Mississauga Cycling » Feature

Getting the conversation started

Allan Harder — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 20:10:00 +0000

You have to get started somewhere. In episode 1 (Jan 2012), host Allan Harder gives a whirlwind overview of transportation in Mississauga and its growth into a cycling-friendly location. Granted, just like this podcast, there is a long road ahead. The question of the day is this: With the strong showing of employers in Mississauga, why isn’t [just about] everyone cycling to work? Is it that Mississauga businesses employ people who live outside the city? Is it a lack of cycling infrastructure in key employment areas? Is it that residents have been groomed to take their motor vehicles everywhere – even on trips they could walk or bike in less than 5 minutes? Your host thinks it is largely the latter, but with other secondary factors “sealing the deal” on not choosing a people-powered mode of transportation. Cycling is not just better for the air we breathe, it increases your physical health, mental health, and gets people “out of their cages” – which is better for our society and culture as a whole.

Does anything in this podcast strike a chord with you? Please share your thoughts. Any topics you want covered? Do you know someone who would like to be interviewed? If nothing else, just let us know you’re listening. Here are some ways to share:

Leave a comment at the bottom of this article’s page on mississaugacycling.ca.

Building a Cycling Culture: Special Presentations on November 29, 2011

tomiukd — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 01:42:09 +0000

The City of Mississauga Cycling Office in collaboration with the Mississauga Cycling Advisory Committee is hosting two presentations with the theme: Building a Cycling Culture on Tuesday, November 29, 2011 @ 7 – 9 p.m.

Where: NOEL RYAN AUDITORIUM, Mississauga Central Library (FREE Underground Parking)
301 Burnhamthorpe Rd. W. (map)
(Burnhamthorpe Rd. W. and Duke of York Blvd.)

This is a FREE public event which will provide residents with the opportunity to learn about how Mississauga can be successful in creating a bicycle-friendly city. Click for Press Release.

Jean François Pronovost, Vice president, Development and Public Affairs for Vélo Québec, will share his expertise and insight about creating bicycle-friendly cities.

Eleanor McMahon, CEO and Founder, Share the Road Cycling Coalition, will highlight current cycling advocacy efforts in Ontario.

NOTE: Public Q&A will follow after the presentations.

About Vélo Québec
Vélo Québec is a non-profit organization that has played an important role in the development of a bicycle-friendly culture and cycling route networks throughout the Province of Québec. The organization encourages the use of bicycles in order to improve the environment, health and well-being of citizens.

About Share the Road Cycling Coalition
Share the Road Cycling Coalition is a provincial cycling advocacy organization created to unite cycling organizations from across Ontario and work with and on behalf of municipalities to enhance their ability to make their communities more bicycle- friendly. The organization’s mandate is province-wide with a specific focus on developing public policy at the provincial level in order to provide the kind of legislative, programmatic and funding instruments such as exist in other Canadian provinces notably Quebec and British Columbia.

Click to view full-size POSTER. (PDF).

MCAC makes Annual Report to Council: ‘Connecting Communities Safely’

tomiukd — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 01:39:46 +0000

MCAC made its annual report to Council on November 23, 2011, entitled ‘Connecting Communities Safely‘. In the presentation we discussed priorities for fostering a Cycling CULTURE and building the Cycling NETWORK in Mississauga, and the need to put SAFETY FIRST in implementing the Cycling Master Plan, which was approved a year ago and has resulted in the creation of a new Cycling Office.

In particular, we emphasized the GAPS in our present cycling network, and where the “Critical Kilometers” need to be completed in order to provide five (5) major east-west routes and four (4) major north-south routes to continuously connect one end of the City to the other. See pages 23-25 of the presentation (link below) for details about the gaps and a map.

Click to view the MCAC Annual Report to Council: Nov 23, 2011 (41-slide PDF)

Click to view the Nov. 23, 2011 archived video stream on Rogers TV (starting at 3:08:30 in the stream).

Below: Members of MCAC present the 2011 Tour de Mississauga banner, signed with comments by participants on September 18, to Councillor Chris Fonseca (Council rep on MCAC), along with Mayor Hazel McCallion and the other Councillors (click image for enlargement).

What did The Banner Say?

- Great ride but please close some roads next year
- Awesome 1st time ride
- Perfect day, perfect ride, perfect city
- Zero miles per gallon
- Absolutely fantastic day and ride!
- Lots of fun! Keep riding Mississauga
- 4th time – loved it again!
- I can’t feel my legs… see you next year!
- Great ride – more bike lanes!
- Malton’s Victory Hall lemonade stand was a treasure
- 2 first time riders – we’ll be back next year! Thx!
- Woohoo! (Got lost)
- WOW Mississauga really is cycling!
- Fabulous 60km
- Nice with the Barbeque – Tasty!
- Yes Mayor, I will pay more taxes for better cycling in Mississauga – Do it!
- My first Tour de Mississauga!! Awesome 100k
- Thank you organizers and volunteers! Great day and ride
- 60k is really long. But we DID IT!
- I survived
- Fun day volunteering here

Testing of New Bike Racks Completed

tomiukd — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 13:29:10 +0000

As part of the City of Mississauga’s Port Credit Cultural Node pilot project (description), new bike racks were available for residents and visitors to try out at the Elmwood Avenue and Lakeshore Road East parking lot in Ward 1, site of the Port Credit Farmers Market (closed for the season as of mid-October).

► Press release (Aug. 18, 2011): City of Mississauga unveils new bike racks as part of Port Credit Cultural Node pilot project.

► MCAC and the City’s Cycling Office reviewed the feedback received from the community, as part of the Agenda for the November 8, 2011 MCAC meeting and determined that the racks will not be installed permanently, there being preference for other styles of bike racks around Port Credit. The vertical rack especially was found difficult to use for heavier bikes, and completely impractical for those with saddlebags or baskets — most cycling to the Farmers Market need these to carry home their produce! It was also difficult to lock bikes to the rack. The smaller bike rack was better received but was felt to take up too much space and was considered unattractive as well.

Left: The vertical trial bike rack, which takes the place of one car parking spot. Below: The ‘mini’ version, which stores bikes in a 360 deg. configuration.

Ontario Coroner to Study Cycling Deaths

tomiukd — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:13:16 +0000

Dr. Andrew McCallum, Chief Coroner for Ontario announced on October 24, 2011 that the Office of the Chief Coroner will be conducting a review of cycling deaths across the province. This review is being undertaken as a result of public concern surrounding the issue of cycling safety, given that 15 – 20 cyclists die annually in Ontario as a result of accidental injuries.

Ghost bikes (painted white) that are erected around the world in memory of cyclists killed in traffic accidents are a reminder of the dangers cyclists face when going up against cars without adequate lane separation in many cases. An example is shown in this photo from http://ghostbikes.org
► Wikipedia article: Ghost bike.

The provincial review of cycling will be led by Dr. Dan Cass, Regional Supervising Coroner – Toronto West Region, and will include deaths from 2006 to 2010. The purpose of the review is to identify common factors that may have played a role in the deaths, and where possible, to make recommendations to prevent similar deaths. The review is expected to be completed in Spring 2012. A report will be issued at its conclusion.

“Cycling activity is increasing in many parts of the province and like other users of our roadways, cyclists ought to be safe. By examining these deaths, we hope to find ways to increase their safety.”
– Dr. Andrew McCallum, Chief Coroner for Ontario

Members of the public are invited to offer comments or recommendations to the review panel before November 30, 2011, by writing to:

Dr. Dan Cass – Regional Supervising Coroner – Toronto West Region
Office of the Chief Coroner
26 Grenville Street
Toronto ON M7A 2G7
Occo.inquiries@ontario.ca

Ward Rides Kick off in Ward 3

tomiukd — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 14:31:06 +0000

It is planned that casual bike rides will be held throughout the City beginning in Spring 2012, ward by ward, and including the local Councillor where possible. Councillor Fonseca, who sits as the Council representative on the MCAC, has kicked this series off in (her) Ward 3 by holding rides on August 5 as well as October 22, 2011.

Designing neighbourhood bike tours for residents is a great way to encourage cyclists of all abilities to ‘get out there’ and learn the local routes in a supportive group. Mississauga has so many recreational trails and it is important to learn how to ride to them safely.

WARD 3 BIKE RIDE: Saturday, October 22 @ 1:00 p.m. starting at BETHESDA COMMON PARK, 3311 Fieldgate Drive (map). Sponsored by:
Ward 3 Councillor Chris Fonseca, the Mississauga Cycling Advisory Committee (MCAC) and Smart Commute Mississauga.

The next ward ride is planned to be in Ward 1 with Councillor Jim Tovey, in Spring 2012, with the support of the TOPCA Bicycle Committee.

► Click image (or here) for full-size MAP of the Ward 3 route.

Pilot Project: Green Pavement Marking

tomiukd — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 16:10:33 +0000

The City of Mississauga is testing a green pavement marking that will make the north-bound bike lane at the intersection of Dundas Street West and Mississauga Road much more noticeable. The test lane marking was installed in August 2011 and will be monitored over the coming months for effectiveness and durability. MCAC would be interested in hearing cyclist feedback at contact@mississaugacycling.ca.

The intent is to increase driver awareness to the presence of cyclists and clearly separate them for added safety where it may not otherwise be clear how to proceed. This location was chosen to begin with as it has a bike lane that is positioned between a right turn lane and through traffic, which can be a challenge for both cyclists and motorists navigating the road.

► Mississauga News article (August 24, 2011): Greening the way for cyclists. Excerpt: “Riding a bicycle at Mississauga Rd. and Dundas St. W. just got a little bit safer. That’s the thinking behind a City of Mississauga pilot project in which a three-metre-long green pavement marking on the northbound Mississauga Rd. through lane, approaching Dundas St. W., warns motorists that cyclists use the lane to proceed through the busy intersection.”

► Click image for enlargement.

Sharrows are Showing Up!

tomiukd — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 01:34:29 +0000

Riders on the 2011 Tour de Mississauga will have noticed sections of the routes where sharrows were installed. The Tour is always an excellent opportunity to highlight new cycling infrastructure including these ‘shared lane’ pavement markings. In 2011, new sharrows were added as part of upgrades to City Centre Drive, for instance. At left: A freshly applied sharrow in the IceLand parking lot leading to Jan’s Trail.

Sharrows depict a bicycle and chevron. The markings do not connote a separate bicycle lane, but rather advise motorists and cyclists to share the street. Sharrows are a tool in our cycling facility toolbox that we will continue to propose for implementation where appropriate, as we move forward on implementing the Cycling Master Plan.

Sharrows may be proposed for neighbourhood or non-residential roadways, in order to improve the way-finding or to reduce speeding and emphasize that streets are to be shared by cyclists and motorists, and even pedestrians where there are no sidewalks. Issues of on-street parking, width of the road, speed and volume of vehicles are all factors that are considered when planning for the placement of sharrows.

For some proposed locations, the local Councillor contacts the residents with a mailed notification and receives public input before the sharrows are installed. In many cases where there are no impacts and there are simply some changes to the vehicle lanes, notification is not required.

MCAC has provided input into the Cycling Master Plan and promotes the completion of safe cycling routes for both recreational and commuter purposes, and the local MCAC citizen Ward rep is also apprised of any planned road markings.

► Wikipedia article: Shared lane marking.

Record number of riders in 2011 Tour de Mississauga

tomiukd — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 20:30:57 +0000

NOTE: The 5th annual Tour de Mississauga will take place on Sunday, September 16, 2012. See you then!

MCAC volunteers are busy debriefing and reviewing the considerable input coming in following the 4th annual Tour de Mississauga which took place on Sunday, September 18. We so appreciate hearing your comments to help us improve and grow the event responsibly. Final counts are still being determined, based on additional manual registrations and walk-ups on Tour Day, but over 1200 riders and 50 volunteer marshals meant this was our biggest event so far. This was a key transitional year: while we had significant sponsors for the first time, we are still catching up to the fact that this is now a big event. With yesterday`s demonstrated support from the cycling community, we can better attract sponsors in 2012 to fund the amenities that Tour riders expect and require for such a large ride. WE HEAR YOU! It was only 3 short years ago that we first had 30 riders meet in a parking lot, and last year we were basically all over the grass at Streetsville Memorial Park. Your patience and confidence is deeply appreciated as we get ready for next year, which will focus on the Southeast quadrant of the City. Thanks for taking the time to send your thoughts for an event that is truly being shaped by its participants.

Please e-mail contact@mississaugacycling.ca if you`d like to add your input to our consultative process.

P.S. The Tour jerseys (sold at cost) were a complete sell-out (in less than 24 hours!).

A reminder: All registrants will be reimbursed for the `tech`T-shirt orders which could not be fulfilled and we regret that we could not deliver on that project — next year, we will anticipate the issues further ahead (which means the cutoff date for online T-shirt orders will have to be sooner).

WHO WON THE FREE DRAWS at the BBQ? See the top of our Sponsors webpage for the names of the 14 winners and their prizes!

POST-TOUR BENEFITS: Please check out our Sponsors webpage to find out what additional benefits they are offering. Take your 2011 Tour de Mississauga bike plate into the sponsors’ locations to be entitled to the discounts/special offers they have indicated.

Left: 2011 Tour organizing team with the Tour banner we`ll present at Council on November 23, 2011 when we make our annual MCAC presentation. Click image for enlargement.

Ride the Tour… Ride the Earth

Allan Harder — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 05:31:21 +0000

Donate your old bikes at the Tour de Mississauga!

Many cyclists have an old bike or two in their garage, and often the question is how to get rid of them in an appropriate way.

There is an organization called Ride the Earth Cycles, located in the Niagara Region, which is dedicated to helping youth develop skills and providing bicycles to those who need them through their Youth Development Project.

The bicycle is a powerful mode of transportation to individuals around the world — from the far reaches of Africa where it can mean getting an education, access to water and even access to health care, to the local Niagara region where migrant workers require bicycles to access meaningful work. They will value your refurbished old bike!

Your donated bicycle will be distributed to organizations where youth are gaining the skills and experience in repairing bicycles to then be distributed to those in need around the globe. In doing so they will also be gaining an appreciation for the bicycle’s immense power and importance to others around the world and discovering how they can effect social change.

And meanwhile…. the old bikes are out of your garage! It’s a WIN WIN WIN situation!

DROP-OFF: We are so pleased that U-Haul has agreed to be a Tour sponsor and is donating the use of a truck to collect the old bikes on Saturday, September 17 @ 10 am – 2 pm (Tour registration package pick-up day) at Mississauga Celebration Square, Glass Pavilion, attached to the Central Library, and the day of the Tour itself: Sunday, September 18. All the old bikes will then be delivered to Ride the Earth Cycles in Niagara.

NOTE: There is a drop-off location in Port Credit, should you prefer to drop off your old bikes there, during the week of Sept. 10-17. E-mail: topca@topca.net.

LET’S FILL THE TRUCK WITH BIKES, and provide others in need with the joy and freedom of owning their own bike!