BikingToronto

Weekly News Wrap-Up: Huge Cycling Budget Increase and MEC Sells Bikes!

2009-11-06T12:28:00.002-05:00

Happy Friday to you. Here's all your news from the past week!

Mountain Equipment Co-op raises ire of bicycle industry
Apparently a large sports retailer getting into the bike business is somehow a no-no? Mountain Equipment Co-op, which has built its retailing reputation on a feel-good image of environmental and social responsibility, has ignited anger in an unlikely place – the bicycle industry. Its foray this month into bike…

HUGE Cycling Budget Increase for 2010?
Now, I'm not an expert in how the city allocates funds for cycling... I do know that of the whole cycling budget, some goes to the Parks & Rec department for trail upkeep, and some goes to the roads department for bikelanes... and some goes other places, but all…

Mountain Equipment Co-op raises ire of bicycle industry

2009-11-04T12:52:00.001-05:00

Apparently a large sports retailer getting into the bike business is somehow a no-no?

Mountain Equipment Co-op, which has built its retailing reputation on a feel-good image of environmental and social responsibility, has ignited anger in an unlikely place – the bicycle industry.

Its foray this month into bike selling has been criticized by rival specialty retailers for everything from unfair competition because of its tax-exempt status, to a Wal-Mart-style money grab, to unethical sourcing.

Bike enthusiasts' ire toward MEC intensified when an executive at the non-profit chain slammed the bike industry in a blog on the company's website, calling it “grey, dusty and dirty.” The blog entry was later removed.

Some bike-parts suppliers have even refused to ship to MEC, while one Quebec distributor last month dropped a major Canadian parts manufacturer from its roster because the supplier is selling to MEC.

“It's no different to me than somebody buying a product at Wal-Mart that they could buy at their local mom-and-pop store,” says Pete Lilly, owner of Sweet Pete's Bike Shop in Toronto and former president of the Bicycle Trade Association of Canada, which represents suppliers and retailers in the estimated $1-billion industry.

“Independent bicycle retail offers something very different than Mountain Equipment Co-op can,” Mr. Lilly says.

Full Article

No disrespect to Pete Lilly, but different types of people shop at different kinds of stores. Does he have the same objection to Canadian Tire selling bikes?

Should only independent retailers sell bikes? Why?

Discuss this in the Biking Toronto Forum

Posted via web from bikingtoronto's posterous

HUGE Cycling Budget Increase for 2010?

2009-11-04T12:33:00.001-05:00

Now, I'm not an expert in how the city allocates funds for cycling... I do know that of the whole cycling budget, some goes to the Parks & Rec department for trail upkeep, and some goes to the roads department for bikelanes... and some goes other places, but all the news stories about the 2010 budget has great news for cycling infrastructure:

- Next year Toronto will spend $217.6 million on new subway cars that will hold more passengers - the beginning of a 10-year program to buy a total of 360 new subway cars;
- The city will spend $72 million on new buses, part of a 10-year program to buy 390 new buses.

- Construction of the Sheppard East light rail line will gather speed, with spending of $163 million.

- Plans call for $22.6 million of spending next year on new bike lanes and paths.

Looking back at old blog posts about the subject, I dredged up some old cycling budget numbers:

2010 - 22.6 million
2009 - 8.6 million
2008 - 5.5 million
2007 - 3.0 million

I hope I'm not wrong about this being a HUGE increase, but maybe someone better versed in municipal budgets could shed some more light on this?

Discuss this on the Biking Toronto Forum

Posted via web from bikingtoronto's posterous

Weekly News Wrap-Up: Railpath Opening and OMB Denies SmartCentres (Again)

2009-10-30T08:34:00.003-04:00

Happy Friday to you. Here's all your news from the past week! Not as much going on now that the weather is cooling down, but there's always *something* going on. :)

SmartCentres Appeal Request Denied
Back in April, SmartCentres appealed the OMBs decision to not allow a bigbox development in Leslieville. News from Paul Young of the South Riverdale Community Health Centre is that this request has been denied: The Ontario Divisional Court has just handed down their decision...

West Toronto Railpath: Official Opening - Fri, Oct. 30
Councillor Adam Giambrone invites you to the official opening of the West Toronto Railpath Park on Friday, October 30, 2009. Councillor Giambrone, the City of Toronto, and Friends of the West Toronto Railpath are pleased to open the first 2.1 km of this exciting recreational trail...

SmartCentres Appeal Request Denied

2009-10-28T17:32:00.002-04:00

Back in April, SmartCentres appealed the OMBs decision to not allow a bigbox development in Leslieville.

News from Paul Young of the South Riverdale Community Health Centre is that this request has been denied:

The Ontario Divisional Court has just handed down their decision.
The request for appeal of the OMB's decision has been denied.

To quote our lawyer, Eric Gillespie,

"There is no ability to appeal from this decision, so this is the end for SmartCentres' case."

We'd like to thank Eric, the city lawyer Brendan O'Callahan, and everyone who participated at the OMB hearing or contributed toward helping the cause for our community!

Here's a few blog posts about the subject:

SmartCentres and their Dumb BigBox Parking Lot Plan for the Lakeshore Multi-Use Path (April 2008)

OMB Stops Walmart - Good News for East End Cyclists (March 2009)

SmartCentres Appeals Pro-Neighbourhood and Pro-Cyclist OMB Decision (April 2009)

This is great news for Toronto cyclists because not only will a 1,700 parking lot NOT be built, but the proposed SmartCentre plan called for multiple multi-lane driveways to be built across the multi-use path that runs along the north side of Lakeshore Boulevarde.

The development would have turned a nice and well-used multi-use path...

... into an intersection like the one at Lakeshore and Leslie:

via the BikingToronto Forum

Posted via web from bikingtoronto's posterous

West Toronto Railpath: Official Opening - Fri, Oct. 30

2009-10-26T13:31:00.002-04:00

Councillor Adam Giambrone invites you to the official opening of the West Toronto Railpath Park on Friday, October 30, 2009. Councillor Giambrone, the City of Toronto, and Friends of the West Toronto Railpath are pleased to open the first 2.1 km of this exciting recreational trail.

* Date: Friday, October 30, 2009
* Location: West Toronto Railpath entrance at Wallace Avenue (south of Dupont, west of Perth, north of Bloor). (map)

* Time:
o 2:00 p.m. – Opening Remarks
o 2:15 p.m. – Official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
o 2:20 p.m. – cyclists gathered ride the trail and enjoy the sculptures
o 2:25 p.m. – interested participants invited walk 2.1 km and explore the trail and sculptures
* RSVP: Toronto Protocol RSVP Line 416-392-7667

The West Toronto Railpath Park is a new 2.1 kilometre multi-use trail that is perfect for cyclists, joggers, and people out for a stroll. Travelling alongside the railway corridor, it features extensive naturalized landscaping to create an appealing public space.

More Info (and Photos!) in the Biking Toronto Forum

Posted via web from bikingtoronto's posterous

Weekly News Wrap-Up: Thanking Drivers and Evaluating 2009

2009-10-23T09:32:00.003-04:00

Happy Friday to you. Here's all your news from the past week!

Queens Quay Revitalization Update
Waterfront Toronto has released their October newsletter, which includes an update on the Queens Quay Revitalization: Waterfront Toronto’s plan to transform Queens Quay into a grand lakefront boulevard was approved overwhelmingly at October’s City Council meeting. The recommendation to replace two lanes of traffic south of the streetcar tracks…

Thank You - Cyclists Paving the Way
Cyclists make nice to drivers About 5,000 cards with the words "Thank You" have been printed for cyclists to give to deserving drivers, perhaps by tapping on the car window at a stop light, Bambrick said. A motorist who looks over his or her shoulder before swinging open their…

Michael Bryant can't drive, so he's cycling
Lawyers to make court appearance in Bryant case Lawyers in the Michael Bryant case are expected to make a brief court appearance today, their first since the former attorney-general was charged in connection with the death of a cyclist. Dan Robertson of Navigator Limited, the public-relations firm hired by…

2009: A Good/Bad Year for Cycling?
A recent Torontoist post about the Bike Union's BikeCampTO makes the argument that 2009 has been a bad year for cycling in the city. I commented on the post and listed 6 things (just to name a few) that have happened this year that makes it a GOOD year…

Queens Quay Revitalization Update

2009-10-20T16:19:00.004-04:00

Waterfront Toronto has released their October newsletter, which includes an update on the Queens Quay Revitalization:

Waterfront Toronto’s plan to transform Queens Quay into a grand lakefront boulevard was approved overwhelmingly at October’s City Council meeting. The recommendation to replace two lanes of traffic south of the streetcar tracks with a beautiful linear park stems from a two-year long Environmental Assessment (EA) process that featured extensive public input.
The plan will be submitted to the Ontario Ministry of Environment (MOE) in November for approval, and the public will have a 30-day comment period during which they can review the full project report and provide feedback.
If approved by the MOE, Waterfront Toronto will begin schematic design for the entire project area from Spadina Avenue to Parliament Street. This first phase of design, which is expected to take about four months, will result in a comprehensive layout of the street from end to end and will be followed by detailed design work.
The construction of the revitalized Queens Quay will occur in phases to match funding availability. The first phase of construction, which will begin in the central waterfront, will be determined during schematic design. Phase one construction is expected to begin about one year after approval of the EA and will take 12 to 18 months to complete. The design and construction process will include numerous opportunities for public feedback.

via waterfrontoronto.ca

Posted via web from bikingtoronto's posterous

Thank You - Cyclists Paving the Way

2009-10-19T10:55:00.003-04:00

Cyclists make nice to drivers
About 5,000 cards with the words "Thank You" have been printed for cyclists to give to deserving drivers, perhaps by tapping on the car window at a stop light, Bambrick said.

A motorist who looks over his or her shoulder before swinging open their door into the street – sparing an oncoming cyclist the chance of collision – would qualify for a card, Bambrick says.

It's "a chance for cyclists to thank the drivers who do see them, and do treat them with respect and as fellow citizens," she added.

"We're trying to move away from the angry stuff that happened over the summer," she told a group at this weekend's BikeCamp T.O. event, which the union put on to discuss cycling issues.

Full Article.

Share Your Stories of thanking drivers for good behaviour in the Biking Toronto Forum

Nice to see the Union is embracing the notion that positivity ALWAYS gets more results than negativity. It's a concept more cycling advocates should wake up to.

Posted via web from bikingtoronto's posterous

Michael Bryant can't drive, so he's cycling

2009-10-19T09:26:00.002-04:00

Lawyers to make court appearance in Bryant case

Lawyers in the Michael Bryant case are expected to make a brief court appearance today, their first since the former attorney-general was charged in connection with the death of a cyclist.

Dan Robertson of Navigator Limited, the public-relations firm hired by Mr. Bryant shortly after the incident, said that Mr. Bryant would not be attending.

The accused faces charges of dangerous driving and criminal negligence causing the death of Darcy Allan Sheppard, 33, a bicycle courier who collided with Mr. Bryant's Saab convertible on Aug. 31.

Mr. Bryant was charged and released the next day without a bail hearing and was told to surrender his passport and refrain from driving.

He has since been spotted cycling.

via the Biking Toronto Forum

Posted via web from bikingtoronto's posterous

2009: A Good/Bad Year for Cycling?

2009-10-16T14:14:00.002-04:00

A recent Torontoist post about the Bike Union's BikeCampTO makes the argument that 2009 has been a bad year for cycling in the city.

I commented on the post and listed 6 things (just to name a few) that have happened this year that makes it a GOOD year for cycling.

We are still 2.5 months from the end of the year, but let's start adding up the good things that have happened for cycling.

Even the Bryant/Sheppard incident is good for the discussion it has created.

Here are the quick six I thought of off the cuff for the Torontoist comment:

Todd, you seem to be falling into the "woe is me" mindset of many cycling advocates in this city in the writing of this article.
2009 has not sucked AT ALL for bikes in this city:

1) The fact that there is enough demand to hold a "BikeCamp"

2) Bikelanes approved for Jarvis, a major artery, ... and they are ones that aren't put in "where there is room" but actually replacing car traffic

3) The opening of Toronto's first BikeStation at Union Station, with more planned at City Hall and TTC stations.

4) The Bryant/Sheppard incident brought attention to the need to share the road with all road users.

5) Bike Store opens at First Canadian Place.

6) Toronto looks to repeat Montreal's success with Bixi bike rentals by exploring options for our own bikesharing system.

Have ones to add? Share them in the Forum!

via the BikingToronto Forum

Posted via web from bikingtoronto's posterous

Weekly News Wrap-Up: Toronto #5 for Bike Commuting, and More!

2009-10-16T08:28:00.006-04:00

Happy Friday to you. Here's all your news from the past week!

Update on the Toronto Police Downtown Bike Blitz
Yesterday, there was talk of a "Downtown Bike Blitz" being put on by Toronto Police - targeting cyclists running red lights and biking on sidewalks. The Toronto Police Service has let us know (via twitter) that there is no official campaign going on: Last night on Twitter I received…

Toronto Police Bike Blitz Downtown Today?
Over on Twitter, there's some talk about police doing a Ticketing Blitz on cyclists downtown: Cops all over downtown today fining bikers who ride on sidewalks or pass thru the red light. Walk your bike on sidewalks! Anyone know more? Posted via web from bikingtoronto's posterous

Toronto Bike Messengers Looking to Unionize
The Ryerson Free Press has an article about the plight of the bike courier to make a decent wage in Toronto: “You can compare it to people taking advantage of the labour in the third world. Courier companies don’t have to pay holidays or vacation pay…

Biking to Work in North America- Toronto is Number 5!
The battle over which North American city is the best for biking is fierce and— most likely—unresolvable. Our latest Transparency will tell you which cities’ residents make the largest percentage of their commutes by bike. Portland, Oregon, you can keep on gloating. A collaboration between GOOD and Chris Korbey.…

New Off-Road Trail in East Don Valley
Great news via the Don Watcher Blog: Since the summer the city has been busy creating a new trail in the East Don. The new trail will link a park known locally as Milne Hollow which is accessible from Lawrence Ave. East just east of the Don Valley Parkway…

Bicycling Magazine: When Worlds Collide
Bicycling is covering the Bryant / Sheppart Incident in great detail: Darcy Allan Sheppard and Michael Bryant came from different worlds, but when they met in the heart of the posh shopping district on Toronto’s Bloor Street, their worlds violently collided. In the wake of that collision, one life…

Igor Kenk has been denied bail
Igor Kenk is not getting out of jail any time soon... "The man accused of being Toronto's most notorious bike thief has failed to persuade a judge to reinstate the bail revoked last December. Looking dishevelled with long hair and a beard after months of incarceration at Don Jail,…

Bike Cops on Toronto Streetview
Bike police doing their thing: via blogto.com Toronto Bike Cops are awesome. Have you found any cool Toronto bikey stuff on Google Streetview? Share it in the Forum.

Update on the Toronto Police Downtown Bike Blitz

2009-10-15T10:00:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, there was talk of a "Downtown Bike Blitz" being put on by Toronto Police - targeting cyclists running red lights and biking on sidewalks. The Toronto Police Service has let us know (via twitter) that there is no official campaign going on:

Last night on Twitter I received this "tweet" from the Toronto Police Services concerning a "blitz":

@TrafficServices: @DuncansCityRide There isn't an official bicycle enforcement campaign happening right now. Might just be divisional based enforcement.

via the Biking Toronto Forum

This isn't to say, of course, that the police shouldn't be ticketing such offenses... it's not hard to stop at a red light (what makes cyclists so special that they can ignore traffic laws?) and at least downtown, the streets are safe enough to not HAVE to ride on sidewalks. Leave those for pedestrians.

Posted via web from bikingtoronto's posterous

Toronto Police Bike Blitz Downtown Today?

2009-10-14T15:07:00.001-04:00

Over on Twitter, there's some talk about police doing a Ticketing Blitz on cyclists downtown:

Cops all over downtown today fining bikers who ride on sidewalks or pass thru the red light. Walk your bike on sidewalks!

Anyone know more?

Posted via web from bikingtoronto's posterous

Toronto Bike Messengers Looking to Unionize

2009-10-14T13:47:00.002-04:00

The Ryerson Free Press has an article about the plight of the bike courier to make a decent wage in Toronto:

“You can compare it to people taking advantage of the labour in the third world. Courier companies don’t have to pay holidays or vacation pay… they even try avoiding paying their WSIB,” said Hayward.

Because Ontario labour law recognizes couriers as independent contractors, they do not fall under the protection of the Ontario Employment Standards legislation.

According to Sam Vrankulj, a labour relations professor at McMaster University, independent contractors have no control over wages, vacation entitlement, maximum hours of work or severance.

The Toronto Bike Messenger Association of Toronto in a partnership with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, are currently leading a movement to unionize each individual courier company, which would allow couriers basic worker’s rights.

Hayward imagines a union contract including vacation pay, paid holidays and better job security. Most importantly, to combat rate undercutting, it would ensure couriers be paid a fair wage even if rates drop. Concurrently though, if rates rise, couriers would be paid according to the higher price.

Though historically, bike couriers have been viewed as a notoriously skeptical subculture of anarchists and anti-establishment types, Hayward remains confident unionizing the industry is possible.

via ryersonfreepress.ca

Discuss this in the BikingToronto Forum

Photo courtesy of CBC

Biking to Work in North America- Toronto is Number 5!

2009-10-14T13:39:00.001-04:00

The battle over which North American city is the best for biking is fierce and— most likely—unresolvable. Our latest Transparency will tell you which cities’ residents make the largest percentage of their commutes by bike. Portland, Oregon, you can keep on gloating.

A collaboration between GOOD and Chris Korbey.

via good.is

Posted via web from bikingtoronto's posterous

New Off-Road Trail in East Don Valley

2009-10-13T20:31:00.002-04:00

Great news via the Don Watcher Blog:

Since the summer the city has been busy creating a new trail in the East Don. The new trail will link a park known locally as Milne Hollow which is accessible from Lawrence Ave. East just east of the Don Valley Parkway and an unnamed park at the north end of the Wynford Park neighbourhood.

The sign says that the eventual plan is to have the trail link up all the way south to the Forks of the Don although it may be a little tricky finding space south of Eglinton Ave. East since there is little wiggle room past the Flemingdon Park Golf Course. Here a few pix from the new trail.

Trail just south of Milne Hollow lined with limestone gravel

A little farther south the path lining changes to wood chips

The path as it goes under the CPR main line just north of Wynford Park

Talk about the new trail on the BikingToronto Forum

Posted via web from bikingtoronto's posterous

Bicycling Magazine: When Worlds Collide

2009-10-13T09:08:00.002-04:00

Bicycling is covering the Bryant / Sheppart Incident in great detail:

Darcy Allan Sheppard and Michael Bryant came from different worlds, but when they met in the heart of the posh shopping district on Toronto’s Bloor Street, their worlds violently collided. In the wake of that collision, one life ended, and another lay in ruins. On the night of August 31, Sheppard—the Toronto bike messenger—and Bryant—the Toronto politician—both on their way home, became involved in a minor traffic dispute that quickly escalated into a violent incident of road rage, and within moments, Sheppard lay mortally injured on Bloor Street. Within hours, Bryant faced charges of criminal negligence causing death and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death.

When serious charges have been laid, all but the most indigent will hire a criminal defense attorney to represent them. Michael Bryant was no exception; it was soon announced that he had retained Marie Henein , one of Toronto’s best criminal defense lawyers, with a well-deserved reputation as “a formidable opponent” who is “razor sharp” and “a lawyer’s lawyer.” Henein wasn’t Bryant’s only hire, however—the morning following Sheppard’s death, it was revealed that Bryant was being represented by the Toronto PR firm Navigator Ltd., which, among its other services, specializes in “CEO Reputation Building ” and “crisis communications .” After being released on his own recognizance that morning, Sheppard went before the cameras to offer his “deepest condolences” to Sheppard’s family, in a page straight out of the textbook of crisis management .

I'm sad to see Bicycling making assumptions about a media-bias, such as:

September 4, in another editorial , the Toronto Sun also proffered the suggestion that Bryant was the victim, rather than the aggressor, posing the question “Finally, ask yourself what you would have done if you were in a car with your spouse, with the top down, and someone was attacking you?”

Well I know *I* would not be happy if someone was attacking me in the same manner.

Whether Sheppard attacked Bryant in this manner has yet to be revealed, or if Bryant "murdered" Sheppard.

Full article here.

Thanks to Dandyhorse (via twitter) for the heads-up.

Discuss this in the BikingToronto Forum

Posted via web from bikingtoronto's posterous

Igor Kenk has been denied bail

2009-10-10T12:57:00.003-04:00

Igor Kenk is not getting out of jail any time soon...

"The man accused of being Toronto's most notorious bike thief has failed to persuade a judge to reinstate the bail revoked last December.

Looking dishevelled with long hair and a beard after months of incarceration at Don Jail, Igor Kenk smiled at his wife Jeanie Chung before he was led away from a University Ave. courtroom Friday afternoon after losing his bid for release."

Link

Discuss this on the BikingToronto Forum

Posted via web from bikingtoronto's posterous

Bike Cops on Toronto Streetview

2009-10-09T10:22:00.005-04:00

Bike police doing their thing:

via blogto.com

Toronto Bike Cops are awesome.

Have you found any cool Toronto bikey stuff on Google Streetview?

Share it in the Forum.

Weekly News Wrap-Up: Pirates, BikeStations and Celebrities!

2009-10-09T07:55:00.005-04:00

Happy Friday to you. Here's all your news from the past week!

Torontoist - Fix Your Bike, Matey

Torontoist visits Bike Pirates: Fix Your Bike, Matey "We started in a backyard, in a communal living house," said Geoffrey Bercarich, another longtime volunteer. From that backyard, Bike Pirates moved to a curb, then to a storefront at Bathurst and College streets, where a benefactor, known to members as…

Recreation Committee to Discuss BMX "Go Forward" Strategy

The Recreation Committee is discussing the BMX "Go Forward" Strategy (PDF link) this Friday: This report presents a Toronto BMX Go Forward Strategy that, in part, sets out a number of principles and strategic actions that would help make Toronto an improved cycling community for BMX, as well as…

Environment report knocks Toronto's lack of bike lanes

From the CBC: Environment report knocks Toronto's lack of bike lanes Toronto's cycling enthusiasts celebrated a small victory this week after the province's environmental commissioner released a report criticizing the city over its lack of bike lanes. In his annual report, this year entitled Building Resiliance, commissioner Gord Miller…

Canada's bike industry is growing despite economic turmoil

Info from a call for interviews from Bicycle Trade Association of Canada: Canada's bike industry is growing despite economic turmoil The Canadian cycling industry, like every other sector, has been impacted by the global economic crises. Numbers recently collected from Canadian specialty bike retailers and suppliers, however, suggest that…

InsideToronto: City bike plan pedals ahead slowly

City bike plan pedals ahead slowly According to city transportation staff, various hitches in proposed bike lanes around the city have meant that the process has slowed down somewhat. Public works and infrastructure chair Glenn De Baeremaeker wryly blamed democracy. "Some councillors have asked that there be more consultation…

Cycling Education in Public Schools

Interesting little piece from the Sun: First driver's-ed, now bike-ed Toronto public schools should take a spin at cyclist education, one trustee says. Josh Matlow is trying to get his colleagues at the Toronto District School Board to agree on a bicycle safety awareness campaign for students. "We offer…

Sidewalk Cycling Fine in Scarborough? $3.75

Afraid to bike on the big bikelane-free arterial roads in scarborough, where cars go 80-100 km/h? Breaking law nets $3.75 fine Sidewalk cycling is still 'a joke' in Scarborough Getting caught cycling on the sidewalk is a lot cheaper in Scarborough. A ticket for sidewalk cycling in most parts…

E-bikes face new sidewalk parking rules

From the Toronto Sun: E-bikes face new sidewalk parking rules Pedestrian and cycling advocates want the city to put the brakes on where e-bikes can park and ride. "They could seriously injure or kill a pedestrian if they hit a pedestrian on the sidewalk," says Dylan Reid, co-chairman of…

Today at the Public Works Committee

Via the TCAT Newsletter: The Toronto Cycling Advisory Committee (TCAC) put forward some recommendations to the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee that will be heard today. These recommendations include: * that Transportation Services attend the TCAC Oct 29th meeting to report on its plans for accommodating bike lanes on…

Your Chance to Improve Bike Parking Regulations

Via the TCAT Newsletter: TCAT was recently approached by Alan Heisey, a municipal lawyer and year-round Toronto cyclist for over 30 years. He has been reviewing the City of Toronto's new comprehensive zoning bylaw and believes that the sections pertaining to bicycle parking could be further improved. Heisey's law…

Bumpy road for Bike Station

From the Toronto Star... a column about the challenges that have confronted (and have yet to confront) Toronto's first Bike Station: Bumpy road for bike station It is the kind of facility planners and cyclists have long insisted Toronto needs to encourage green commuting. But timing is everything, and…

Rachel McAdams: Bicycle Built For One in Toronto

A solo Rachel McAdams goes for a bike ride in her hometown of Toronto, Canada on Sunday (October 4). Last month, the 30-year-old Canadian actress attended the Altuzarra Spring 2010 show during NY Fashion Week. She sat next to Gossip Girl’s Leighton Meester, who told JustJared.com that Rachel was…

Myth and Reality of Cycling and Safety

Great article from RaiseTheHammer.org: Myth and Reality of Cycling and Safety Too much of the car-vs-bicycle debate is overrun by myths and rank misinformation. Myth: Cyclists don't pay for the roads and therefore have no right to use them. Reality: Municipal roads are paid for out of property taxes,…

Torontoist: Sharrows Land on Bloor

Sharrows on Bloor at Yonge (top) and Church (bottom). Photos by David Topping/Torontoist. Though they only last for three hundred metres so far, this is no small victory for cyclists. Bloor Street East, between just west of Yonge and just east of Church, has just gained freshly painted sharrows…

E-Bikes now fully legal on Ontario roads

Toronto Sun: No more getting the gears for e-bikes The electric bike's long journey to legality is over. "E-bikes provide an important transportation option to Ontarians. They are affordable, green and easy to use," Transportation Minister Jim Bradley said in a release. "The McGuinty government is pleased to welcome…

Have a great Thanksgiving Weekend everyone!

Joe.

Torontoist - Fix Your Bike, Matey

2009-10-08T10:56:00.003-04:00

Torontoist visits Bike Pirates:

Fix Your Bike, Matey

"We started in a backyard, in a communal living house," said Geoffrey Bercarich, another longtime volunteer. From that backyard, Bike Pirates moved to a curb, then to a storefront at Bathurst and College streets, where a benefactor, known to members as "the anarchist professor," let the org stay for two years at below-market rent, before asking them to move on to another location last year .

Chloé and Geoff spoke to us in the back of Bike Pirates's new storefront, at 1292 Bloor Street West, across a table in a little makeshift kitchenette that looked like it had been pretty well lived-in. Bike Pirates isn't exactly a repair shop, see—it's more of a community. And its members share much more than kitchen space.

Tools and knowledge, for instance.

Bike Pirates began as a loosely organized tool-sharing program, where members could dip into a centralized pool of equipment for bicycle repairs. Today, their storefront resembles a fully functional bike shop, but with an important difference: "We won't service your bike," said Chloé. "We'll help you service your bike."

In other words, bringing your broken-down beater to the Pirates means taking their tools and their expert guidance and using those things to learn to do it all yourself. They're the opposite of a full-service, no-sweat repair place, but to the segment of the bicycling public for whom dirty fingernails aren't a problem, Bike Pirates is cycling Avalon. They don't make repairs; they make repairpeople.

Rest of the article is here

Discuss the BikePirates on the BikingToronto Forum

Posted via web from bikingtoronto's posterous

Recreation Committee to Discuss BMX "Go Forward" Strategy

2009-10-07T12:14:00.002-04:00

The Recreation Committee is discussing the BMX "Go Forward" Strategy (PDF link) this Friday:

This report presents a Toronto BMX Go Forward Strategy that, in part, sets out a number of principles and strategic actions that would help make Toronto an improved cycling community for BMX, as well as other types of off-road cyclists. The strategic actions (see Attachment #1) aim to create an environment that helps to mitigate some of the concerns of the local off-road cycling community.

An integrated network of on and off-road recreational cycling facilities and trails would benefit a wide range of users of the City’s parks and trails systems, including local and visiting cyclists, skateboarders and hikers.

The City manages the wooden ramps at Wallace-Emerson Park, which are on loan from Toronto BMX, and also manages the dirt jumps at this and the Bayview Arena site. This report identifies current operations and maintenance that occurs at the City’s two existing BMX sites, as well as sets out additional basic operations and maintenance practices that should be considered for these facilities in the future.

Full PDF document here.

What are your thoughts?

[top photo of the BMX park at Wallace Emerson Community Centre from Hogtown Blue on Flickr]

Discuss Toronto's BMX Strategy on the Forum

Posted via web from bikingtoronto's posterous

Environment report knocks Toronto's lack of bike lanes

2009-10-07T10:13:00.007-04:00

From the CBC:

Environment report knocks Toronto's lack of bike lanes
Toronto's cycling enthusiasts celebrated a small victory this week after the province's environmental commissioner released a report criticizing the city over its lack of bike lanes.

In his annual report, this year entitled Building Resiliance, commissioner Gord Miller criticized Toronto's handling over the Bloor Street revitalization project.

The report said that the city didn't have to consult the public because of the way the project was classified.

"It was classified as an 'A' which means there was very little opportunity for public consultation and discussion that some proponents of cycling wanted to see," Miller said after tabling his report in the provincial legislature on Tuesday.

Miller said the classification resulted in the loss of bikes lanes in the area of Bloor, between Church Street and Avenue Road.

He said the province needs to do more to ensure bicycles are taken into consideration when municipalities seek provincial approval.

"There should be a mandatory requirement," said Miller "[that] in future in these kinds of projects that cycling and pedestrians — as legitimate forms of transportation — be included in the consideration and the alternatives in discussion and design."

Eventually the Bloor Street Transformation Project plan ended up in court. The city got what it wanted and cyclists ended up with 'sharrows' — a shared lane with traffic — instead of bicycle-only lanes.

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Canada's bike industry is growing despite economic turmoil

2009-10-07T10:13:00.005-04:00

Info from a call for interviews from Bicycle Trade Association of Canada:

Canada's bike industry is growing despite economic turmoil
The Canadian cycling industry, like every other sector, has been impacted by the global economic crises.

Numbers recently collected from Canadian specialty bike retailers and suppliers, however, suggest that businesses north of the border are faring far better than their American colleagues, or other Canadian retail sectors.

Rob Jones, Director of Data Capture for the Bicycle Trade Association of Canada, has been analyzing the latest information [in regards to] how 2009 has been in comparison to 2008:

• For Q4 2008 sales grew 2%, while the U.S. industry declined 13%
• Annually, in 2008 Canadian sales grew 9.3%
• Sales Year-Over-Year have increased 18% in the first six months of 2009
• Which sectors of the bike industry are doing particularly well and why

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