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June’s edition of Ring & Post features an update on the latest Cycling Network Plan, a recap of Bike to Work Day, and an enticing invite to the waterfront this month. Enjoy!
Table of Contents
- A Message from the Executive Director
- Bike to Work Day 2024
- Third Quarter Cycling Updates Pass Council
- An Update on Bike Share
- The Big Toronto Bike Ride 2024
- Just for Fun: The Rise of the Bike Valet
- Social Media Spotlight
- In the Media
- Job Opportunities & Call for Volunteers
- Bikematch WCN
-
Events
- Bike Valet
- Breakfast Ride in Thorncliffe Park
- Tour de Thorncliffe
- Scarborough Cycles Slow Roll: Food Edition
A Message from the Executive Director
“They can’t all be in cars!!”
Congestion is top of mind for many Torontonians. New bike lanes are an easy scapegoat as construction chaos and rideshare vehicles ensnarl our roads. But at City Council last week, Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie clearly and passionately articulated how cycling is part of the solution, not the problem, to our congestion woes.
The city’s official climate action strategy, TransformTO, calls for 75% of local neighbourhood trips to be made by walking, transit, or biking by 2030. Based on 2016 data, about 5% of Torontonians use their bikes for work or school trips. Commuting patterns and the city’s cycling network have obviously changed since the pandemic, but that goal would be to triple the percentage of cycling trips to about 15% in the next six years. TL;DR version: we need a lot more people riding bikes.
Not every trip will be bikeable. Not every person will choose to ride a bike. But the more riding a bike is a safe and convenient option for more people, the fewer people will decide they need to drive–not to mention creating more mobility options for the 28% of Toronto households that do not own a car. The Bloor West bikeways in Etobicoke, the recently approved bikeways in midtown along Eglinton, and the public consultations for complete streets in Scarborough along Danforth-Kingston are all essential spurs to expanding and connecting our existing downtown cycling network.
Despite your calls for a more ambitious vision, however, Council committed to business as planned and approved 100 km of new and upgraded bikeways over the next three years. But no projects were removed from the plan. The Bloor West bikeways will stay. And now the real work begins to build support to ensure all those projects get on the ground.
With your help, we’re excited to help make it happen.
-Michael Longfield, Executive Director
Bike to Work Day 2024
Bike to Work Day 2024 brought people from across Toronto together for a bike ride to City Hall before work. Participants gathered at four starting locations across the city and all met at Nathan Phillips Square for a community celebration, including the return of a pancake breakfast.
A speech by Mayor Olivia Chow highlighted the growth of Toronto’s cycling culture and its bright future. In his speech, Cycle Toronto Executive Director Michael Longfield reflected on the attendees’ diverse relationships with cycling:
“One of the things I love about Bike Month and especially Bike to Work Day is a reminder that “cyclists” are not part of a monoculture. It doesn’t even have to be part of your identity. You can be “avid” or “apathetic” or anything in between. But hopping on a bike can just be a convenient, fun way to get around the city.”
Thank you to all of the participants and see you in 2025!
(Left: From left to right: Michelle Aarts, Aviva Levy, Jacquelyn Hayward, Mayor Chow, Michael Longfield.) Right: Participants gather for a group photo.)
(Left: Participants ride down Bay Street. Right: Participants enjoy pancakes after arriving to Nathan Phillips Square.)
Third Quarter Cycling Updates Pass Council
Several new and upgraded bikeways passed at City Council on June 26th, 2024. Some are projects that remain from the 2022 - 2024 Cycling Network Plan and have yet to be installed.
- Avenue Road
- The Beltline Gap
- Centennial Park
- Leaside Bridge to Danforth
- Power Street
- Sudbury Street
- Steeprock-Bathurst Manor
- West Parkdale
Now fully approved, we will see most of these projects begin construction this summer and throughout 2024.
Read more about these upcoming additions to Toronto’s cycling network on our website.
(A map of the 2024 third quarter cycling network plan updates. Image: City of Toronto)
An Update on Bike Share
On June 15th, Bike Share Toronto set a new record for daily ridership with 30,442 trips in a single day. Given the convenience and popularity of the program, that number will surely be eclipsed shortly. Behind the scenes, however, a lot is at stake for Bike Share’s continued growth and success.
At the June City Council meeting, The Toronto Parking Authority (TPA) and the City of Toronto’s new net income sharing formula was approved.
Read more about how this could impact Bike Share’s future on our website.
(A man whizzes by a Bike Share Super Station downtown. Image: Bike Share)
The Big Toronto Bike Ride presented by Bike Law Canada
The Big Toronto Bike Ride presented by Bike Law Canada is back on! Join us on a lively ride around town, make a new cycling friend at the post-ride social, and, most importantly, help support Cycle Toronto’s mission to foster a culture of cycling citywide.
We’re excited to host you on Saturday, September 28th! Fundraise and ride with us on a ~10 km ride to celebrate our big wins and help us continue our work to bring tangible change to Toronto’s cycling culture and infrastructure projects.
(The Big Toronto Bike Ride 2024 has been announced.)
Just for Fun: The Rise of the Bike Valet
Cycling is growing more and more popular in Toronto. The city’s cycling network is slowly but surely expanding, Bike Share use is breaking records, and more and more are realizing that it’s the most reliable way to get around an increasingly congested city.
The rise in the number of bikes on Toronto’s streets has come with some growing pains, however. Most notably, in certain areas, it can be almost impossible to find a secure place to lock up a bike.
In this month’s Just for Fun, we explore a unique solution to overflowing bike racks: the bike valet. Plus, we invite you to come and try one out in-person this month.
(Bike parking outside of Amsterdam Central Station. Image: New York Times)
Social Media Spotlight
Can’t get enough Cycle Toronto content? As we near the end of this month’s Ring & Post, you may find yourself already yearning for more. Although our newsletter is monthly, we post on our social media channels daily. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter / X, or TikTok to stay up-to-date on Cycle Toronto news and events. Here are some highlights from this month:
(An Instagram reel featuring Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie making the case that the expansion of the cycling network is part of the solution, not the cause, to our congestion woes. Click image to visit original post.)
(A Twitter thread discussing Toronto Star columnist Matt Elliott’s column on the Cycling Network Plan. Click image to visit original post.)
In the Media
Ambitious bike lane plans make sense. So why are Toronto’s stuck in low gear? | Toronto Star
‘It sucks’: Cyclists say buses on Spadina are a pain in the seat | City News
OP-ED: What the province’s takeover of The Gardiner and DVP really means | Spacing
Toronto gears up to expand its bike lane network amid growing backlash | Toronto Star
Job Opportunities
Project Coordinator (Contract, Full-time)
Cycle Toronto is hiring a Project Coordinator for a research project supporting cycling and active modes of transportation for people aged 55+. The objective of this project is to identify barriers and opportunities to enable cycling as an essential mode of transportation for older people of diverse backgrounds. The role will be working with volunteers, community partners, businesses, and additional local stakeholders, as well as analyzing best practices from other jurisdictions to help make riding a bike more inclusive, equitable, and accessible given Toronto’s specific geographic context and population demographics.
Deadline to apply: Sunday, July 28, 2024
Call for Volunteers
We are continuing to look for volunteers to help out at our cycling programs, outreach initiatives and advocacy throughout the year.
Sign up to volunteer on our website.
(Cycle Toronto volunteers and staff at Bike to Work Day 2024.)
BIKEMATCHWCN
We match bikes that people no longer need with families all over Toronto.
We have bikes that could use your help!
If you have a basic knowledge of bike repairs, you can help us get our donated bikes ready to ride.
Join a team of volunteers at one of our partner bike hubs.
Scarborough Cycles - AccessPoint on Danforth: 3079 Danforth Ave. Toronto, ON, M1L 1A8
Scarborough Cycles - Lawrence - Orton Bicycle Repair Hub: 3939 Lawrence Ave. E., Toronto, ON, M1G 1R9
CultureLink: 15 Tobermory Drive, North York, ON, M3N 2R5
With your help we can get more bikes to more people right across the city.
Do you have a bike to give? The hubs are always looking for bike donations - with over 500 people on the waitlist, we’re looking for all kinds of bikes. Contact us if you have a bike to give and we’ll connect you with the right people - [email protected].
Events
Waterfront BIA Bike Valet
When: July 5th - 15th, 8:00 am - 10:00 pm
Where: Queen Quay W. and Rees St.
Cycle Toronto is working with the Waterfront BIA to host a pilot bike valet right on the waterfront, at the intersection of Queens Quay and Rees.
A Bike Valet is a secure bike parking service that is free for patrons and works like a coat check for bicycles. Bike Valets provide a safe, fun, and manageable way for people riding their bikes to enjoy the local neighbourhood and ensure their bikes are secure with experienced staff. Having secure bike parking on-site can significantly reduce automobile traffic to a destination, and makes bike parking easier for those already coming by bike.
Breakfast Ride in Thorncliffe Park
Join Cycle Toronto, Cycle Don Valley Midtown, Thorncliffe Park Autism Support Network (TPASN) and Women’s Cycling Network for a breakfast community ride this Saturday, July 6 at E.T Seton Park, north of Overlea Boulevard next to the public washrooms. We will be riding up the Don Valley trail to Edward Gardens and back! Light refreshments will be available on site.
This community ride is in support of the Thorncliffe Park Autism Support Network, to help raise funds for summer camps organized for children with special needs. Come out to ride with us and donate to an important cause.
When: July 6th, 9:30 am
Where: E.T Seton Park, near the public washrooms (north of Overlea Blvd.)
Thorncliffe Park Autism Support Network Final Celebration - Tour de Thorncliffe
This will be the final celebration day for the Tour de Thorncliffe fundraising event. Come out to give your final donations and enter a chance to win prizes as a contributor. The campaign was built to help fund initiatives and summer camps that support children with special needs.
When: July 13th, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Where: 45 Overlea Blvd at Fraser Mustard Early Learning Academy
Scarborough Cycles Slow Roll: Food Edition
Back by popular demand, join Scarborough Cycles for a 12 km ride to visit some of Scarborough’s tastiest takeout spots in Wexford Heights! Grab some takeout, have a seat, and enjoy ‘Wexford Blooms 2gether‘, this year's plazaPOPS installation!
When: Saturday July 13th, 2024
4:30 pm: Gather at AccessPoint on Danforth (3079 Danforth Ave.)
5:00 pm: Ride to Wexford Blooms 2gether (2020 Lawrence Ave E.)
6:30 pm: Depart and ride to Kennedy Station
Where: Several locations around Scarborough
Learn more about the event here.
Hope you enjoyed this edition of the Ring & Post. As always, every donation counts to help us continue the work you've read about in this newsletter.
Cycle Toronto
cycleto.ca
