Biking Toronto

Happy Friday!  BikingToronto is growing fast… so here’s all the cool stuff that’s been going on this week!

(if you don’t already get this in your email, but would like to – you can sign up here)

In The News:

• The Share The Road Coalition says Ontario needs to inject at least $20 million into cycling infrastructure to catch up to other provinces and states.

• The Toronto Cyclists Union has won the 2010 Innovation of the Year Award from the Alliance for Biking and Walking (formerly Thunderhead Alliance) for their new immigrant outreach program they co-ordinated with CultureLink.

• Google launches a “biking” feature on their Google Maps service, showing bikelanes and trails.  It’s only in the U.S. so far.    Hopefully the city can give mapping data to Google to expand it to Toronto.

• The Urban Repair Squad has made Harbord Street action-packed by pointing out pavement hazards.

• Mayoral Candidate George Smitherman (generally assumed to be the frontrunner for the mayor’s job) says he’d “pause” bikelane network implementation.

• The brand new Simcoe Street Bikelanes are unusable, because cabs are using it as a taxi stand.

New on the Main Blog:

• Our First 100 Members!
• Ward 30 Bike Survey
• Cycling Events This Week: Mar. 8 – 14

New on Duncan’s City Ride:

• “If I ride…” People for Bikes.org asks; Why Do You Ride?
• Lower Simcoe Taxi Stand… Wait, That’s A Bike Lane!
• Cruisers, Cargo bikes, Handmades and More – The Toronto International Bicycle Show
• Biomega Commercial By Cycle Chic’s Mikael Colville-Andersen
• Things You Can Do By Bike – Go To IKEA!

New on Joe Bikes:

• My Cyclist Count for Thursday March 11, 2010
• My Cyclist Count for Wednesday March 10, 2010
• Looking Forward to the Commute

New on Fletcher Five (NEW!):

• Is that Karma?
• Repairs and Modifications
• That did not go as planned.
• Highlights from the Bike Show: Pt1
• Day One: 800m

New on Michael Holloway’s Blog (NEW!):

• “Ride the City” Mapper Looks Useful, Easy to use
• Paul said, I need a non-arterial cycling route from Dufferin and Bloor into the Core
• Toronto: Dufferin and Bloor to the Core
• Toronto Bicycle Route Mapping Wiki Project
• RSS Feeds – Stay up to date with the Wiki & this Blog

New on The Hub (Public Members Blog):

• Duncan, Wow, that’s great – good work….
• Hey everyone, I’ve been working on a wa…

New on the Photo of the Day:

• Around A Cab
• Cross-Legged?
• Walk, Bike, Drive, TTC
• Holt Renfrew Bike Race
• Wave Deck Tail Whip
• Bay Bus Terminal

New/Hot on the Forums:

• Anger as cars clog new Simcoe St. bike lane
• Choosing bike components
• So, this is a cycling city?
• Fixer: When is a bike lane not a bike lane?
• Smitherman would pause Toronto’s bike plan
• Trinity Bellwoods Multi-Use Path Plans
• The Action Hazards of Harbord Street
• GoogleMaps likes Bikes!
• Bike lanes an election winner for Rossi
• PST exemption for new gear
• T.O. cyclists ride away U.S. award
• Bike Union getting U.S. Award!
• Millions sought for Ontario cycling
• Bike locks
• Bicycle thief Kenk’s assault charges stayed
• Bryant-cyclist case put over to March 5
• fun/pretty rides in and around Toronto
• holycr@p, they let him out!
• Folks, a rusty steed is a friend indeed – even in winter
• Can this bike lane get more fans than Rocco Rossi?!!
• Ward 29 Bikes 2009 Year (and a bit!) in review

The Ward 30 Bike Advocacy Group is looking for your help:

A new Ward-Based Cycling Advocacy Group has formed in the East End! We are currently polling residents and visitors of Ward 30 (Ward Info (PDF)) to find out how we can best represent cyclists in the area.

Please take a few short minutes to fill out the survey and let us know what we can do to make biking better in your neighbourhood!

Obviously, if you live in Ward 30, your opinions are important… but even if you live outside the ward, you opinions are still important, so be sure and take the survey.

The Ward 30 Bike Advocacy Group is also meeting tomorrow night at Athens Pastries near Danforth.  View the event listing for more details.

BikingToronto has a section of the website devoted to Ward 30 to help organize cycling info and discussions about the ward.  You can find sections like this for all city wards by clicking here.

Happy Friday!  It looks like it’s going to be a great warm (for March) sunny weekend the next couple of days.  Get out there on two wheels and enjoy it!

Here’s your BikingToronto Wrap-Up for this week:

(if you don’t already get this in your email, but would like to – you can sign up here)

New on the Main Blog:

Are Toronto Police Ticketing Cyclists More?

Bad behaviour by some cyclists make us as a whole look bad. I’d rather take a bit longer to get to work by stopping at red lights and not thinking I’m the most important thing on the road, and really don’t understand any cyclist who thinks differently. (read more)

New on the Toronto BikeShop Map

We have three new additions to the BikeShop Map for you! (read more)

Plan Your BikeMonth Events Now!

The great staff at the City of Toronto recently sent out information about submitting events to be included in the official BikeMonth calendar, so I’m sharing it with all you fine people because you may be thinking about planning an event for BikeMonth this year.  The deadline for event submission is Thursday, March 25th. (read more)

New on Duncan’s City Ride:

• Share the Road Coalition Green Paper
• Eyes on the Road, Hands on the Wheel
• Do Pedestrian Crossings Make for Safer City Cycling?
• 416cyclestyle Toronto Cycle Chic Search – Spring Moments
• Marcus Gee is a Winter Cyclist and Darn Proud of it!
• The Least Expensive Winter Cycling Accessory You Need
• Toronto Spring Bicycle Show – No Commuter Cyclist Options?

New on Joe Bikes:

• March Mornings on the Bloor Viaduct

New on the Hub:

• Here’s an example of Wiki Maps
• User Generated Bicycle Route Maps 2
• User Generated Bicycle Route Maps
• Boston’s Future Lies In Moving Away From The Car

New on the Photo of the Day:

• Summer is Coming
• Blue Skies on Spadina
• Red Ball on King Street
• Massey Hall
• Silver Velomobile
• Red Dress
• Winter on the Toronto Islands

New on the Forums:

• Can this bike lane get more fans than Rocco Rossi?!!
• Choosing bike components
• Ward 29 Bikes 2009 Year (and a bit!) in review
• fun/pretty rides in and around Toronto
• Leslie to the Lake corridor
• Complete Streets Forum 2010
• Folks, a rusty steed is a friend indeed – even in winter
• Non-Arterial Bike Lanes – Where would yours go?
• Rebuilding Dukes Is there a ‘culture war’ looming in this mayoral race?
• Bike lanes an election winner for Rossi
  

From the Forums:

The Bike Union is reporting that some cyclists are reporting that the police are looking for cycling infractions more recently:
http://bikeunion.to/news/2010/03/02/ticket-alert-cyclists-reporting-more-fines-police-attention

Have you noticed anything? It’s been the same on my commute (I hardly *ever* see any cops).

The Union offers a few good tips too:

“Please also note that officers should not be asking you for a driver’s license, though you should provide ID when asked. Demerit Points DO NOT apply for cycling infractions.
If you receive a ticket for an infraction, please make sure that it is noted as a cycling infraction. If you should encounter an officer who says different, please take note of their name/badge number (should be on the ticket i f you receive one) and get in touch with us via info@bikeunion.to – we will share this information with our contacts at Police Services and try to make sure that accurate information is shared with the officer in question.”

On the issue of ticketing… I am glad that cops are ticketing cyclists.

Bad behaviour by some cyclists make us as a whole look bad. I’d rather take a bit longer to get to work by stopping at red lights and not thinking I’m the most important thing on the road, and really don’t understand any cyclist who thinks differently.

What are your thoughts?

Happy snowy Friday to you!

I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to bombing around my neighbourhood streets in all this fresh powder.

Here is your weekly wrap-up, run-down and scoop on all the new stuff on BikingToronto.

New on the Main Blog

Toronto’s New Bike Sauce Looking for Bike Donations

BikeSauce is a new DIY bike shop in the east end of Toronto (read more)

New on Duncan’s City Ride

Chicago Winter Cyclists Profiled on PBS

I’m about to head out and ride in some fresh Toronto snow. This video is a great inspiration. (watch video)

New on Thumbshift

Healthy Mind, Healthy Body

Before I introduce myself properly to the Biking Toronto crowd, I just thought I’d toss something together here, based on something that I wrote previously… (read more)

New on Joe Bikes

Rocco Rossi, Obama-Style

I though I’d do up a quick little Obama-style graphic of what a lot of people will be thinking this fall at municipal election time when they think of Rocco… (read more)

New on the Photo of the Day

Tip Top Riding

Never Too Old, Never Too Cold

Batavus and a Wooden Carrier

Sleek Black on Red Retro

Itty Bitty Bike

Patiently Waiting

College Street Snow

Popular on the Forums this week

Bike lanes an election winner for Rossi

Where are the WORST Bikelanes/Paths

Where are the Best Bike Lanes/Paths ?

Non-Arterial Bike Lanes – Where would yours go?

First things first… in case you haven’t heard of BikeSauce yet – here’s a quick intro:

BikeSauce is a new DIY bike shop in the east end of Toronto

This will be a place where you can fix your bicycle using our tools and recycled or new parts. If you dont know how to fix it, our volunteers will be there to help you. It will also be a social space where you can come and meet with your neighbours and figure out how to improve our city.

That’s right… you’ve probably heard of the BikePirates… well now that DIY spirit is coming to Toronto’s East End (they are looking for locations in Leslieville), and they are looking for old bike donations:

Give us your Poor, your Rusty, your Jumbled Mass of Old Bicycles

We’ll breathe new life into them. We are BikeSauce, a volunteer-run, registered non-profit organization dedicated to promoting cycling in Toronto. We have three goals:

1. To refurbish old bikes, and to help people repair their own.
2. To link more people to cycling.
3. To advocate for cycling issues.

Your donated bicycles and bike parts will be used to put more bikes back on the road, and to help people develop bike repair skills. Check us out at http://bikesauce.org.

Write to us at donate@bikesauce.org, or call 647 724 7880. If you call before 3 p.m., you may have to leave a message, please do so! We’ll get back to you the same day.

You can also make a huge difference in helping us set up shop.

Please come to the volunteer meeting on March 3, 7p.m. location To be announced on our website, bikesauce.org

You can also check out the BikeSauce page here on BikingToronto.  A great place to learn about news, events and discussions about the Sauce.

Happy seasonably warm Friday to you!  This morning was a great one for riding to work.  Spring is right around the corner!    Here’s all the news from the world of Toronto cycling from the past week, as well as what’s been active in the forums.

Photos and Video from the Ice Bike Races

On Sat. Feb 13, Dufferin Grove Park was the scene for “Icycle 2010″ – the annual Ice Bike Races put on by Derek Chadbourne of the Bike Joint.   We’ve collected a whole bunch of videos and photo collections of the evening for you.  (check them out)

Toronto’s Bike Sharing Bixi Plans are in Trouble (and how you can help)

Our city’s plans to have an extensive network of cheap rentable bikes all over downtown in 2010 is in danger due to start-up costs.  Putting an estimated $15 million into something that most of the electorate (unfortunately) sees as a “fringe” transportation option has politicians and city staff a little apprehensive during this election year.  Here’s a rundown of the situation as well as how you can help.

Blogs: Duncan’s City Ride

• BikeHugger Huggcast 134 from Vancouver 2010 Olympics
• The Bike-Sharing World Map
• Safety Overkill
• Cycling is an Inspiration for Toronto Author
• Angles Morts – Blind Spots
• The solution to winter snow and slush – a “track” bike
• A few pics from Vancouver 2010 Olympic Tweed Ride
• In Vancouver: More Places to Park Your Bicycle
• The Tyee Looks at MakerCulture and BikeCamp
• Globe Live 1 Review by my girlfriend!

Blogs: Photo of the Day

• Sidewalk Parking
• Overnight Parking
• Trolls Under the Bridge
• Winter Riding on the Don River
• Just Chill
• Plaid Tattoos
• Pretty in Pink

New in the Forums:

• Leslie to the Lake corridor
• Safety Versus Comfort
• Is Toronto Bike-Sharing in Trouble?
• Judge Rules Bike Groups Must Get Parade Permits for Critical Mass
• BikeMonth Event Submissions
• Bikeway Network Downtown 2010 Program
• Bay and Front Intersection Suggestions
• Toronto Man Invents Wind-Resistant “Bra” for Bike Handlebars
• Bicycle thief Kenk’s assault charges stayed
• Leslie Street Meeting Notes

A little bit of breaking news for you…there were rumours about this floating around yesterday, but I wanted to make sure things were “concrete”, so to speak, before blogging about it for you.

Toronto’s plans to emulate the great success of bikesharing systems around the world, by using the Public Bike System company (the same people behind Montreal’s Bixi) is in danger of being scrapped (at least for 2010) due to the financing needed to start up the project.

First some background… from Torontoist:

Last year, the City began exploring the possibility of launching Toronto’s own version of Bixi this spring. A staff report from last May [PDF] recommends the 2010 launch, and says that the rollout could be accomplished “at no cost to the City and without additional advertising within the street right-of-way,” because users would subsidize the service directly by paying membership fees to use the bikes.

According to the National Post, the Public Bike System is now asking for start-up costs of $15 million:

“At this point in time we can’t seem to operate a public bike system at no cost to the city, which is contrary to what council proposed,” said Mr. Welsh.

Mr. Welsh said negotiations continue, but the bikes will at the very least be delayed assuming they can reach a deal at all.

“This doesn’t mean the program is being abandoned, we’re still looking at the viability of the program and how we can enable it in the future,” Mr. Welsh said.

Because of this, the necessary discussion of this at the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee and City Council have been postponed, as there are a lot of cost-cutting and budget hand-wringing in the media these days.  The item has been removed from the PWIC meeting of Mar. 2, which means the earliest it will be discussed will be April 20th, after which City Council will still need to discuss it.

Things are looking gloomy as it appears the City won’t spend any money seen as “discretionary” by the general electorate (even if they’re certain to get it back via Bixi user fees) during 2010 because 1) the City is supposed to be broke and 2) it’s an election year.

We can all help push the politicians and city staff to do the right thing though… like contacting them and letting them know that we want Public Bike Sharing in this city!

Addresses (copy and paste into your email “to” field:

jpennac@toronto.ca, mayor_miller@toronto.ca, councillor_heaps@toronto.ca, degan@toronto.ca, councillor_giambrone@toronto.ca, councillor_perks@toronto.ca, councillor_pantalone@toronto.ca, councillor_mihevc@toronto.ca, councillor_debaeremaeker@toronto.ca, councillor_mcconnell@toronto.ca

Subject: Please Support BikeSharing in Toronto

Body of Email (suggested, feel free to edit as you like):

Dear Councillors and Mayor Miller,

I’m very concerned that Toronto may be canceling or delaying plans to join the other great cities of the world in implementing a public BikeSharing system due to start up costs (that will eventually be re-couped through user fees).

I’d like to show my support for a BikeSharing System.  It’s essential to ease congestion and pollution in Toronto’s downtown, and helps the city meet our environmental goals.

During just the first 3 months of operation, Montreal’s Bike system accumulated over 8,400 members and over 77,000 users… all of whom paid to use their version of Bixi.  Over 3.6 million kms were travelled on Bixi bikes in just those 3 months, which eliminated 900,000 kg of greenhouse gases.

PLEASE support a Public Bike Sharing system for Toronto.

It will benefit our city, and users will pay for it.

Thank you.

[your name here]

Post photo from The Urban Country.

Happy Friday to you.  Here’s all the news stuff from the last week that you can peruse while you are:

• a) sipping cocoa under blankets
• b) biking happily through the snow
• c) doing both at the same time.

(I wonder if those beer helmet things where the beer cans sit on your head and you drink through a long straw would work with cocoa?)

Focus on Bikes and Complete Streets, Politicians Told

Are you a politician who wants to be an effective municipal and environmental leader?  Here are six things that you should pay attention to… and yeah, bikes are a huge part!

Job: Evergreen.ca Looking for Bike Educator

Evergreen is re-developing the Don Valley Greenworks into a showcase for environmental technologies and practices… and they are rightly focusing on the wonders of bikes for part of the transportation part of things.  If you know bikes, like people, and have experience providing education programming… this may be right for you!

Tomorrow Night (Saturday the 13th) at 7pm, the annual Ice Bike Races (or “Icycle”) take place at Dufferin Grove Park.  They go for  a couple hours and are very entertaining to watch.

For more details and photos of past races, visit the Event Listing.

The Mysterious Mystery of the Bicycle Pile

A pile of bikeparts locked up together?  Did someone run out of room in their apartment, or is it a Bicycle Transformer?  Cycletron Prime!

Cycling Mascots of Vancouver’s 2010 Olympic Games

What Colour Should Toronto’s Bicycle Sharing Program Use?

Toronto’s very own Bike Sharing system is coming this year (currently scheduled for July).  What colour should the bikes be?

A Google Street View Tour of Bike Lane Parking on College Street

One Bikelane, One Day, One Google Streetview Camera… and countless cars parked in the Bikelane

• Lovely in Red
• Come Ride With Me?
• Olympic Team Huddle
• King & Church
• Bovine Sex Club
• Wet Ride, Shiny Streets
• Night Bike Bokeh

Leslie Street Meeting Notes

Leslie Street is being reconstructed between Queen & Lakeshore.  Now is the time to help make the new street safer.

Times Square Then and Now

NYC closed down half of Times Square to traffic.  Merchants, tourists and office workers love it.  LOVE IT.

Ice Bike Races Meet-Up

Going to the Races?  Meet some people who love bikes too!

Toronto Man Invents Wind-Resistant “Bra” for Bike Handlebars

Keep your hands a little warmer.

BIXI: Bike Sharing Across Three Continents

Bixi is expanding… all over the world!

The Toronto Environmental Alliance, along with various environmental and advocacy organizations, including TCAT and the Bike Union, have released priorities that municipal election candidates should pay attention to if we want, as a city, to be greener, healthier, and more efficient.

“Below are 6 priority actions, in no particular order, that will build on 10 years of environmental success. Investments in each action won’t just improve our environment, they will lead to better health and save us money as we avoid some of the huge financial costs associated with traffic congestion, waste disposal, climate change, and illnesses due to pollution.”

1. Build Transit City & Fund It
2. Achieve 70% Waste Diversion by 2012
3. Buy & Support Locally-Produced Green Products
4. Build Transportation Infrastructure Everyone Can Use
5. Implement the City’s Sustainable Energy Strategy
6. Provide Tools to Prevent Pollution

Cycling and walking are important forms of transportation that contribute to a healthier population and reduce negative impacts on the environment. We need infrastructure built to accommodate bikes and pedestrians as well as transit vehicles and cars. In the U.S. this is happening through “Complete Streets” policies that ensure the planning and redevelopment of streets are done with all users (pedestrians, cyclists and transit riders of all ages and abilities along with cars and trucks) in mind.

While a “Complete Streets” policy is developed, key transportation infrastructure, such as bike lanes, need to be built, the Toronto Walking Strategy can be implemented, and all road users can be educated about road sharing and responsibilities.

To read about each of these in detail, visit the TEA site.

Toronto Star article: Go Green, Mayoral Candidates Told

What do you think of the recommendations?  Leave your comments below, or discuss it in the News Forum.

Evergreen is opening up the Brickworks this year as an environmental community centre, and they want bikes and cycling to be a big part of it.

If you love bikes, are a people-person, and have experience providing education programming, they may have a job for you!

Employment Opportunity – Evergreen is looking for a bike educator.

Bike Educator Location: Toronto, ON

Start date: March 2010

Application deadline: February 22, 2010

Term of Contract: Part-time, 9 month contract

Evergreen is a not-for-profit organization that makes cities more livable. By deepening the connection between people and nature, and empowering Canadians to take a hands-on approach to their urban environments, Evergreen is improving the health of our cities – now and for the future.

This role will help to establish programs at Evergreen Brick Works which promote health and well being. Reporting to the Manager of Community Development and working very closely with Evergreen Brick Works Program Team members, you will:

• Collaborate with program staff to promote cycling through various community events and partnerships
• Be responsible for developing and delivering new bike programming for various audiences at Evergreen Brick Works, including Can-Bike, learn to ride, and maintenance
• Establish bike program related infrastructure at Evergreen Brick Works including outfitting a bike repair space and the purchase and storage of bike fleet and safety equipment
• Be responsible for maintaining a fleet of donated and purchased on-site bicycles as well as training volunteers and youth employment program participants to assist in this task
• Lead community bike drives and necessary repair work to make donated bikes road ready

You have/are:

• Can-Bike level 2 certification or willingness to complete the necessary courses
• Strong organizational skills and experience in managing multifaceted projects
• Experience teaching or providing educational programming to student and/or adult audiences
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work well with a variety of personalities
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills
• Knowledge of rules, laws and best practices of bicycling including proper riding technique and safety
• Training as a bike mechanic
• First AID and CPR Certification
• Current vulnerable sector police clearance
• Passionate about promoting bicycling and familiar with the Toronto bicycling community, programs and events
• Comfortable in both an office and outdoor programming environments
• Available to work occasional weekends and evenings

Cover letters and resumes can be submitted by e-mail only to humanresources@evergreen.ca. Please quote “bike educator” in e-mail subject.

No phone calls please.

Evergreen welcomes applications from persons of diverse backgrounds and is an equal opportunity employer.

We sincerely thank all candidates for their interest. Only those selected for an interview will be notified

Hi everyone!

It looks like typical Toronto winter weather has descended upon us finally (for at least a few days), so I hope you’re all staying warm if you are biking around (and it seems more people are biking with this mild January we’ve been having).

Here’s your weekly Wrap-Up:

Putting Priority on Cyclists and Pedestrians

Duncan on his City Ride blog delves a little bit into if Adam Giambrone would be a good “Active Transportation” mayor for Toronto.  Giambrone hasn’t officially announced his candidacy yet (it’s apparently happening on Monday, Feb. 1st), but everyone kind of *knows* already.  Personally, he is by far the best option (if looking just at cycling advocacy) of the candidates who have a shot of winning. (read more)

BikingToronto, Interviewed

If you’ve noticed the changes in the BikingToronto website in 2010, you’re not the only one.  Ben Elling of the site Third Rail Repository had questions about the change and asked me a few questions about where the site has been, where it’s going, and what it means for connecting cyclists in Toronto.  (read more)

Friday, Jan. 29 – Critical Mass Toronto

• 6:00 – 8:00 PM
• Meets at corner of Bloor and Spadina at 6 PM.  Group Ride starts at 6:30
• An event that takes place on the last friday of every month in cities all over the world.  Critical Mass is at different times a rally, a protest, a party, and a community that advocates for a bicycle’s right to use public streets.

Saturday, Jan. 30 – CBN Winter Open House and Bicycle Auction

• 12:00 – 6:00 PM
• 761 Queen Street West
• Check out the home of the Community Bicycle Network and participate in an Auction for one of the Yellow Bikes from the BikeShare program

Saturday, Jan. 30 – Coldest Day of the Year Ride

• 12:00 – 2:00 PM
• Starts at the Grenadier Cafe in High Park
• Run by the City of Toronto, the ride will highlight the Martin-Goodman Waterfront Trail. Start Location is the Grenadier Cafe in High Park. We will then ride along the waterfront to Coronation Park, and discuss some of the challenges and successes of winter snow maintenance for cyclists. Hot Chocolate for riders will be served at the Grenadier Cafe.

How to Be Visible on Your Bike

This topic is on fire.  El fuego caliente!    People are discussing everything from what they wear, what kind of lights they use, what lighting is appropriate in different parts of the city and even if going overboard with lights is helpful or harmful in attracting more people to bike commuting and other utility cycling.  (read more)

How was your week everyone?  With the mild temperatures did you try out some winter biking?  Get it in while you can… there’s a good chance that February isn’t going to be as nice to us as January has been.

It’s friday, so here’s your wrap-up of the past week:

Yeah… this is a little unbelievable.  Rossi, an avid cyclist himself (and former head of the Heart & Stroke foundation, which holds the Ride for Heart every year on Toronto’s highways), thinks that bikelanes have no place on “major arterials” and would not only prevent new bikelanes being installed on major streets but take out ones that already exist.  His compromise is to but bikelanes on quieter sidestreets.  (read more)

Mt. Pleasant Cemetary is a big old cemetary in Toronto’s mid-town.  It counts among it’s residents former Canadian Prime Ministers and titans of Toronto industry and business.  It’s also a fantastic place for a leisurely bike ride.  The cemetary recently teamed up with Ryerson’s School of Interior Design to have students compete in designing bike racks for the cemetary’s visitors.  BikingToronto grabbed photos of the finalists’ designs, plus has information on the winning design.  (read more)

Did you know that the majority of people in Toronto are cyclists?  A study undertaken in 2009 by the City shows that 54% of Torontonians use bikes.  To qualify as a cyclist for this survey, someone had to either ride for recreation and/or for day-to-day stuff (utility cycling).  Riding to work, going to the store, visiting friends… more and more of it is by bike!  The best news is that the numbers are increasing the most rapidly in the former boroughs of the city… the old suburbs where new bikelanes are being added! (read more)

Recently on the Forums:

• New maps installed on the Railpath
• Freakonomics Tackles Helmet Laws
• Hume: We must find a way to share the road
• Mayoral candidate Rocco Rossi wants to stop (and tear out) bikelanes
• Reelight or other frictionless magnetic induction lights?
• Bike-Friendly Workplaces
• City of Toronto Survey shows Cycling is on the Rise!

(Cross-posted to the News discussion group)

Globe and Mail: Rossi vows review of transit plan
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/rossi-vows-review-of-transit-plan/article1439298/

Wow… I’m not sure of Rossi’s chances… but who would really think that we need less transit and bikelanes in the city? Elect this guy if you want to see Toronto grind to a halt due to traffic congestion.

“Mayoral candidate Rocco Rossi is vowing to put on hold all planned light-rail transit lines that haven’t broken ground until he can review the project’s finances – a promise that could jeopardize a key part of David Miller’s legacy….

Early in his speech Mr. Rossi mocked the mandatory five-cent fee Toronto retailers now charge for plastic bags. He won his biggest burst of applause for a plan to prohibit bike lanes on major roads. “As mayor I will oppose bike lanes on major arterials whether its bike lanes, whether its Jarvis, whether its Finch, whether its Warden …” he said, telling reporters later that not only would he ban future lanes on major roads, he would “look at” ripping out existing bike lanes on major roads.”

I haven’t thought too much about who I’m voting for in the election yet, but yes, if you’re wondering, it won’t be for Rossi.

UPDATE: The Toronto Sun is reporting on this story as well… and while Rossi is pledging to stop (and take out) bikelanes on major “arterial” roads… he wants to expedite more and more bikelanes on quieter streets.

Rocco should know that *every* street should welcome *all* forms of transportation… and um, quieter streets don’t *need* bikelanes as much, because they are safer by nature.

Don’t relegate bikes to sidestreets, Rocco.  Cyclists are voters too, and have the same rights to get places as drivers do.

I swung by Ryerson after a late meeting at work to see if it was possible to get photos of the finalists of the Mount Pleasant Bike Rack competition.  The competition was for students of Ryerson’s School of Interior Design to “design bike racks to enhance the unique and bicycle-friendly environment that exists within the Mount Pleasant grounds”.

While I was late getting there… the finalist models were still set up, so I took some photos of the great designs for you (also viewable on flickr):

Once I got home, I checked around online to see if I could find which design won the competition, and the information is already on the Mt. Pleasant website:

“What we particularly liked about the winning design is its practicality and playfulness. It’s immediately pleasing to the eye – and fun to engage with – and at the same time, it fits perfectly into the existing landscape. Indeed, the boldness of this design makes it a symbol of the ongoing re-design of the urban environment.”

The winning design team

A proud member of the winning design team

The jury hard at work

The design chosen for production and winners of $3,000: Katy Alter and Jeff Cogliati

Runners up and winners of $2,000: Shiwa Tseng, Kenneth Lee, and Michael Goriup

Runners up and winners of $1,000: Michael Shafir and Tommy Tso

I rather like the winning design… it was one of my favourites when I was looking at the models.  My other favourite was the design that placed 2nd, which is the one that looks like a series of ramps in the slideshow above.

What do you think?  Did the jury make a good decision?  Do you like one of the other designs better?

It’s something that we all either suspected or downright knew… there are more and more Torontonians hopping on their bikes to do “utility” cycling (getting around by bike to do normal day-to-day things, like going to work, picking stuff up from the store, visiting friends, etc.)

Now our gut feelings have the hard data to match!  The City of Toronto has just released the results of a 2009 study with questions that matched those in a 1999 study (asking the same questions is *essential* for any meaningful trend analysis when working with stats):

The survey, conducted in 2009 by Ipsos Reid, found that more Toronto residents were cycling to school and work than 10 years ago. A total of 16 per cent said they used their bicycles to commute to work or school, up from 11 per cent in 1999. And many of those who commute by bike are riding more days a week than in the past.

In addition to there being more people on bikes, the survey has also indicated (as so many other surveys about cycling have in the past) that cycling infrastructure that improves safety and bicycle parking facilities are the most important wished-for items from Toronto’s cyclists:

Investments in the cycling infrastructure over the past 10 years are being recognized and the survey reveals that 72 per cent of Torontonians believe that the overall quality of cycling routes and facilities has improved compared to 1999. However, cyclists and non-cyclists alike agree that having more bike lanes on streets would have the greatest impact on improving cycling in the city. In fact, 66 per cent of non-cyclists, 77 per cent of utilitarian cyclists and 68 per cent of recreational cyclists believe that separated bike lanes on city streets would greatly improve cycling in Toronto.

In addition to a comprehensive cycling network, the importance of bicycle parking facilities is also articulated. The survey showed that secure bicycle parking at transit stations has the potential to increase combined cycling and transit trips. One third of cyclists reported combining biking and public transportation sometimes. The majority of these cyclists (74 per cent of utilitarian and 66 per cent of recreational cyclists) say they would combine cycling and public transit more often if secure bicycle parking was provided at subway stations.

You can read more about the results on the City of Toronto’s webpage.

Key Findings from the 2009 City of Toronto Cycling Survey (PDF)
http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/reports/pdf/2010-survey-backgrounder.pdf

Full Survey Results and Comparison between 1999 and 2009 (PDF)
http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/reports/pdf/cycling_study_1999_and_2009.pdf

How is 2010 going for you so far?  Here’s some of the new stuff on BikingToronto this week!

Catherine Porter at the Toronto Star learned a bit about winter cycling from Yvonne Bambrick of the Toronto Cyclists Union… while the article title makes it sound like an article about biking in winter (and a bit of it is), it’s mainly a piece about the need at City Hall for cycling lobbyists (like Yvonne) just like there are lobbyists for drivers, parking lots and many other things.  (read more)

A lot of people think that cyclists who bike in the winter must be crazy.  But are they?  Are they really?

A BlogTO columnist tried to answer this question earlier this week by posting a story named “Do You Have to Be Crazy to Ride Your Bike In The Winter?” so you’d think they’d actually try winter cycling (like Catherine Porter of the Star did with Yvonne Bambrick of the Bike Union), but instead they just asked a few people at a U of T BikeChainread more) workshop why they bike in the winter.  (read more)

Patrick Cain at the Toronto Star loves maps (who doesn’t?). He’s done a couple general commuting maps for the GTA, but has just released one just about Commuter Cyclists, organized by Census Tracts.

The map looks pretty much like you’d expect… higher levels of people using bicycles as their primary mode of getting to work in the downtown core (where car traffic moves slower and there are more bikelanes) and less and less as you move into the old boroughs of Toronto and the suburbs.  (read more)

That’s right!  4 years have gone by since I made the very first post on BikingToronto on Jan. 12, 2006.  4 years!  If BikingToronto was a kid, it would be starting kindergarten.

What’s happened in 4 years?  Why don’t I tell you? (read more)

A lot of people think that cyclists who bike in the winter must be crazy.  But are they?  Are they really?

A BlogTO columnist tried to answer this question earlier this week by posting a story named “Do You Have to Be Crazy to Ride Your Bike In The Winter?” so you’d think they’d actually try winter cycling (like Catherine Porter of the Star did with Yvonne Bambrick of the Bike Union), but instead they just asked a few people at a U of T BikeChain workshop why they bike in the winter.

Photo by Tom Cardoso for the Varsity

The Varsity reported on the BikeChain workshop, with a great list (expanded on the Varsity site) with what you need to pay attention to if you want to bike when it’s cold and frosty out:

1. Regular tires are fine.
   
2. Some days are too cold.
   
3. Ride it out.
   
4. Avoid splashing.
   
5. Be prepared to hit the ground.
   
6. Dress appropriately.
   
7. Be good to your bike.

In my opinion, the list shows that you don’t have to be crazy to bike in the winter in Toronto… you just have to be very prepared.

Catherine Porter at the Toronto Star learned a bit about winter cycling from Yvonne Bambrick of the Toronto Cyclists Union… while the article title makes it sound like an article about biking in winter (and a bit of it is), it’s mainly a piece about the need at City Hall for cycling lobbyists (like Yvonne) just like there are lobbyists for drivers, parking lots and many other things.

Hard Core Cyclists Do Not Fear Winter

We’ve met on a sunny morning and set off in search of winter’s axis of evil: snow, slush and ice. Now that we’ve found it, Bambrick instructs me to push into it, slowly, but with confidence. “Don’t lose your nerve.”

Look at her: tall, long black coat, chic red hat dotted with a delicate bicycle pin, dark sunglasses. She could be shopping in Paris.

Her bike is a grey Dutch seven-speed, the front basket adorned with bulrushes, white plastic flowers cascading off the back.

How could you spout epithets from your car window at this woman? If the old cycling crowd is Kensington Market, Bambrick is Uptown. She is gentrifying the image of cycling in the city.

Her tool is the Toronto Cyclists Union. Bambrick, 33, is its executive director, her salary paid mostly through the dues of its 800 members, proof in itself of the rising class, and commitment, of cyclists.

More at the Toronto Star.

(Also posted in the News discussion group)

Happy 2010 everyone! Welcome to not only the first Weekly News Wrap-Up of 2010, but the first one on the recently renovated BikingToronto!

We had the site down for a few weeks while we renovated everything… and actually, “renovated” may be an understatement… since we took all the great information on BikingToronto and put it into a great new home… so I guess it’s like totally re-building a house.

We kept what BikingToronto started with – the blog, and also the forum feature, but then we added cool features including:

Membership – people can “join” BikingToronto now. Don’t worry… it’s free, easy and quick to join – and gives you access to all the features that follow:

Friends – make connections on BikingToronto

Groups – so like minded people can talk about topics that interest them. Groups can be created by anyone, so if you have an idea for a group that doesn’t exist yet, you can create one!

Events – we took our popular calendar – easily the most comprehensive cycling events calendar in Toronto – and decide to expand it even more, to make it more useful and interactive for you:

• Anyone can create an event
• Events can have logos/icons
• Invite your friends to any event
• Event Discussions

If you’re one of the many people reading this via the email newsletter, be sure and check out the new site!  If you’re reading this on the site itself… well… um… you’re already checking the site out… so you’re awesome! 

Weekly News:

2009 Bike-Friendly Business Awards

Case Ootes is Retiring from City Politics

Site Discussions:

How Do You Keep Your Bike Clean in the Winter?

Hope everyone had a great holiday season… and all the best for 2010!

Joe.