TORONTO CYCLING COMMITTEE
EDUCATION AND SAFETY SUB-COMMITTEE
MINUTES
The Education and Safety Sub-committee met on Monday, July 26, 1999 in Committee Room No. 3, City Hall, Toronto,
commencing at 7:10pm.
Present:Steve Beiko, Israel Chackowicz (Chair), Gillian Flower (Scribe), Clay McFayden, Crawford Murphy, Linda
Perkin
Staff Present:Barb Wentworth - Bicycle Safety Coordinator,
Sean Wheldrake - Coordinator, Road and Trail Safety Ambassador Program
Regrets:Phil Piltch, Marleen Van Laethem
Conflicts of Interest: None were declared.
Introduction and Announcements:
i. Steve added one item to the agenda: a discussion of the Jones Ave. bike lanes. Following this adjustment, the agenda was
approved.
ii. Toronto Cycling Committee members are encouraged to sit on at least 2 sub-committees. This is particularly important
in light of the re-activation of the Communications Sub-committee, and the Promotions and Development Sub-committee.
iii. Education and Safety Sub-committee members will be taking minutes on a rotating basis (we will rotate every other
meeting)
iv. The dates for Education and Safety Sub-committee meetings in the year 2000 are as follows: January 24, February 21,
March 27, April 25, June 5, July 4, July 31, August 28, September 25, October 30, November 27.
v. Barb presented a brochure regarding the "Swingarm" product for trucks. Linda will call the company to find out if this
product poses a safety risk to cyclists.
- Overview and Background of City Programs
i. Sean presented the new SPACE brochure. There was general approval of the brochure by the sub-committee.
Suggestions for future brochures included information for right turns, and a stronger emphasis on helmet use for in-line
skaters. Issie raised the question of including skateboarders and it was dismissed. It was felt that skateboarders are
generally not commuters and the brochure targets were biking and rollerblading which have regulations.
ii. Barb gave the sub-committee some background information regarding the development of existing cycling programs
under the City.
-Priorities and planning process for 2000
- A re-evaluation and prioritizing of these programs will occur in mid-September, prior to commencing fundraising
for these programs in the year 2000. These programs include: CAN-BIKE, Bike Week, the Ambassador Program,
the Master Bike Plan, co-ordinating with other groups, and the licensing issue, among others. The Education and
Safety sub-committee will provide feedback for this re-evaluation during 2 planning evenings in early September.
Other cyclists and members of the public are encouraged to submit their suggestions to Sub-committee members
for consideration at the meetings. The planning evenings will take place on September 7 and September 9, 1999,
at 6pm. The location will be announced once it is determined. Please contact Issie at (416) 767-5169 or
issie@lance.net to co-ordinate the pot-luck which will take place during the meeting.
2. SMOG Alert Program
i. Barb requested suggestions from Sub-committee members for a SMOG program to be undertaken by the Road and Trail
Safety Ambassadors. Feedback given to Barb and Sean included: ambassadors wearing masks, helping people bike to work
safely on smog days, asking 5 questions about smog/transportation during lunch hour to educate commuters.
Encouragement was also given for future feedback.
3. Letter to Police regarding "bicycle stop" definition and parking in bike lanes.
Draft (2nd) letter to Toronto Police Services regarding June 21, 1999 meeting with the Toronto Cycling Committee. Please
see attached letter.
4. Jones Avenue Bicycle Lane
Steve reminded those present that the works department had agreed to provide money for education following the
installation of a bike lane. A letter was drafted to Dan Egan. Please see attached letter.
The Education and Safety Sub-committee adjourned its meeting at 10:00pm.
The next meeting of the Education and Safety Sub-committee will be held on Monday, September 27, 1999. Location
TBA.
