Issue # 134 October 2007

Welcome to Cyclometer, a monthly newsletter to keep cyclists informed about cycling issues and programs in the City of Toronto.

CONTENTS:

1) New Cycling Committee members and notice of meeting

On September 26 and 27, City Council approved the nominations for the Cycling Advisory Committee, "for a term of office expiring on November 30, 2010, or until their successors are appointed." The following names of the eight appointees to the Toronto Cycling Advisory Committee are:

1. Paulette Blais
2. Dr Chris Cavacuiti
3. Sonia Khan
4. Chris Hardwicke
5. Margaret Hasting-James
6. Aaron Hershoff
7. Fred Sztabinski
8. Tammy Thorne

The Chair of the Committee is Councillor A.A. Heaps.

The first meeting will take place on October 15 at 7 p.m. at City Hall (100 Queen Street West).

A summary of the agenda is as follows:

1. Welcome from Councillor Heaps
2. Report on Queen's Quay Revitalization - Lower Spadina - Lower Jarvis
3. Establishment of TCAC and relevant Committee procedures
4. 'How the City works' presentation for the new Committee members
5. a) Overview of the Bike Plan and b) Report on Toronto Bike Plan Consultation Session of 07/26
6. Status Report on Planned Construction of Bike Lanes for 2007
7. Communications for Information (Bike racks on TTC buses)

The complete agenda is available.

2) Public meeting: Centennial Park Masterplan

Forestry, Parks and Recreation will hold a public meeting for interested citizens regarding the new masterplan for Centennial Park at the Olympium, 2nd floor, on November 1, 6 p.m.

Agenda:

Open house at 6 p.m.
Presentation at 6:30 p.m.
Workshop to follow presentation
Wrap-up at 8 p.m.

Centennial Park Olympium
Olympium Lounge, 2nd floor
590 Rathburn Road, just West of Renforth Road
Toronto, ON  M9C 3T3

A meeting for stakeholder groups will occur the week after.

3) Bicycle Friendly Business Awards: And the winners are...

The City of Toronto has honoured a number of businesses for their bicycle friendliness at the 2007 Bicycle Friendly Business Award ceremony.

The event, which took place in the City Hall Rotunda, pays tribute to businesses and organizations that demonstrate leadership in encouraging cycling by employees and/or customers. By doing so, these businesses are helping to promote the bicycle as a sustainable form of transportation that contributes to a reduction in traffic congestion and pollution.

The following businesses and organizations were recognized for their bicycle friendly initiatives:

• Best Bike Parking Award: North American Findings
• Bicycle-Friendliest Suburban Business Award: Scarborough Campus Student Union, University of Toronto
• Bicycle Commute Award: Quadrangle Architects Ltd.
• Best Small Business Award: ChocoSol Traders
• Best Large Business Award: Urban Space Property Group/Center for Social Innovation
• Best Skills Development Award: Ontario Cycling Association
• Best Overall Award: Butterfield & Robinson

Thanks to all who attended.

4) New bike lockers at Long Branch GO, Etobicoke Civic Centre, and expanded at Metro Hall

There are four new bike lockers for public use at The Long Branch GO train station and six more at the Etobicoke Civic Centre (399 The West Mall); Metro Hall has just been expanded to make room for the extensive waiting list there. Lockers are $10/month + gst. Apply for a bike locker.

5) New bike lanes installed on Christie Street and Logan Avenue

Bike lanes have been installed in both directions on Christie Avenue from St. Clair south to Dupont. A contraflow lane with yellow line has been installed on Logan Avenue south of Eastern towards the Lakeshore E. Pathway.

6) Cycle Ontario Conference: Putting Ontario on Two Wheels

There will be a one day conference called "Putting Ontario on Two Wheels" in Kitchener on cycling planning in Ontario. The conference is being put on by the Cycle Ontario Alliance. The details are as follows:

Putting Ontario on Two Wheels
Friday, November 2, 2007
Region of Waterloo offices
150 Frederick Street, Kitchener

Partial agenda:

Contact the organizers at Info@CycleOntario.ca

7) TRAILBLAZERS 25th Anniversary party December 1

TRAILBLAZERS, the bike club for visually impaired cyclists, is inviting you & your family & friends to attend their 20th Anniversary & Christmas party combined on Saturday, December 1st @ 6 p.m.

Thanks to Frontier Computing as they have made it possible for the TRAILBLAZERS to sell these tickets at a reduced rate. You are getting a $40 dinner for $25 until October 31st. November 1st, they go up to $30 each.

Come out & help celebrate 20 years of cycling and pass on any funny stories from the past. A turkey dinner will be served and lots of music to dance to later. The holiday dinner will be at the York Reception Centre (Masonic Banquet Hall), located at the corner of Millwood & Overlea. Bus #25 from the Pape station will take you right by the place. Coming from the North, the Don Mills bus will drive right by it as well. Bus stops are at the corner on both sides.

For tickets, or any questions please contact 416-456-7117 or Rozina at 416-421-5210 any evening.

8) ZM Turkey Cross Cyclocross Races @ Cedarvale Park, October 14

ZM Cycle Fitness is presenting cyclecross races in Cedarvale Park (433 Arlington Avenue at Vaughn Rd) near the Phil White Arena. There will be over $2000 in prizes and races in all categories for men and women and juniors starting at 11 a.m. Entry fees are $20 for juniors under nineteen, and $30 for those over nineteen years of age. Mountain bikes will be permitted.

Cyclocross races feature a short, high-intensity circuit with dismount barriers, steep climbs, and technical trail sections and are exciting to watch as well as to compete in, so come out and enjoy the races this Sunday in Cedarvale Park. Races are 40, 50, and 60 minutes long.

Supported by the City of Toronto, Ontario Cycling Association, and ZM Cycle Fitness Ltd.

You can contact the organizer Ziggy Martuzalski at 416-652-0080 or www.zmcyclefitness.com.

9) Ahead in the Bike Lane:

1. ZM Turkey Cross Cyclocross races October 14, 11 a.m., Cedarvale Park
2. New Cycling Committee meeting October 15, 7 p.m., City Hall
3. Centennial Park Masterplan Public Meeting November 1, 6 p.m., 590 Rathburn Rd
4. Trailblazers Anniversary & Xmas Party December 1, 6 p.m., York Reception Centre

The City has a vision for cycling in Toronto and wants you involved in making it happen. Cyclometer is a subscription service of the City of Toronto.

The first issue of Cyclometer went out on November 24, 1989. Now, as then, we hope that, like its namesake, Cyclometer will show you how far we've come, how fast we're going, and maybe how much pedalling we have yet to do. So get on board and get involved. Your support is important.

Please take the time to forward this issue of Cycling News! to a fellow cyclist who may be interested.

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