News
January 24: 2007 Newsletter # 1
CYCLE
2007 NEWSLETTER #1
Happy 2007!
Here's a list of what's new with Cycle
-Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled for March 17
Suggest roundtable discussion topics
Nominate candidates for the board of directors
Book your attendance
-New website on line
-Project Team volunteers still needed
Details:
Annual
General Meeting
COA's Annual Meeting for all members is scheduled for
Saturday March 17 in
As usual, the election of the board of directors will be part of the meeting. Four
of the nine board seats will become vacant. Send your nominations for new board members
to the Chair of the Nominations Committee, Issie Chackowicz, at issie.chack@sympatico.ca .
More details will follow shortly.
COA has made a commitment to work with the Heart and Stroke Foundation to increase
cycle commuting to and from school in communities across
Membership Renewals
Watch for an email membership renewal request from COA in the next week or so. In
this time of exceptional challenge and opportunity for the promotion of cycling in
New Website
We're still at http://www.cycleontario.ca
, but with a new look and greatly expanded. As Allied Clubs are formed, they will each
have their own web pages to feature local issues, events, news and sponsorships.
Project Team Volunteers
Thank you to all those who have already come forward for Project Team
participation. There's still plenty of room for more! Contact Projects Director John
Sigurjonsson at john@canadiantrails.com.
See you at the
AGM!
Sincerely
John Sigurjonsson
Projects Director
Cycle
December 15 2006 Newsletter # 2
To all Cycle Ontario Alliance members, from COA President Nina Koskenoja
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SEASON’S GREETINGS FROM CYCLE ONTARIO ALLIANCE
WISHING YOU AND YOURS A JOYOUS HOLIDAY SEASON
AND TAILWINDS THROUGHOUT 2007!
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COA Project Team Information and Invitation for Participation
As promised in my December 1 email, I’m writing today to give more details about our new project plans, and invite your participation in those projects.
Listed below are the major new projects approved by the Board on November 18. The addendum gives a draft list of action steps for each project, to give you a better idea of the work each team will be doing. These action plans are subject to change by the teams once they start work. It’s a long document, so you may want to read the detail on only those projects of most interest to you.
For each project we picture a core work group of three or four people, preferably within easy traveling distance of each other to facilitate meetings. That core group will then seek input from a wide resource group in the research phase of the project. Implementation planning and actual implementation for most projects will again involve many COA members and external allies.
First steps for each team will be to draw up a work plan, a timetable, and a list of resource requirements. These will be communicated to the Board for coordination with other activities and for resource allocation.
We are looking to create eight teams:
1) Bikeway Design and Signage Standards Team
2) Theft Prevention Team
3) "Why Cycle" Promotion Team
4) Membership Promotion Team
5) Bicycle Use Municipal Plans Advocacy Team
6) Destination Facilities Team
7) Cycle Skills Team
8) Bike Friendly Community Awards Team
Does that sound like fun? Spend interesting time with other good people who share your interests, and accomplish something for cycling in Ontario, An ambitious plan? Yes. Do-able? We think so.
Your participation is needed and welcome. You can help in three major ways:
1) Pick projects that you are interested in and volunteer by Reply to this email.
a) I am definitely interested in joining Project Team # (s) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
b) I would consider participating in Project Team # (s) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
2) Recommend others who would, by special knowledge/aptitude/interest, be good team members.
I recommend (Name) of (location) for Project Team # _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
PLEASE TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO REPLY AS SOON AS YOU CAN.
We will work on setting up Project Teams over the holidays, so we can get of to a fast start in 2007.
3) Recruit new members. This is a big agenda COA is taking on, and lots of member support will be needed to carry it through successfully. New members can sign up at
http://www.cycleontario.ca/membership/signup.html.
GOT ANY QUESTIONS? CALL JOHN SIGURJONSSON, PROJECTS DIRECTOR, AT
1-800-668-BIKE (2453) ANY TIME 24/7. He never sleeps - just dozes off sometimes, but he'll call you back :-)
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Here are some more details on each project:
1)Bikeway Design and Signage Standards
Why do it? – For cycling to be adopted as a significant part of the lifestyle of a large segment of our communities requires infrastructure that makes it safer and more enjoyable. This committee will work at establishing a strong consensus among professionals in the field and the political decision-makers on what constitutes good bikeway design and signage practice. We’ll try to identify what factors inhibit implementation of these good practices, and how those inhibiting factors can be overcome.
Draft plan:
-Research to determine what are current state-of-the-art bikeway and signage standards.
-Email survey and focus group consultation to determine familiarity/acceptability of standards among municipal engineers.
-What are the major factors inhibiting implementation?
Cost? Political commitment? Lack of knowledge?
Lack of acceptance/authority of standards?
-Are MTO guidelines the major reference standard? If not, what is?
(e.g. Transportation Association of Canada? American Association of State Highway and Transportation Association Officials? Ontario Good Roads Association? Other?)
-Establish consultative liaison with MTO. What will convince them to:
Update and strengthen their guidelines to municipalities?
Implement those standards on Provincial roads?
-Obtain endorsement of TAC, OGRA, and other professional associations.
-Involve Ministries of Health Promotion, Health, Tourism and Recreation, Energy, Environment, Municipal Affairs to support MTO in adopting and enforcing/implementing state-of-the-art standards.
-Establish and maintain ongoing liaison with municipal jurisdictions on 2006 and (target) 2008 OBR Tour routes, towards:
-defining standards for and cost of signage placement and maintenance.
-defining bikeway upgrades needed, cost and benefits thereof.
-recruiting political support for action
- negotiate commitment to a plan for full "up-to-standard" OBR bikeway development on these two routes.
2) Theft Prevention
Why Do It? – "If I take my bike, it will get stolen" is a common reason given for not cycling. We want to reduce the risk of theft, and increase the odds of recovering a stolen bike.
Draft Plan
- Research (literature review, email survey and focus group consultation) and determine/create Police Services consensus on state-of-the-art bike theft prevention practices.
-What are the major factors inhibiting implementation?
Cost? Political commitment? Lack of knowledge?
Lack of acceptance/authority of standards?
-Recruit key municipalities (10 targets) as implementation models
-Incorporate in Bike week plans and programs
-Incorporate in municipal communication program
3) "Why Cycle?" Promotion
Why Do It? – Many people are unfamiliar with the good reasons for cycling. We want to change that.
Draft Plan:
-Define target populations. Review research. Do email survey. Conduct focus groups.
What segments of the population are most likely to adopt/increase:
-Cycle commuting? (young professionals, school children 10 to 20 yrs old, low income workers –entry level and minimum wage)
-Utilitarian? Shopping, social visiting, general chores. ????
-Casual recreational riding for pleasure/health? (older adults, young professionals, school children 10 to 20 yrs old)
-Cycle touring? (weekends to week-long, supported or not) (Young adults 18+, Singles all ages, young families with late teens children, empty nesters late 30s plus)
-Develop promotion program for target populations,
-Ongoing promotion with partners (health promotion agencies, bike-related retailers, recreation departments, sustainable transportation programs, Participaction, etc.) TV ads, newspaper ads, magazine ads, product placement, news releases, events, stunts, gimmicks (e.g. derelict bike "sculptures").
-Strong Bike Week programs (see template)
-Targeted Ontario Bicycling Route Tour promotion for 2008
4) COA Membership Promotion
Why Do It? – Increased membership will strengthen our effectiveness in cycling advocacy. Cycling advocacy is fragmented in Ontario, with isolated groups doing good work, but not sharing ideas and resources with each other. COA can serve a
coordinating, facilitating function in this respect.
Draft Plan:
Allied Club formation for local representation
Enhance benefits of membership
Negotiate province-wide and local discounts for members.
Establish a "members only" area on the website for discount offers, access to triptiks, etc.
Demonstrate advocacy activity and effectiveness.
Enhance relevance and effectiveness on local issues.
Provide enjoyable local activities (club rides, socials)
Communicate benefits of membership
"Why Join" web page
"Join Up" Brochure
Local advertising
Bike Show promotion
New members prize lottery.
Streamline sign-up process
Strengthen communications with members
-Minimum bi-monthly
-Relevant to both local and generic issues
-Keep website current
-Involve all in "Discuss" forums.
Provide recruitment support
"Join Up" cards
Membership cards/pins?
5) Bicycle Use Municipal Plans Advocacy
Why Do it? – Many municipalities have or are developing Transportation Master Plans. Bicycle Use plans should always be a significant part of the Transportation Plan. Sometimes they are, but often not. Where Bicycle Use Plans exist, they can easily drop to a low priority for Transportation Departments and Municipal Councils constantly struggling with budget limitations. We want to show that cycling is part of the solution, not part of the problem.
Draft Plan:
Confirm immediate subject municipalities.
Define strategy:
What factors encourage municipalities to establish BUMPs? What factors influence their adherence to the plan?
What causes them to maintain/abandon the Bicycle Advisory Committee?
How can adherence to the plan best be monitored?
Draw up overall plan, timetable, and resource requirements
Communicate plan to the Board for coordination and resource allocation.
Recruit a Conference sub-committee.
Submit agenda items, invitee list, to general Conference Committee
Co-ordinate speakers, invitations, etc.
Draft communication to go to Transportation Consultancy firms.
Plan and execute follow-up.
Implement BUMPs adherence monitoring strategy.
Implement BUMPs cyclist representation strategy.
6) Destination Facilities
Why Do It? – Another common reason given for not cycling is "No convenient and secure place to park my bike. No place to shower and change after riding to work." Many municipalities have bylaws requiring bike parking to be provided at new commercial property developments, but they are not enforced.
Draft Plan
Determine which target municipalities have an applicable bylaw or building code.
Determine best way of monitoring compliance.
Devise strategy for advocating passage of applicable bylaw/code where there isn’t one.
Devise sales plan for those not covered by the bylaw/code.
Negotiate bulk purchase for racks and lockers
Coordinate with bylaw compliance staff.
Re-confirm with Creative Pipe or arrange with local manufacturer (inverted U, galvanized, powder coated colors, check re patent issues).
Coordinate for "Bloomin’ Bike Racks" promotion during Bike Week.
7) Cycle Skills
Why Do It? – Parents are often reluctant to let their children cycle far from home because the kids lack cycling skills, especially in dealing with traffic. Many adults avoid cycling for the same reason. We can help with that.
Draft Plan
Define target groups: (Children, Older adults, ???)
Define delivery channels (schools, Recreation Departments, YM/YWCAs, Safety Villages.
Define delivery partners (Police Services, Seniors Centers, School Boards/Teachers, Public Health Departments, ???)
Define trainer recruitment pool (Police, Teachers, Rec Dept Staff, COA members, Fitness Center Staff, YM/YWCA staff, Bike shop staff,???)
From above elements, devise strategy, plan, timetable, and resource needs. Communicate to Board for coordination and resources allocation.
Coordinate implementation.
Schedule action to support annual meeting workshop, annual conference and Bike Week.
8) Bike Friendly Community Awards
Why Do It? – Communities that make themselves Bike Friendly, and the individuals who make that happen, deserve thanks and recognition, and awards programs motivate community action (e.g. "Communities in Bloom").
Draft Plan:
Define Criteria for BF Community
Draft Questionnaire
Develop mailing list
Solicit sponsorships
EMail questionnaires
Follow up on questionnaires
Rank Entries
Visit leading candidate communities
Select category winners
Announce Winners & Publicize
Schedule action to support annual meeting workshop, conference and Bike Week.
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December 1 2006 Newsletter # 1
To
all Cycle Ontario Alliance members, from COA President Nina Koskenoja
The
Board of Directors hasn’t been in touch with all members for a while but we
haven’t been sitting idle. As evidence of that I’m attaching an announcement of
some bold new plans that the Board has recently adopted on behalf of Cycle
Expansion
always raises the risk of bumping up against others in then same field, so I want to
assure all others involved in advocacy for recreational, utilitarian, and commuting
cycling that COA’s intent is to increase the level of
cooperation and coordination in this field across the province. It is not our intent to
usurp anyone else’s jurisdiction. I would be happy to hear from anyone who has
concerns in this respect, so that we can avoid any misunderstandings.
The
initiatives we are announcing here have been under detailed consideration by the Board
over the better part of the past six months. In many respects they are an extension of the
three year plan adopted in by the
You
will be receiving more information soon about the new local clubs and the new projects,
with more opportunities for you to be involved. Your participation is welcome and needed!
As always, your
feed back is very welcome. You can email me directly at Nina.Koskenoja@cycleonatario.ca or
express your views through discuss@CycleOntario.ca.
Sincerely
Nina Koskenoja