address is:* Accessible Sport Connection Manitoba 401-145 Pacific Ave Winnipeg, Mb R3B 2Z6 Canada Add us to your address book <https://ascmanitoba.us4.list-manage.com/vcard?u=9d4c405ffca9df06eef79a874&i…> Want to change how you receive these emails? 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