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WFP: Impact of ‘slow down’ campaign debated (Nov3'21)
by Beth McKechnie 03 Nov '21

03 Nov '21

Impact of ‘slow down’ campaign debated https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/impact-of-slow-down-campaign-debate… THEY’VE added a pop of sunshine yellow, blue outlines of small children and a clear safety message to hundreds of Winnipeg yards over the past few years. It’s clear there has been some demand for the signs warning drivers to “Please slow down” in blue capital letters. On social media, some folks described the signage as a non-offensive, “friendly reminder” to drive safely. Yet others appear divided on how effective the Winnipeg Committee for Safety campaign is. An advocate pushing for the City of Winnipeg to lower its residential speed limit to 30 km/h from 50 km/h said she’s not convinced the signs produce their desired effect. “I think they give people the sense of control... but if the city knows speeding is a problem, how is this actually addressing the problem? This could give the illusion of improving safety,” Emma Durand-Wood, a volunteer with Safe Speeds Winnipeg, said Tuesday. Instead of sharing a reminder to slow down, she said the city should reduce the speed limit to change driver behaviour. “I think people who are really brazenly speeding aren’t looking at signs on the side of the road.” The Winnipeg Committee for Safety launched the sign campaign in 2018 to encourage drivers to reduce speeds, in hopes it would prevent traffic collisions and injuries. Coun. Cindy Gilroy, who helped lead the initial campaign, said the signs quickly became popular, so up to 100 more were provided for each city councillor to give out in 2020. Gilroy said the display may not alter the habits of persistent scofflaws but do remind folks who became distracted while driving to check their speed. “It is a (visual) reminder... there’s kids around here, slow down,” she said. The Daniel McIntyre councillor said she hopes the city will permanently reduce the residential speed limit to 30 km/h, something a pilot project is now testing on four local street sections. “In an urban environment, we want to have safe communities where people feel that they can… walk around their community, cycle within their community without having a fear of being hit by a car,” she said. A public service report says the city can’t evaluate the actual impact of the signs on vehicle speed, since the signs were handed out to any resident who asked, with no parameters or rules set to study them in a set area. The city did seek feedback from those who signed up to get the signs in 2020, for which 535 different households provided an address. About 138 responded to questions about the program, with 94 per cent saying they supported it and 94 per cent also agreeing the signs should continue to be available to Winnipeggers. However, just 45 per cent believed drivers slowed down after viewing the signs, while 39 per cent felt they didn’t. The rest answered the response was “neutral” or they weren’t sure about it. Winnipegger Ray Hignell said he opposes both the sign campaign and calls to lower the speed limit. “I find (the signs) offensive. What I get is the law is the law and the law is 50 (km/h). It’s not up to somebody else to appoint themselves… to tell me or anyone else that they should be driving slower,” said Hignell. He fears a reduced speed limit could create congestion without resulting in notable safety improvements. “It will slow some (drivers) down and they’ll spend more time wasting their time in traffic and it won’t solve anything,” said Hignell. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyannne_pursaga

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FW: [EXTERNAL] Global Plan for Road Safety | Plan mondial pour la sécurité routière
by Wendy Chapman 28 Oct '21

28 Oct '21

________________________________ From: Parachute Vision Zero Network [info(a)parachute.ca] Sent: Thursday, October 28, 2021 9:01 AM To: Wendy Chapman Subject: [EXTERNAL] Global Plan for Road Safety | Plan mondial pour la sécurité routière [https://r20.rs6.net/on.jsp?ca=ca301b90-7958-46ea-ad53-425d85f56664&a=110361…] La version française du bulletin suit la version anglaise [https://files.constantcontact.com/81471b4f001/e5df60b4-3f8b-4c09-a6fd-fb555…] <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001w5-_hl_1QmXrHJxKloeBhA7CGLKx9FmsT99eRRRCPJx…> Global Plan for Road Safety [https://files.constantcontact.com/81471b4f001/0f427c69-56f5-495f-b599-54acd…] The Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety, an initiative of the World Health Organization, launches today! Together, Parachute and the Canadian Association of Road Safety Professionals (CARSP) strongly support this Global Plan for Road Safety and we are committed to working with key stakeholders across Canada to use this global plan to guide and measure our ongoing work to make Canadian roads safer. Join this important initiative by spreading awareness of the new global plan and showing your commitment to use this plan to guide road safety action. Below are materials and sample social media posts to promote the launch of the Global Plan for Road Safety that you are free to customize. To help track the support in Canada in globally, please tag @parachutecanada, @CARSPInfo, and @RoadSafetyNGOs and use the hashtags #CommitToAct and #StreetsForLife as well as our #ParachuteVZ hashtag. The following materials are available to support your posts * Global Plan<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001w5-_hl_1QmXrHJxKloeBhA7CGLKx9FmsT99eRRRCPJx…> for the Decade of Action for Road Safety, 2021-2030. The plan is available in English, French, and Spanish, Arabic and Russian. * Infographic<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001w5-_hl_1QmXrHJxKloeBhA7CGLKx9FmsT99eRRRCPJx…>: A one-page summary of the plan available in English, French, Spanish, Arabic and Russian. * Social media tiles<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001w5-_hl_1QmXrHJxKloeBhA7CGLKx9FmsT99eRRRCPJx…> (scroll down the webpage): Infographics of key focus areas of the global plan have been created to show your support for different components of the plan. * Social media buttons<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001w5-_hl_1QmXrHJxKloeBhA7CGLKx9FmsT99eRRRCPJx…> and frames<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001w5-_hl_1QmXrHJxKloeBhA7CGLKx9FmsT99eRRRCPJx…>: Social media buttons and frames have been created for you to use to show your support. Sample social media posts The Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety is launching October 28, 2021, with the target to reduce road traffic deaths and injuries by 50% by 2030. Check out the plan today! <Link> _______ strongly supports the new Global Plan for Road Safety and we are committed to use this plan to guide and measure our ongoing work to make Canadian roads safer. Learn more at <Link> The Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety calls for action on: multimodal transport & land-use planning; safe road infrastructure; safe road use; safe vehicles and post-crash response. Learn more at <Link> The Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety describes what’s needed to reduce road traffic deaths and injuries by 50% by 2030. We call on governments & partners to implement an integrated Safe System Approach - <Link> The Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety reflects the 2020 Stockholm Declaration’s promotion of policies to promote walking, cycling & public transit as healthy & environmentally sound modes of transport. <Link> Achieving safe roads and preventing injury takes a multi-sector approach. _________ is committed to supporting theGlobal Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety. Learn more at <Link> We hope these resources help you as you continue to work on Vision Zero and make your communities and roads safer. Watch for information on an upcoming webinar Parachute and CARSP will be hosting on the new Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety! We would like to thank our partner and sponsor Desjardins Insurance for supporting Parachute Vision Zero. Visit the website<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001w5-_hl_1QmXrHJxKloeBhA7CGLKx9FmsT99eRRRCPJx…> STAY CONNECTED [Facebook] ‌ <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001w5-_hl_1QmXrHJxKloeBhA7CGLKx9FmsT99eRRRCPJx…> [Twitter] ‌ <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001w5-_hl_1QmXrHJxKloeBhA7CGLKx9FmsT99eRRRCPJx…> [null] <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001w5-_hl_1QmXrHJxKloeBhA7CGLKx9FmsT99eRRRCPJx…> [https://files.constantcontact.com/81471b4f001/c42be7fc-9787-4b3f-b8a1-7949e…] <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001w5-_hl_1QmXrHJxKloeBhA7CGLKx9FmsT99eRRRCPJx…> Plan mondial pour la sécurité routière [https://files.constantcontact.com/81471b4f001/37915265-0d4f-4244-8468-42c2e…] Le Plan mondial pour la Décennie d’action pour la sécurité routière, une initiative de l’Organisation mondiale de la santé, est lancé aujourd’hui ! Ensemble, Parachute et l’Association canadienne des professionnels de la sécurité routière (ACPSER) appuient fortement ce Plan mondial pour la sécurité routière et nous nous engageons à travailler avec les principaux intervenants de partout au Canada afin d’utiliser ce plan mondial pour orienter et mesurer notre travail continu visant à rendre les routes canadiennes plus sûres. Joignez-vous à cette importante initiative en faisant connaître le nouveau plan mondial et en montrant votre engagement à utiliser ce plan pour orienter les mesures de sécurité routière. Vous trouverez ci-dessous des documents et des exemples de messages dans les médias sociaux pour promouvoir le lancement du Plan mondial pour la sécurité routière, que vous pouvez personnaliser. Pour faciliter le suivi du soutien au Canada et dans le monde, veuillez utiliser @parachutecanada, @CARSPInfo et @RoadSafetyNGOs et utiliser les mots-clics #CommitToAct et #StreetsForLife ainsi que notre mot-clic #ParachuteVZ. Les documents suivants sont disponibles pour soutenir vos publications * Plan mondial<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001w5-_hl_1QmXrHJxKloeBhA7CGLKx9FmsT99eRRRCPJx…> pour la Décennie d’action pour la sécurité routière, 2021-2030. Le plan est disponible en anglais, français et espagnol, arabe et russe. * Infographie.<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001w5-_hl_1QmXrHJxKloeBhA7CGLKx9FmsT99eRRRCPJx…> Un résumé d’une page du plan disponible en anglais, français, espagnol, arabe et russe. * Blocs pour les médias sociaux<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001w5-_hl_1QmXrHJxKloeBhA7CGLKx9FmsT99eRRRCPJx…> (faites défiler la page web vers le bas). Des infographies des principaux domaines d’intervention du plan mondial ont été créées pour montrer votre soutien aux différentes composantes du plan. * Boutons et cadres pour les médias sociaux.<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001w5-_hl_1QmXrHJxKloeBhA7CGLKx9FmsT99eRRRCPJx…> Des boutons et des cadres pour les médias sociaux ont été créés pour vous permettre de montrer votre soutien. Exemples de publications sur les médias sociaux Le Plan mondial pour la Décennie d’action pour la sécurité routière commence le 28 octobre 2021, avec pour objectif de réduire de 50 % le nombre de personnes tuées et blessées sur les routes d’ici 2030. Consultez le plan dès aujourd’hui! <Lien> _______ soutient fermement le nouveau Plan mondial pour la sécurité routière et nous nous engageons à utiliser ce plan pour orienter et mesurer notre travail continu visant à rendre les routes canadiennes plus sûres. Pour en savoir plus, consultez le site <Lien>. Le Plan mondial pour la Décennie d’action pour la sécurité routière prône des mesures concernant : le transport multimodal et l’aménagement du territoire; les infrastructures routières sûres; l’utilisation sûre des routes; les véhicules sûrs et les interventions faisant suite aux collisions. Pour en savoir plus, consultez le site <Lien>. Le Plan mondial pour la Décennie d’action pour la sécurité routière décrit ce qui doit être fait pour réduire de 50 % le nombre de personnes tuées et blessées sur les routes d’ici 2030. Nous exhortons les gouvernements et les partenaires à mettre en œuvre une approche intégrée pour un système sûr. - <Lien> Le Plan mondial pour la Décennie d’action pour la sécurité routière reflète la promotion, par la Déclaration de Stockholm de 2020, de politiques visant à promouvoir la marche, le vélo et l’utilisation des transports publics en tant que modes de transport intrinsèquement sains et respectueux de l’environnement. <Lien> La mise en œuvre de routes sûres et la prévention des blessures nécessitent une approche multisectorielle. _________ s’engage à soutenir le Plan mondial pour la Décennie d’action pour la sécurité routière. Pour en savoir plus, consultez le site <Lien>. Nous espérons que ces ressources vous aideront à poursuivre votre travail sur Vision Zéro et à améliorer la sécurité de vos communautés et de vos routes. Ne manquez pas les renseignements sur un prochain webinaire que Parachute organisera sur le nouveau Plan mondial pour la Décennie d’action pour la sécurité routière! Nous tenons à remercier notre partenaire et commanditaire Desjardins Assurance de son soutien à Vision Zéro de Parachute. Visitez notre site Web<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001w5-_hl_1QmXrHJxKloeBhA7CGLKx9FmsT99eRRRCPJx…> RESTEZ EN CONTACT [Facebook] ‌ <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001w5-_hl_1QmXrHJxKloeBhA7CGLKx9FmsT99eRRRCPJx…> [Twitter] ‌ <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001w5-_hl_1QmXrHJxKloeBhA7CGLKx9FmsT99eRRRCPJx…> [https://files.constantcontact.com/81471b4f001/aba0bebd-b64e-4569-b903-2d716…] <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001w5-_hl_1QmXrHJxKloeBhA7CGLKx9FmsT99eRRRCPJx…> Parachute | 150 Eglinton Ave. East, Suite 300, Toronto, Ontario M4P 1E8 Canada Unsubscribe wchapman(a)wrha.mb.ca<https://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&m=001ZH8cm0mwpXVSIl5hbMkk5w%3D&…> Update Profile<https://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=oo&m=001ZH8cm0mwpXVSIl5hbMkk5w%3D&…> | Constant Contact Data Notice<https://www.constantcontact.com/legal/customer-contact-data-notice> Sent by info(a)parachute.ca<mailto:info@parachute.ca> powered by [Trusted Email from Constant Contact - Try it FREE today.] <http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp?cc=nge&rmc=VF21_3GE&nav=ca301b90-7…> Try email marketing for free today!<http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp?cc=nge&rmc=VF21_3GE&nav=ca301b90-7…> Disclaimer : This email (including any attachments or enclosed documents) is intended for the addressee(s) only and may contain privileged, proprietary or confidential information. Any unauthorized use, disclosure, distribution, copying or dissemination is strictly prohibited. If you receive this email in error, please notify the sender immediately, return the original (if applicable) and delete the email. Avis : Le présent courriel (y compris toute pièce jointe) est destiné à la personne ou aux personnes à qui il est adressé, et peut contenir des renseignements confidentiels, privés ou protégés par un privilège juridique. Toute utilisation, divulgation, distribution, copie ou diffusion non autorisée est strictement défendue. Si vous avez reçu le présent courriel par erreur, veuillez en informer immédiatement l’expéditeur, retourner l’original (le cas échéant) et supprimer ce courriel.

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World Health Organization - Decade for road Safety
by Kristine Hayward 28 Oct '21

28 Oct '21

Hi folks. The WHO launch the Global Plan for the decade of Action for Road Safety today. https://www.who.int/teams/social-determinants-of-health/safety-and-mobility… Kristine Hayward (she/her) Physical Activity Promotion Coordinator Population Public Health Winnipeg Regional Health Authority 2nd floor - 490 Hargrave Street (currently working from home) Winnipeg, MB R3A 0X7 Telephone 204 232-7546 Fax 204 940-2690 Email khayward(a)wrha.mb.ca Bike racks are available in front of the building at the corner of Hargrave and McDermot. Plan your Winnipeg Transit trip: http://winnipegtransit.com/en/navigo Metered street parking and pay lots in the area – please note designated loading zones and spots requiring a disability permit. Follow Winnipeg in motion on Twitter - @wpginmotion<https://twitter.com/search?q=wpginmotion&src=typd> Check out our videos on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/Winnipeginmotion Scent Free Facility - visitors are asked to refrain from wearing perfumes/colognes/heavy-scented lotions/oils We are located on Treaty 1 Territory and the homeland of the Métis Nation. The water we drink comes from Shoal Lake First Nation. Disclaimer : This email (including any attachments or enclosed documents) is intended for the addressee(s) only and may contain privileged, proprietary or confidential information. Any unauthorized use, disclosure, distribution, copying or dissemination is strictly prohibited. If you receive this email in error, please notify the sender immediately, return the original (if applicable) and delete the email. Avis : Le présent courriel (y compris toute pièce jointe) est destiné à la personne ou aux personnes à qui il est adressé, et peut contenir des renseignements confidentiels, privés ou protégés par un privilège juridique. Toute utilisation, divulgation, distribution, copie ou diffusion non autorisée est strictement défendue. Si vous avez reçu le présent courriel par erreur, veuillez en informer immédiatement l’expéditeur, retourner l’original (le cas échéant) et supprimer ce courriel.

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WFP The Herald: New Louise Bridge (Oct27'21)
by Beth McKechnie 27 Oct '21

27 Oct '21

New Louise Bridge – so far, so good https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/herald/correspondent/New-… The new Louise Bridge replacement timeline has become clearer — and it’s good news for northeast Winnipeg residents. Last month, city planners made public their recommendation to build the new Louise Bridge beside the current bridge, which is exactly what Elmwood residents were hoping for. Although the new bridge will be placed just west of the old bridge and not east, as originally planned, it’s a relief to know traffic disruption will be avoided because the old bridge can stay open during construction. Northeast Winnipeg residents should be confident the planning stages are proceeding in an orderly way. City council will have final recommendations in the spring of 2022 — just a few months away. Notices were mailed out to affected property owners in mid-October, signalling the start of the final piece of the community consultation and the expropriation process. The six-lane design, including dedicated bus lanes in each direction, will require some expropriation of property. The time has come for the incoming new Premier to commit her government’s share of the funding for the replacement bridge. It’s good to know Elmwood residents will be able to use the old bridge for the two years the new bridge is under construction. Avoiding closure has always been a crucial aspect of the whole project. At the end of the day, we have to get the job done before the 110-year-old bridge is shut down for safety reasons. Northeast Winnipeggers have been patient but are keenly aware the clock is ticking. We need to keep the pressure on all three levels of government. You can help by visiting www.yourelmwood.com and participating in the survey on the new Louise Bridge replacement. *If you have any questions about other provincial programs, feel free to contact me at 204-415-1122 or email me at jim.maloway(a)yourmanitoba.ca <jim.maloway(a)yourmanitoba.ca>*

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Why Canadians Can't Bike in the Winter (but Finnish people can)
by Beth McKechnie 27 Oct '21

27 Oct '21

Can't recall if this video was circulated previously but it's timely as we head into winter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uhx-26GfCBU cheers, Beth

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CBC: Supreme Court says people can sue cities over snow removal activities that cause injury
by Beth McKechnie 22 Oct '21

22 Oct '21

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/top-court-snow-removal-liability-1.6219354

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Pittsburgh introduces Mobility as a Service (MaaS) with Move PGH
by Beth McKechnie 21 Oct '21

21 Oct '21

Exciting case study on the first MaaS initiative in North America. Here are the basics: 1. *Pittsburgh launched Move PGH, a program where customers can access a variety of mobility services through the Transit app and at Mobility Hubs across the city.* 2. *Move PGH offers e-scooters, bikeshare, carshare, public transit, carpooling services, and mopeds.* 3. *Alongside Move PGH, Pittsburgh is piloting a Guaranteed Basic Mobility program, where 50 low-income Pittsburghers can access all participating modes of transportation in Move PGH at no cost.* 4. *Move PGH is the first mobility as a service (MaaS) project of its kind in the United States. This initiative seeks to make different forms of shared mobility more appealing than individual car ownership.* Read more: https://learn.sharedusemobilitycenter.org/casestudy/shifting-the-mobility-p…

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WFP: Plenty to like about storing people’s bikes (Oct18'21)
by Beth McKechnie 18 Oct '21

18 Oct '21

Velotecha to employ youths being helped by Macdonald Youth Services Plenty to like about storing people’s bikes https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/plenty-to-like-about-storing-people… AS colder weather looms, a new bike storage facility is opening — one that doubles as an employment program for youth in care. Through Velotecha, up to 150 bikes will be stored, repaired and maintained during the winter. Winnipeggers can choose from packages offering varying levels of maintenance, to be performed by teenagers and young adults through Macdonald Youth Services. “We really put... (the) pedal to the metal this summer,” Nicole Barry, the non-profit’s chief financial officer, said of starting the project. The WRENCH, a charity that builds and repairs bikes, has been training eight people on bike mechanics since August for the venture. A new cohort will join soon. Cyclists can choose a basic package, which includes storage and tire inflation, for $55.99. Prices increase for those who want more in-depth fixes, like part replacements, realignments and brake adjustments. Organizers will collect bikes curbside beginning Monday. Pick up will continue into November, if space is still available, Barry said. “We want people to use their bikes if the weather’s nice, but we also have a limited capacity,” she said. Velotecha staff will deliver owners their rides in April. The bikes’ seasonal home remains private for safety reasons, Barry said. “The beauty of a bike storage program is that it solves a lot of problems,” said Kate Sjoberg, executive director of The WRENCH. More people have turned to cycling as a pandemic-era hobby, to combat climate change and for health reasons, Sjoberg said. But, many Winnipeggers end their two-wheel adventures when the temperature drops. Velotecha will assist people who don’t have room to store their bikes, Sjoberg said. And, it will allay the tune-up backlogs cyclists face in the spring. “It’s really hard to find a shop that will fix your bike in the springtime,” Sjoberg said. “(Also), training kids to be bike mechanics in the spring, when there’s a rush happening, is not a great way to learn.” The youths who Velotecha will employ have participated in Macdonald Youth Services’s life skills programs and were chosen by staff. “They’ve been really consistent and really awesome to be around,” Sjoberg said. “We have a lot of confidence in their ability to do great work.” Many kids using Macdonald Youth Services don’t get the same access to jobs others do, according to Barry. “Most of us have gotten help or were even handed our first job,” she said. “That’s what we’re trying to provide them... We’re kind of giving them a shot at real, meaningful work.” Macdonald Youth Services plans to expand Velotecha next year: it wants a bike lab where Winnipeggers can buy refurbished bikes or get their own repaired. The hub will likely be at 175 Mayfair Ave., the non-profit’s location, and will potentially employ this winter’s mechanics- in-training. Then, Macdonald Youth Services can invite a new group to work at the storage site next fall. Velotecha’s current staff could also work for The WRENCH post-storage season. “There is a need for bike mechanics in the city,” Sjoberg said. “We’re interested in this particular cohort, if anyone is interested in working with The WRENCH following it, and they’re the right candidate.” Canada is “not hitting the mark” to support youth transitioning from care, in terms of ensuring they have liveable incomes and communities where they’re safe, Sjoberg said. “We know that many other organizations and people in the city are interested in creating that safety and those communities of support for kids,” Sjoberg said. “This is a small contribution to that.” More information about the program can be found at velotecha.com. gabrielle.piche(a)winnipegfreepress.com

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WFP: Velo Renovations - pedal to the home-reno mettle (Oct16'21)
by Beth McKechnie 16 Oct '21

16 Oct '21

PEDAL TO THE HOME-RENO METTLE Environmentally committed Winnipeg company’s owner, associates aren’t reinventing the wheel, but they’re using fewer of them to get to job sites https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/greenpage/pedal-to-the… SEEING is believing. Velo Renovations is a home reno company with a twist: instead of loading tools and supplies into a van or half ton, employees rely on pedal power to get from one job site to another, 12 months of the year. The business’s website doesn’t disguise that fact, openly charting how many kilometres workers have collectively covered to date — a tick under 15,000 — along with the estimated amount of carbon emissions saved by doing so (2.73 tonnes and counting). Still, clients who enlist them to paint a living room or patch a wall continue to be surprised when they arrive on two wheels, especially during a torrential downpour or January cold snap. “To be honest, the fact we get around by bike is a big reason why many of our customers choose to go with us in the first place,” says Nathaniel De Avila, who founded Velo, French for bicycle, in October, 2020. “But there have certainly been days when it was 30 below or whatever, when we pulled up and the person answering the door went, ‘I know you guys bike to work, but I didn’t think you’d actually do it today.” De Avila, 33, laughingly describes Velo Renovations as a “mid-COVID pivot.” Around this time last year De Avila, a professional music producer who moved to Winnipeg from his native Iowa in 2016, found himself unable to work in his chosen field because of pandemic-related restrictions. He’d long been comfortable with a hammer in his hand; he toiled part-time for a reno company during high school and again while he was attaining a master of arts in music from the University of Iowa. To stay busy, he figured that might be an avenue worth pursuing. Why bikes? That’s easy, says the veteran winter cyclist, tracing his environmental consciousness to a book he read when he was in junior high titled More-With-Less by Doris Janzen Longacre and, more recently, to a documentary called Freightened, which details nightmarish statistics in regards to pollution attributable to the shipping industry. “Most of the world is doing things on bike, it’s just North America where it’s a bit of a novelty,” he says. “Are we going to save the planet by having the eight of us pedal to work? Of course not. But that doesn’t make it unimportant, either.” ON the day we met, De Avila and one of his associates, Maraleigh Short, were doing exterior repairs to a home in Fort Richmond, an hour-long trek from Velo’s home base in West Broadway. De Avila arrived on his personal 10-speed while Short took one of two official company “vehicles.” “Colin Bock from Freedom Concepts (a Winnipeg firm that designs and builds special needs bicycles and mobility devices) helped come up with this, based on an Xtracycle (an elongated, load-carrying bike developed in the U.S.),” De Avila explains, running his hand along the frame of a two-metre-long contraption that joins a full-size chromoly mountain bike to a chopped-up, 20-inch BMX model. “It has a rechargeable battery unit that slides out, but is designed to be pedal-assist. There’s a running board on the back for tools and such but lots of times we’ll attach an extension ladder on wheels, upon which we can load even more stuff.” (Not present is a custom-built tricycle-and-trailer unit, canary yellow in colour, that always draws stares — and occasionally requests for a business card — when motorists pull up alongside it at a red light.) Short, sporting sweats and sneakers speckled with white primer, says one of the factors that attracted her most to Velo, more a co-op than a company, is its people-first approach. Not only do workers set their own hours and pick and choose job assignments, they also determine their individual rate of pay and are afforded the opportunity to view the business’s finances as a whole. It’s a model De Avila came up with long before Velo was even a “thing,” based on conversations he had with a university professor well-versed in businesses that place people and planet ahead of profits. “It could be a gendered thing, or it could be my personality, but I probably wouldn’t have sought out working in construction or reno if I hadn’t found (Velo),” Short says, seated on an empty, overturned paint bucket. “Initially, I didn’t bring a lot of skills to the table, nor did I have a ton of confidence, but because there’s a strong teaching structure in place here, I’ve been able to learn so much from Nate and the other people I work with. Now I really feel part of a team.” Velo Renovations tackles the same projects as most so-called, conventional reno operations, namely, painting, drywalling, restructuring and tiling. At the same time, it’s not like you’ll spot them hauling a kitchen counter or panels of sheetrock behind them any time soon. Knowing their limitations, they obligingly work with in-place delivery systems when it comes to larger items, De Avila says. He adds it’s certainly not a condition of employment that employees must pedal to work, and a few of their subcontractors do not. That said, if any certified plumbers and/or electricians reading this aren’t averse to hopping on a bike, feel free give him a call, he says with a grin. Another manner in which Velo differs significantly from many of its counterparts is that it’s not uncommon for on-staff designers to talk potential customers out of jobs that would probably net the company a bigger payday if they feel there are better options available from an environmental standpoint. “‘Are you sure you want to do this?’ or ‘Is there a way to consume less?’ are questions we ask all the time,” De Avila says. “For example, somebody might want to make their home’s footprint larger by putting in an addition. To which we might suggest changing a couple existing walls, thus avoiding having this bigger space you’re now going to have to heat for the next 50 years, draining valuable resources. “When we’re doing consults with clients, we try to provide them with all kinds of alternatives, whether it be using reclaimed building materials from ReStore or plant-based or sustainable products. Lots of renovators will say after they fix your home it will be worth whatever amount of money more. But as soon as you spend that money, you’re indebting yourself to a structure more so than you already have with a mortgage, which forces you to work X number of hours to make X amount of money, all of which goes against our general philosophy.” Finally, with the bikes, in the last 12 months De Avila, who also owns a car, says he’s noticed a discernible difference in his demeanour on days when he’s biked to work versus those when, for whatever reason, he was forced to get behind the wheel. Whenever he’s snarled in traffic due to lane closures or a mishap, he finds himself getting short or angry more quickly than when he’s pedalling here and there. “That makes me wonder if the actual mode of transportation fundamentally changes the way I interact with others,” he says, adding another benefit of biking to work with co-workers is that it affords everybody the opportunity to discuss the day ahead, where they left off yesterday... the same type of things they probably would have spent the first 30 minutes deliberating had they gotten there separately by car. “So if I compare the two, I’d much rather get on a bike at the start of the day. Plus it’s pretty hard not to be awake and alert when you arrive for work, especially when it’s on the chilly side.” david.sanderson(a)freepress.mb.ca

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New bike repair social enterprise launching
by Beth McKechnie 15 Oct '21

15 Oct '21

*** please share with your networks *** Check out the new bike repair social enterprise in Winnipeg called Velotecha. It’s run in partnership between Macdonald Youth Services and the Wrench. They are launching a Winter Storage and Tune Up service – picking up bikes, fixing them and returning them in early spring. The repair and maintenance work will create paid first jobs for some youth under supervision of qualified bike mechanics. Plus it will get more cyclists on the road earlier in the season. Have a look at the website here: www.velotecha.com Here is a FB post that can be shared quickly: https://www.facebook.com/272671616114244/posts/4455579211156776/?d=n

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