Pete Spearing

24Nov 2020 by Pete Spearing No Comments

Strategic Review Feedback – Have your say!

Research

You are invited to participate in our survey to review the Bike Calgary 2018-2020 Strategic Plan. In this survey Bike Calgary members and YYC riders are asked to answer questions that discuss the progress of our previous goals and objectives in order to help us make necessary adjustments for our 2021-2023 plan. It will take approximately 10 -15 minutes to complete the questionnaire. The focus of this survey is on strategic priorities, i.e. our big picture strategy and not on operational priorities. The survey can be accessed here If you wish to review the 2018-2020 Strategic Plan, this can be found here: https://bikecalgary.org/strategic-plan/ The survey will close on the 4th December 2020 and thank you for your feedback and input.

23Nov 2020 by Pete Spearing No Comments

City sidewalk and pathway budget to be cut by 56%!

#sharedstreets, Advocacy

We all realize that the current economic situation is difficult, but these are also times for progressive change. Calgary's very own Council approved transportation plan states that pedestrians and those on two wheels should be prioritized in all future transport / infrastructure spending, yet the 56% cut to sidewalks and pathways for 2021 is the 4th deepest cut across the 36 categories. So how does this compare? Under the budget allocations for "A City That Moves", the following is proposed: Parking, No Reduction (2021 Budget $13.9m) Public Transit, a reduction of -13% (2021 Budget $368m)Sidewalks and Pathways a reduction of - 56% (2021 Budget $25m)Specialist Transit, No Reduction (2021 Budget $90k)Streets, a reduction of only 15% (2021 Budget $194m)Taxi, Limousine & Vehicles-for-hire, No Reduction (2021 budget ($330k) Lets remind ourselves…

22Nov 2020 by Pete Spearing No Comments

Parking Upgrades Promote Active Transportation

Advocacy

An Example of What Can be Achieved with a Limited Budget, as experienced by one of our members. At a downtown office building, nearly forty years old, the building owner was planning to renovate the underground parkade. Here, an informal bike parking setup had been in place for many years to accommodate a small number of bike commuters. Buildings of this age didn't consider any significant bike amenities at the time of construction, especially compared to modern building requirements. With the renovation planning started, a group of riders approached the building manager to explore the feasibility of improving the bike parking facility. This was timely with the increasing popularity of bike commuting and the improved and growing cycling infrastructure downtown. The building owner was receptive to the ideas. The discussion…

20Nov 2020 by Pete Spearing No Comments

Its budget time…….so how are we funding our mobility learning from 2020?

#sharedstreets, Uncategorized

Its without doubt been a hard year and we all need to adjust and contribute to any budget reductions. But will the reductions be equitable in relation to mobility, and will they apply to our changing mobility modes that we've seen in 2020? We know from the city's own statistics that mobility pathway use is up over 469%. So will the budget reflect this? You would think so! From what we know, about 21% is the average budget reduction requirement, (including essential services which cannot operate below their current allocation (e.g. 311). News is.......it doesn't! In fact the pathway budget is planned to be hit by over 50% in 2021 AND even lower in 2022! Around the world we see cities adapting. Here is an article that not only shows…

15Nov 2020 by Pete Spearing No Comments

November Newsletter is here!

Uncategorized

In our normal sharing way we've issued our November newsletter and want to make sure we spread the news across the YYC and beyond! Click the link here to read our update: https://mailchi.mp/d8e9b0276203/bike-calgary-newsletter-budget-events-and-new-board-members-3271978?e=b145e69ea1 Some teasers......... We announce the new board for 2020/2021Winter cycling? More tips!Our #sharedstreets and #ridetoremembrance updatesWhere you can find us on social mediae-bikes - Well there's a catalogue to go through from the eBIKES International team

14Nov 2020 by Pete Spearing 2 Comments

Learning from a near-miss

Infrastructure

Article by Nigel Swytink-Binnema A near-miss can be frightening and sometime result in an altercation between those involved. Bike Calgary received an email from a motorist about such an incident involving one of our downtown intersections. Our Intersection Design Team (part of our Infrastructure group) immediately jumped into action and visited the location at 12th and 9th. Here's our review: Have you ever come up to an intersection like this on your bike and been surprised by a left-turning motorist? 12th Ave S intersection with 9 St W where motorists cross the bike lane while turning left. Have you ever come up to an intersection like this in your car intending to turn left and been surprised by a cyclist who seems to come out of nowhere? Both of these…

10Nov 2020 by Pete Spearing No Comments

#ridetoremembrance

Events

We are proud to be a small piece in the large jigsaw puzzle of the journey that Tegh Singh and his family are on. We hope that by raising funds for the Veterans Transition Network and Field of Crosses helps others on their journey too. You can donate here to the Ride to Remembrance. Everyone wakes up in the morning with a different scale of balance between work, life, family, money, peer pressures, etc. Most of us have the balance weighted against us, none of us are equal and nobody should ever be judged by this. The balance is set at your level and only you can move it. It’s incredible how some people find a way, from inside, to just keep themselves at the same levels as they ended…

08Nov 2020 by Pete Spearing No Comments

Input your feedback online – The Future of 16 Avenue NW

Infrastructure

Share your input by November 22 at https://engage.calgary.ca/futureof16AvenueNW The City of Calgary is developing a plan to upgrade 16 Ave NW, between Sarcee Trail and Crowchild. Based on initial public engagement and planning, concept plans have been developed for three project zones: West Segment: Sarcee Trail to 49 Street NW Main Street Segment: 49 Street to Shaganappi Trail NW East Segment: Shaganappi Trail to Crowchild Trail NW You can view the project information documents at: https://engage.calgary.ca/futureof16AvenueNW The project team has also prepared a helpful video explaining the design elements of each segment, which you can find here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_J_aVaRXNw&feature=youtu.be&t=267 Some of the design elements that caught Bike Calgary’s Infrastructure group member Jonathan van Heyst's attention: West Segment: The proposed new multi-use pathways along the north side of 16 Ave would be…

07Nov 2020 by Pete Spearing 1 Comment

Ride to Remembrance

Events

A ride to raise funds for the Veterans Transition Network and Calgary Field of Crosses Bike Calgary was working on a pilot group ride with a local veteran to commemorate and raise funds for veteran groups, on a small scale this year due to the pandemic. With the recent upward trend in Covid-19 we all need to be socially responsible, so the ride has changed and become a single rider event by a veteran, whom will ride a route containing Calgary's military monuments and buildings on the 11th November, making a video blog at each point. The ride is raising funds through donations of support, with all the proceeds being split equally between the Field of Crosses and the Veterans Transition Network. Tegh Singh (SGT. Jesse Jones) is originally from…

03Nov 2020 by Pete Spearing 1 Comment

This is why a 5A Network Phase 1 plan works

#sharedstreets

There's a plan, but how will it be implemented and over what time? Well there's a way............ #sharedstreets was born through the allocated lanes provided by the city to enable pathway users in certain areas to socially distance during the initial pandemic. They were placed, in some locations, in exactly the right place to bridge missing infrastructure and to cater for the increase in mobility traffic. While we advocated for these to remain while there was a collaborative review, the City publicized the MDP and CTP plans, the #sharedstreets underlying elements were clearly aligned with this plan and it was adopted as the right way forward. The issue is when and how this plan is achieved? In other words a plan for the plan (otherwise how would we ever do…