Welcome to Cyclometer, a monthly newsletter to keep cyclists informed about cycling issues and programs in the City of Toronto.
CONTENTS:
1) Bicycle Friendly Business Awards - October 9
The Bicycle Friendly Business Award (BFBA) nominations have been collected and we're pleased to announce over 50 businesses have been nominated! The judging will take place over the next two weeks by our panel:
Councillor Olivia Chow, Ward 20 Trinity-Spadina
Councillor Joe Mihevc, Ward 21 St. Paul's
Councillor David Miller, Ward 13 High Park
Councillor Joe Pantalone, Ward 19 Trinity-Spadina
Councillor Jane Pitfield, Ward 26 Don Valley West
Councillor Kyle Rae, Ward 27 Toronto Centre-Rosedale
Jay Cranstone, Senior Landscape Architect, ESG International
Rod McPhail, Director of Transportation Planning, Urban Development Services, City of Toronto
David Robinson, Environmental Coordinator, Mountain Equipment Co-op
The following seven awards will be presented at a special ceremony on Thursday, October 9th, 2003, at 7 p.m. in the Rotunda of Toronto City Hall (100 Queen Street West).
Best Bike Parking
Bicycle-Friendliest Suburban Business
Bicycle Commute
Best Small Business (up to 99 employees)
Best Large Business (100 employees and over)
Best Skills Development
Best Overall
Please feel free to join us! Refreshments and snacks will be provided. For more information on the BFBAs please visit our website, http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/bfba.
2) York University hosts Bike Brunch - September 17th
York University and Black Creek Regional Transportation Management Association (BCRTMA) will host a bike brunch September 17th from 11:30am - 2pm. The brunch will take place at York Commons near the fountain. Rain location will be in the Southwest side of Vari Hall.
3) Car Free Day - September 21st
Car Free Day happens September 21st this year. Many streets around Toronto have been opened so click below to find a street party near you!
http://wx.toronto.ca/inter/city/events.nsf/AllEventsCalendar?OpenView&Grid=3
On the 18th of September at 6:45pm Councillors Olivia Chow and David Miller will speak at the Forum Night on the topic "Car Dependance, How to Free Yourself". Free admission, Bloor Cinema (506 Bloor St. West)
4) Toronto Cycling Committee Meeting
The Toronto Cycling Committee (TCC) will be meeting on the 22nd of September to discuss a whole range of issues that concern you as a cyclist. All TCC meetings are open for the public to participate, and we value your response. The TCC's responsibility is to shape the way the City of Toronto handles the cycling issues that are relevant to you.
Monday, September 22, 2003 at 7:00pm,
Committee Room No. 2,
Toronto City Hall,
100 Queen Street West
This month the agenda includes:
Police Services - Dealing with recovered bicycles, and the distribution of Officers on bike.
2004 Cycling Map - A request for comments concerning the 2003 Cycling Map.
Toronto Cycling Website - Updates on the latest additions and changes.
Toronto Atmospheric Fund - Sustainable Transportation and Cycling Initiatives response.
Cycling Ambassadors 2003 Report.
Bicycle Network Information System update.
5) CAN-BIKE Instructor Course
Are you CAN-BIKE 2 certified? Do you wish to share your enthusiasm and skills with cyclists across the city? The City of Toronto is holding a CAN-BIKE Instructors workshop on September 28, 29, and October 25, 26. A second workshop will be held October 18, 19, and November 8, 9. This workshop will prepare you to teach the CAN-BIKE program to all levels of students. With hundreds of courses scheduled each year we are always looking for good instructors to help CAN-BIKE students increase their skills and confidence.
Please call 416-392-1311 for more information about the CAN-BIKE Instructors workshop. For CAN-BIKE program details please visit our website at http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/canbike.
6) Dundas East Bike Lane Celebration - September 28th
To celebrate the recent additions of the Dundas East bike lanes to the City of Toronto Bikeway Network a celebration will be held on Sunday, September 28th from 2:30-5:00pm at Greenwood Park (Northwest corner at Dundas St. E and Greenwood). In attendance will be Councillors Sandra Bussin, and Laura Jones. Jack Layton, former City of Toronto Councillor, and current leader of the Federal NDP party will also be on hand for the ceremonial ride. Bring your bike and enjoy the new bike lanes!
7) 10-9 Day Celebrations
10-9 Day, or October 9 is International Messenger Appreciation Day. Bike messengers are a common sight in the downtown core. With over 500 messengers delivering over 1.2 million packages yearly these cyclists reduce traffic by approximately 2500 cars. To celebrate 10-9 day the City of Toronto and the Toronto Messenger Association will be providing free snacks and refreshments at Dundas Square. Councillor Kyle Rae, Toronto Centre-Rosedale, and Councillor Jane Pitfield, Don Valley West will deliver a proclamation. Music, entertainment, and giveaways should make this an exciting event.
8) Watch for Bikes Stickers Available
The Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) and the Toronto Cycling Committee have joined forces to improve safety for cyclists and drivers. The Watch for Bikes campaign reminds motorists of the dangers of opening car doors in the path of cyclists and that someone's life depends on checking for cyclists before opening car doors.
Watch for Bikes stickers are available now through your local community centre or civic centre. To find the stickers, look for this poster: http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/safety/watchforbikes/
9) CSA Bike Helmet Safety Tour
In early August the Toronto Cycling Committee and CAN-BIKE members were invited on a tour of the CSA Helmet testing facilities. The tour included all sorts of fascinating facts about what a helmet has to go through before you can pick it up on a store shelf.
The CSA conducts about 1800 different types of tests in the 250,000 sq. ft facility. The test we witnessed dealt with bicycle helmets. Each helmet has to undergo a chin strap test. This test ensured the strap, upon impact, didn't stretch, slip, or break. If the helmet passes this test it is then subjected to impact tests. These tests occur on six different impact points, the front, rear, left and right sides, top and ventilation holes. For every different size of helmet from children to adults the test would be repeated.
When buying a helmet for a child it is important to note that children's helmets are different than adult's helmets. Children's helmets have additional expanded polystyrene (EPS) to absorb the impact and adjust for the still-forming skull.
EPS foam does have a shelf life and that is adjusted depending on the materials (check your manufacturer for helmet details), the CSA approval exists for the creation date of the helmet. Typically helmets have a limit of 5 years or a single impact.
EPS foam also changes in its effectiveness depending on weather conditions. Your helmet best works in warm weather. Cold weather makes the foam more rigid. One of the biggest threats to your helmet is bug spray. DEET can eat away at the foam and make it structurally unsound.
Currently the CSA has recognition in Canada, US, and elsewhere internationally. So the logo on the inside of your helmet carries some weight with it. Not enough to slow you down, just keep you safer. For more information on Helmet Safety please visit our newly launched minisite at http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/safety/helmet.
10) BUG Profile: The Community Bicycle Network
The Community Bicycle Network (http://www.communitybicyclenetwork.org) is a community-based bicycle organization with the goal of promoting and stimulating healthy, active, and neighbourhood-friendly sustainable transportation initiatives within the City of Toronto. Here's a taste of CBN’s current projects: BikeShare (http://www.bikeshare.org) is a community bicycle-sharing program that offers memberships for $25 a year, or four hours of volunteer service. Members can borrow the yellow bikes for up to three days from participating hubs. BikeShare hubs are connected by an online database which allows Members to use any one of 8 destination or pick up points. Wenches with Wrenches is an ongoing bicycle repair workshops run by and for women. This downtown Toronto program runs on donations from users. ToolWorks is a do-it-yourself bike repair workspace where CBN members can use CBN tools and stands to fix their own bikes. Bike repair workshops are also available for men and women. The CBN Evergreen West Toronto RailPath (railpath.wordpress.com) community initiative formed to facilitate the conversion of one of the long-abandoned rail lines running from the Junction Neighbourhood to Stachan Avenue south of King Street into a linear greenway.
CBN volunteers are also involved with a number of different city-wide initiatives. CBN organizes events as part of Car Free Day (ontario.sierraclub.ca/en/car-free-day) where cyclists and other pedal and pedi-powered vehicles take back the road every September in Toronto. CBN contributes a lot of energy into Bike Week events, an annual bike celebration hosted by the City of Toronto. CBN is associated with community bike recycling groups such as the West End Bike Club, which recycles bicycles, and by selling some of its repaired bicycles to the greater community at very affordable prices.
11) City of Toronto's first BMX Track Opened
This past weekend the City of Toronto opened its first BMX/Skateboard park. The new park is located behind Bayview Arena at 3230 Bayview Avenue.
12) Hamilton 2003 Road World Championships
The Hamilton 2003 Road World Championships take place from October 9th to 12th.
13) Ahead in the Bike Lane
- Toronto Cycling Committee Meeting:
Monday September 22, 2003, City Hall Cttee Rm #2, 7:00 PM
- Education and Safety Subcommittee:
Monday September 29, 2003, City Hall Cttee Rm #3, 7:00 PM
- Communications and Promotions Subcommittee:
Thursday September 25, 2003, City Hall Cttee Rm #3, 7:00 PM
- Road and Trails Subcommittee:
Wednesday September 24, 2003, City Hall Cttee Rm #2, 7:00 PM
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.
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