Ring & Post: February 2020

Cycle Toronto's Monthly Newsletter

Riders were excited to celebrate winter cycling at the start of our annual Coldest Day of the Year Ride. Photo courtesy of David Keogh.

Eglinton Bike Lanes, get ready for Bike to School Week, the West Toronto Railpath Extension, and more!

Contents

Bloor West Bikeway Extension submission
Eglinton bike lane and Midtown Yonge update
West Toronto Railpath extension and closures
Brunswick and Borden contra-flow bike lanes
Official Plan Amendment comments
Registration for Bike to School Week is now open!
Save the date for our Annual General Meeting
Coldest Day of the Year Ride Wrap-up
Ward Group Highlight: Ward 9 Davenport
Business Member Profile: Steam Whistle Brewing
Business Member Profile: Revelo
Monthly membership prize winner
Bike Pirates has moved!
Cycling and road safety in the news
Upcoming events

Bloor West Bikeway Extension submission

Person points at notes on a map

Cycle Toronto recently submitted feedback on the draft design of the Bloor West Bikeway Extension. We’re thrilled to see the highly successful and heavily-used bike lanes between Avenue Rd and Shaw St extended past High Park to Runnymede Rd and we’re strongly supportive of the planned extension for summer of 2020. The proposal still requires Council approval and there is still room to improve before designs are finalized.

Read about what improvements we’d like to see

Eglinton bike lane and Midtown Yonge updates

People on bike ride in separated bike lane on lush street

Artist rendering of Eglinton Ave

Midtown Toronto is one of the fastest growing parts of the city and we're working to set the stage to make it safer to ride a bike outside the downtown core in the future. We’ve written about the status of some interesting projects north of Bloor that have the potential to change the way people get around.

Read our Eglinton and Midtown Yonge updates

West Toronto Railpath extension and closures

Rendering of lush green path with people biking and running.

Artist's rendering of West Toronto Railpath Extension

Over 250 people out on a snowy night at the Museum of Contemporary Art for the City’s Public Consultation Event for the West Toronto Railpath extension. If you couldn’t make it to the event you can still provide feedback online until March 12.

Read our summary and provide feedback

Brunswick and Borden contra-flow bike lanes

Protected intersection on College street

Artist's rendering of intersection on College St as part of Borden-Brunswick project

The City of Toronto has proposed building contra-flow bike lanes on Borden Street and Brunswick Avenue. We’ve written about the potential for this particular route and why we support building cycling infrastructure on quiet, residential streets as key for connecting bike routes. The local ward advocacy group for University-Rosedale has also made some great suggestions for this neighbourhood project.

Read about Borden-Brunswick contra-flow bike lanes

Official Plan Amendment comments

Toronto Official Plan book over a view of the city

The City has recently passed an Official Plan Amendment to update transportation-related policies in the Official Plan including expanding the Cycling Network and encouraging sustainable and active mobility choices. We’ve written a summary of the process and highlighted some of the changes we’re excited to see.

Read about the changes to the Official Plan

Registration for Bike to School Week is now open!

Bike to School Week

Bike to School Week takes place from May 25 to 29 and is a great way to encourage youth to ride their bikes to school! Talk to your teachers or administrators about getting your school registered for Bike to School Week. You can visit BiketoSchoolWeek.ca to find helpful guides on running bike programs in your school and to register.

Get your school registered for Bike to School Week

Save the date for our Annual General Meeting (AGM)

People voting

2019 AGM photo courtesy of David Keogh

Date: Tuesday, March 31, 2020
Time: Registration begins at 6:00PM
Location: Relish Bar & Grill, 511 Danforth Ave

Director Elections and Slate Process

This year, five directors will be elected to the Board. The Board will be interviewing nominees and recommending a slate of candidates to the membership. We have three current Board members who are seeking re-election.

All those who are running will have a profile posted on the website closer to the AGM.

Dutch Auction

Every year at our AGM, we do an entertaining fundraiser called a Dutch Auction to support and expand our work. Don't miss this year's AGM and get ready to fundraise!

Voting at the AGM: Unable to attend? Vote By Proxy

If you are unable to attend, you can still cast your vote. Appoint a proxy to vote on your behalf. by filling out a proxy form. You can choose a Cycle Toronto member attending to vote on your behalf, or leave it blank to appoint the president or chair of the Board of Directors to vote on your behalf. Proxy forms must be submitted to Cycle Toronto before 6:00 pm on Sunday, March 29, 2020.

Proxy forms can be submitted via email attachment to [email protected] or can be delivered in person to our office located at 192 Spadina Avenue, Office 215.

Stay up-to-date on the details

Coldest Day of the Year Ride wrap-Up

Hundreds of bikes wait for a stoplight

The Coldest Day of the Year Ride is an annual event to celebrate and promote cycling as a year round activity. This year’s ride on February 1 started at Runnymede and Bloor on what turned out to be a not so cold day. Hundreds of people showed up to enjoy riding the length of the proposed Bloor West Bikeway Extension. Riders brought along music, gave impromptu penny-farthing riding lessons, and great conversation. Here are some of our favourite pictures and video from the ride. Thanks to Bike Share Toronto for providing bikes and thanks to you for joining us!

Ride Video by Bromptoning - YouTube

Rider with flowers on their bike
Riders going uphill underneath railroad tracks

Riders warm their hands
Riders pass Bike Share station

People gather in a bar
People enjoy conversation

Photos courtesy of David Keogh and Ryan Shissler

Ward group highlight: Ward 9 Davenport

Cycle Toronto Davenport is looking for a new leader in their ward advocacy group! Cycle Toronto Davenport has previously been meeting monthly and has a good base of members and people in supporting roles, including a Communications Lead. Keeping this productive group running is important for the future of the ward, which is seeing big changes with the Bloor West Bikeway Extension. The leader would primarily be in charge of scheduling and chairing the meetings with other volunteers. Email [email protected] and she’ll get you the information you need.

Business Member Profile: Steam Whistle Brewing

Drink Steam Whistle Pilsner

What’s it all about? The Steam Whistle Biergarten is a Classic European Beer Hall food with a North American twist, taking inspiration from the European beer gardens and beer halls of great cities such as Munchin, Germany. The atmosphere and vibe promotes openness and sharing.

Transportation connections: the John Street Roundhouse, home of Steam Whistle Brewing and Steam Whistle Biergarten was built in 1929 and is unique to Canada as it is one of the only remaining steam locomotive repair facilities. The building is comprised of 32 engine bays laid out in a radius to make up the buildings nature “round” structure. Adaptive reuse of this historic building is no stranger to the team. Operating out of the John Street Roundhouse for nearly two decades, experience with the intricacies and level of detail necessary to preserve the heritage fabric has inspired the beautiful balance of new and old aesthetics.

Clean air commute: sustainable commutes to the brewery are encouraged with their proximity to local bike paths, transit and commuter trains. Steam Whistle provides showers, towel service and covered bike racks for their staff. They have supported cycling in the larger community by creating a network of Public Bike Repair Stations in 30 communities across Canada.

Business member profile: Revelo

Revelo, Toronto’s bicycle design company, aims to make your bike fit easier into your life.

Want your bike to go THIN to fit in half the space? Revelo's THINstem is a folding stem to quickly rotate your handlebar 90 degrees so you can easily fold, walk, roll, and store your bike anywhere.

Want a great riding bike in an even smaller format? Revelo LIFT folding bikes offer unsurpassed safety with anti-lock braking and the portability benefits of THINstem, all weighing just 10 kg and small enough to fit in a suitcase.

Revelo innovations make bikes more portable to fit easily in condos, elevators, subways, work spaces and help prevent theft; easy for multi-modal travel, save time and space, encouraging people to get riding more often.

Visit Revelo.ca or drop by their Leaside Toronto studio for a test ride.

Monthly Members' Prize

Today is the last day to become a monthly member and have a chance to win February's prize which is a Revelo THINstem and pedal combo valued at $119. Save space by making your handlebars and pedals fold. It’s an innovation that makes your full-size bike over 60% more portable. Thanks to Revelo for providing the prize.

Talia was the lucky winner of our January Monthly Members’ Prize! She received an Arctic Cold Brew Coffee System valued at $100 from Fix Coffee + Bikes.

Talia accepting the January prize

Talia initially started riding a bike in Montreal because she felt it was a great way to explore a city she didn’t know very well. She told us she became a Cycle Toronto member shortly after she moved here because

“...when I started biking here it felt much more unsafe. I really wanted to support the advocacy to get more bike lanes. The free flat-fix was also a big selling point for me!”

Become a Cycle Toronto monthly member to be entered to win February’s prize. After that you’ll be entered into the draw every month as long as your membership is active. Read the full contest rules here.

Switch to Monthly Now

Bike Pirates has moved!

After five years in Parkdale, Bike Pirates has packed up and moved to Bloor and Dundas. Bike Pirates is a volunteer run and organized DIY workspace that supports bicycle re-use, collective decision making, and social justice. Check out their new space at 1564 Bloor St W.