2015 Bicycle Friendly Communities Yearbook

2015 Yearbook | 1

Executive Director’s Message

By Jamie Stuckless

IntroductionAbout the Bicycle Friendly Communities Program

EngineeringIf you build it, they will come

EducationCreating a culture of cycling

EncouragementGetting people back on their bikes

EnforcementUsing by-laws to promote safe roads

Evaluation & PlanningMeasurable results are needed for success

Community ProfilesNew winners in 2014

Table of Contents

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It moves us all.

® CAA and CAA logo trademarks owned by, and use is authorized by, the Canadian Automobile Association.

Some of us drive, others cycle, many do both. CAA strives for safer cycling in Ontario through

advocacy, community programming and cycling tourism. The Bicycle Friendly Communities

program is one of the many ways CAA works with Share the Road Cycling Coalition towards

the shared goal of safer roads for cyclists and drivers alike.

sharetheroad.ca

bikesafety.caa.ca

Adored Dad, Driver…and CYCLIST.

2 | Bicycle Friendly Communities 2015 Yearbook | 3

Since 2010, Trek has been supporting Share the Road’s Bicycle Friendly Communities Program.

We’re proud to be a part of a program that helps communities put the pieces together to create more livable communities.

Jamie Stuckless Executive DirectorShare the Road Cycling Coalition

Dear Friends,

At Share the Road, we count ourselves lucky that our work has us riding bicycles in communities across Ontario. This year, we cycled in 18 of our 26 bicycle-friendly communities. On these bike rides, we can see the progress being made towards a safe and connected bicycle-friendly Ontario. We can also see the enthusiasm with which a growing number of stakeholders are coming to the table to build communities that are accessible by bike for all residents who wish to ride. And we know more residents want to ride.

Our 2014 poll shows that more than half of Ontarians (54%) want to cycle more. As reflected in the pages of this yearbook, this is a call to action that is being answered across the province in many ways:

• Elected officials are coming to the table in support of cycling. Over the course of two elections in 2014, 458 municipal and provincial candidates signed our Active Communities Pledge, declaring their commitment to building walk-able, bike-able communities. One hundred and fifty-six of these candidates were elected to office, including Share the Road’s Founder Eleanor McMahon who is now the MPP for Burlington.

• Policies are changing to make roads safer for all road users. Bill 31: The Making Ontario’s Roads Safer Act was tabled at Queen’s Park in 2014 and includes a new 1m safe passing law as well as increased fines for dooring people on bikes.

• More funding is being made available for cycling infrastructure. At our 2014 Ontario Bike Summit, then-Minister of Transportation Glen Murray announced a new $25 Million fund to help build provincial and municipal cycling infrastructure.

• Ontarians recognize the benefits of cycling. Our research shows that 66% of residents agree that getting more Ontarians on bikes benefits everyone, not just the people who ride.

Putting this yearbook together has allowed us to reflect back on a remarkable year and the great progress that has been made in support of cycling. We hope that you will be as inspired as we are by the work highlighted on these pages. But as we celebrate the innovative and effective strategies that have been applied to encourage cycling, we also look forward, because cycling is all about momentum.

In the year ahead, Share the Road is committed to maintaining the momentum that has been kick-started across the province. In addition to working with our partners to implement the new policies and funding opportunities outlined above, we will launch a new Bicycle-Friendly Business designation to recognize businesses that encourage cycling, grow our Ontario Cycling Advocacy Network (OntarioCAN) to provide more support to advocates and work to enhance cycling skills training across Ontario.

We look forward to working with you and riding our bikes in your neighbourhood soon,

Jamie StucklessExecutive DirectorShare the Road Cycling Coalition

Bicycle Friendly CommunitiesProgram

A growing number of communities are taking steps to become better places to bike. The Bicycle Friendly Communities (BFC) Program provides recognition for these efforts as well as a clear process and support to communities as they strive to improve their bikeability over time.

The award winners in 2014, which are profiled in this yearbook, are a diverse group, ranging from smaller, tourism-focused communities like Wasaga Beach to larger centres like Kitchener where knowledge and innovation drive the local economy. Four of the six communities recognized are previous applicants—Guelph and Kitchener moved up from Bronze to Silver, and both St. Catharines

and Halton Hills traded in their Honourable Mentions for Bronze awards. With the new awards distributed, a total of 26 Ontario municipalities can now claim Bicycle Friendly Community status, representing over 57 percent of the province’s population.

In the pages that follow, you’ll also read profiles of sample programs, policies and projects from Ontario communities and beyond; the examples range from large-scale, expensive infrastructure projects to small, rapid-response events. It is our hope that the community profiles and stories of sample actions will inspire your community to take steps to become more bicycle friendly, and that we’re able to profile your community in these pages in the near future.

Sometimes a bike isn’t just a bike—sometimes it’s an indicator. The presence of many bikes out and about can be a visual indicator that a community has been built at more of a human scale, and that the mobility of people, not just cars, is an important element of the community’s plans. Places where more people are riding their bikes are places where more children are getting to school actively and safely, where local businesses flourish, where neighbourhoods are friendly and vibrant, and where investment and tourism dollars tend to flow. Perhaps most importantly, they’re places where all road users—people who walk, drive, take transit or bike—are safer. Improved bikeability as a community priority makes sense for so many reasons.

The BFC program was created by the League of American Bicyclists and brought to Ontario by Share the Road in 2010. It provides communities with the opportunity to measure their progress against an established, international set of criteria which clearly identifies the types of programs, projects, policies and plans that contribute to a strong and safe cycling community. The program recognizes that being bicycle friendly is about more than painted lines on the road; it is about how cycling is promoted, how cyclists and drivers are educated to share the road safely, how safe cycling is enforced, how cycling behaviors and attitudes are assessed, as well as how the community plans for continuous improvement in the conditions for cyclists.

The central element of the BFC program, the application form, contains a thorough, broad-ranging set of questions designed to get a municipality thinking about what they are doing to accommodate cyclists and to help the community self-identify gaps in their cycling efforts. Collaboration is required to complete the online application, bringing together stakeholders from multiple municipal departments and the broader community to answer the questions. The application is divided into five key themes that are vital to creating a strong culture of cycling. These themes, which have become affectionately known as “The Five Es,” are: Engineering, Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, and Evaluation & Planning.

Engineering

Physical infrastructure and hardware to support cycling

Education

Programs that ensure the safety, comfort and convenience of cyclists and fellow road users

Encouragement

Incentives, promotions and opportunities that inspire and enable people to ride

Enforcement

Equitable laws and programs that ensure motorists and cyclists are held accountable

Evaluation & PlanningProcesses that demonstrate a commitment to measuring results and planning for the future

Though the application form is comprehensive and covers these five areas of focus, the application process is still a very simple idea at heart—it helps communities take stock of what assets they have, identify the gaps and start working to close them.

Another key element of the BFC program is the dedicated team of expert judges who review every application. These judges, who have decades of combined experience in all aspects of creating Bicycle Friendly Communities, make decisions about who will receive which level of award. Then they go well

beyond that, providing valuable insight that is integrated into a feedback report prepared by Share the Road and given to each community to help guide their efforts moving forward. In many instances, these feedback reports help communities in identifying priority next steps and creating workplans for their active transportation departments. No award level should ever be considered a final destination; each level is a stepping stone in a continual process of improvement, making the feedback BFC applicants receive instrumental in helping a municipality move from one certification level to the next.

About the Program

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aWhat if my community isn’t ready to be certified?

At Share the Road, we hear this from communities all the time—they think they don’t deserve BFC recognition yet, because they feel that they’re not doing enough to make cycling safe and comfortable. And many times, they’re right—their community would likely fall into the “Honourable Mention” category or receive no award at all—but that shouldn’t be a reason not to apply. First of all, the process of completing an application provides an excellent opportunity to take stock of what cycling assets your community currently has and to self-identify some quick wins and low-hanging fruit that could easily be implemented in the short-term. Secondly, every community that applies for BFC certification receives an in-depth, customized feedback report prepared with input from our panel of expert judges as well as a copy of a recent BFC application from a similar community that received an award, for inspiration.

These feedback reports can provide communities that are just starting to think about cycling with a roadmap to become more bicycle friendly, and can identify priority next steps and actions.

For large urban centres, the case for investing in cycling seems clear. With limited space and a large number of people moving into and out of the city centre each day, investing in modes of transportation that occupy less space on the roads can help move a larger number of people in a smaller space with more speed and ease, thus reducing overall congestion. Dense urban neighbourhoods mean that amenities are close together, making it easier to walk or bike to your destination, and parking space is at a premium, meaning that many residents choose not to own a car. There are very good reasons why all 10 of Ontario’s largest municipalities have applied to the BFC program, with eight receiving designations; for large urban centres, cycling is a vital component of the transportation network necessary to keep the city moving as it grows.

For smaller centres and suburban communities, however, the case for investing in cycling looks very different. Communities where traffic flows relatively freely, even at rush hour, aren’t concerned about the traffic-mitigating effects of increased cycling rates. But smaller communities do care about many of the same cycling benefits that the big cities appreciate:

b improved safety for all road users, b improved health of residents who

cycle more, b potential tourism revenue, and corresponding

growth in new jobs and business opportunities,

b higher property values, b increased mobility options for the 30%

of Ontario’s population—including youth, seniors and people with disabilities—who choose not to, or are unable to, drive,

b the ability to attract and retain new workforce talent, particularly young professionals, and

b dramatically lower costs of road infrastructure upgrades in the future.

For all these reasons and more, it’s really no surprise to see a growing number of smaller and suburban communities applying for, and receiving, BFC certification.

The BFC program is designed to accommodate municipalities of all shapes and sizes—from small centres with spread out populations like Pelham to dense urban centres like Toronto, because it looks at all aspects of a community’s cycling programming. It’s not just about the number of kilometres of bike lanes—it’s about looking deeper and seeing how a community operationalizes its commitment to making cycling safer for all residents. Smaller and suburban communities can make great strides in the BFC program in relatively short periods of time, as we have seen over the past few years.

This yearbook features a number of great examples of smaller communities working to make their communities better places for people on bikes. There’s the story of Halton Hills, where the community rallied around a cycling challenge to raise money for the local hospital (page 17), the story of Wasaga Beach, that worked hard and put in significant financial resources to ensure that a key connection between their community and Collingwood would feature wide paved shoulders (page 9), and the story of Thunder Bay’s cycling videos, a great education series screened all over the community (page 13). These are just a few of the activities being undertaken by smaller communities to make cycling safer and more accessible to all residents.

ContextFor Communities of All Shapes and Sizes

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2011 2012 2013 2014

Number of Communities with a Bicycle Friendly Designation in Ontario

30

20

10

0

1822

26

429Number of Municipal candidates who signed the Active Communities Pledge (activecommunitiespledge.ca/)

150Number of those candidates who were elected

50%Percentage of automobile trips taken by Ontario residents that are under 5 km

33%Percentage of Ontario residents who live 5km or less from their workplace

a Bicycle Friendly Communities Facts and Stats


1Elements of a Bicycle Friendly Community

As Ontario moves forward with the implementation of the #CycleON strategy, infrastructure improvements to make cycling safer, more convenient and more accessible are becoming more common, and communities that want to improve conditions for cyclists are looking to their peers for proven strategies for success. Communities that have already been certified as Bicycle Friendly have been providing leadership on the infrastructure front since the program’s inception.

From Ontario’s first protected bike lane to winter maintenance standards for trails systems, from bike parking guidelines to systems of paved shoulders on rural roads,

Ontario’s BFCs are providing leadership for other communities across the province to follow. In this section you’ll read about some of the innovative things being done to improve the built environment for people on bikes—the asphalt, concrete, paint, steel and plastic elements that make our roads safer for all road users, and contribute significantly to the dramatic shift in how Ontarians will choose to move around their communities now and into the future.

All across Ontario, the face of transportation is changing. Roads are being designed to accommodate all road users, and the term “Complete Streets” has gained significant traction across the province.

In years past, Highway 26 was a major thoroughfare for vehicular traffic between Collingwood and Wasaga Beach, two communities that share many services and have highly intertwined economies. With the construction of a highway bypass, Highway 26 saw a decline in the volume of vehicular traffic, leaving this scenic route along Georgian Bay a perfect candidate for a new cycling route. Renamed Beachwood Road after the highway bypass was installed, this 6.5km link between Collingwood and Wasaga Beach was scheduled for resurfacing in 2014—a perfect opportunity to create a safe cycling route between the two communities. The Beachwood Road

reconstruction project was slated to simply resurface the road as it already existed; no paved shoulders were included in the original design. But when both Wasaga Beach and Collingwood recognized the importance of creating a safe active transportation connection between their two communities, they worked together with Simcoe County to ensure that Beachwood Road was rebuilt in a way that accommodates all road users. Now the 6.5km stretch of road features wide 1.5m paved shoulders, making the journey from one town to the other easy, safe and convenient for people on bikes.

Paved Shoulders on Beachwood Road in Wasaga Beach

When a community invests in a world-class piece of infrastructure, it makes good sense to ensure that it remains usable all year round—an effort that is underway in Hamilton. Hamilton has had winter maintenance programs in place for several years now, maintaining priority routes of bike lanes in accordance with the maintenance regimes of the roads that they exist on. So, for example, if a bike lane is on a priority 1 arterial street, people cycling will find it cleared early in the day, before collectors and side streets are done. But this program traditionally relied on the fact that the plows had to go down those roads anyways, and it didn’t take any extra effort to simply extend the width of the blade to ensure that the curb lane was cleared as well. With Cannon Street, however, things are different.

Cannon Street is a one-way arterial road with a 3.5km bi-directional protected bike lane running along the south side of the road, protected with a mix of knock-down bollards and low-rise rubber curbs. For Cannon Street, Hamilton utilizes a smaller snow clearing vehicle to ensure that the bi-directional lanes remain usable all year round. The Cannon Street lane opened in September 2014, so this is the first winter it has been operational. So far, feedback on the maintenance of the lane has been generally positive; as of early 2015, the lanes had remained clear and rideable all winter, despite there being some fierce snowstorms. And, as has been shown in other cities all over the world, when routes are reliably cleared, you continue to see people riding all year round!

Winter Maintenance on Cannon Street in Hamilton

Before

Above photo: Beachwood Road before and after the construction that added wide paved shoulders.

After

Above photo: Maintained throughout the winter, Cannon Street continues to be used as a safe, effective cycling route through Hamilton.

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Our nation’s capital is well-known for its close ties to the Dutch—every year hundreds of thousands of tulips grace the streets of Ottawa as a reminder of the friendship enjoyed between Canada and the Netherlands—but in 2014 a new symbol of Dutch culture appeared on the streets of Ottawa, curb-protected bike lanes on Churchill Avenue.

Promoted as Ottawa’s first newly designed “Complete Street” to be opened under their Complete Streets policy, Churchill Avenue provides cyclists with an exceptional experience, one designed to maximize comfort and safety while ensuring that the road is able to function well for all road users.

Physically separated from vehicular traffic by curbs, the Churchill Avenue Cycle Track also features cross-rides at intersections, bicycle-specific signal heads at signalized

intersections and advance green lights to ensure that intersection conflicts between cyclists and turning cars are minimized. When you combine physical separation from vehicles with such strong intersection treatments, the result is a bike route that is extremely comfortable to ride on.

“Churchill Ave is a truck route,” explains Robert Grimwood, Senior Project Manager, “so the separation is really important for cyclist safety and comfort. It’s also a route that has a school along it, and we’re starting to see more parents cycling with their kids to school, which I think is a strong indicator that we’ve created a piece of infrastructure that makes people feel comfortable.”

Churchill Avenue is Ottawa’s First “Complete Street”

MTO Announces $25 Million for Cycling Infrastructure

At the Ontario Bike Summit in April 2014, then-Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation Glen Murray announced $25 million in funding for cycling infrastructure. The Ontario Cycling Infrastructure Program will include $15 million over three years for the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) to invest in provincial cycling infrastructure as well as a $10 million cost-shared fund to help municipalities build cycling infrastructure.

In September 2014, MTO undertook a public consultation process via the Ontario Environmental Registry website to collect input about their plans for the municipal part of the funding, the Ontario Municipal Cycling Infrastructure Program. As of the writing of this yearbook, MTO was continuing to work through the feedback they received. Stay tuned for an announcement from MTO about how to access these critical funds for cycling infrastructure projects. This investment by the provincial government demonstrates an impressive commitment to cycling, and is sure to have a huge impact on improving bike friendliness in Ontario.

a

Anyone who has taken a road trip with an unreliable navigator knows that it’s extremely difficult to get to your destination if you don’t have clear, accurate directions. The same is true when getting around by bike, which is why the City of Waterloo has recently undertaken a wayfinding signage update, installing a series of signs that give directions, distances and estimated times by walking and cycling to get to popular destinations in the city. Waterloo has been leading the way in Ontario when it comes to signage for active transportation. By using a uniform colour scheme of blue and white, they have been making signage easy to spot, easy to understand and useful for utilitarian and recreational cyclists alike.

“One of the big deterrents to people using their bikes to get around is that they don’t always know the best route to take to get to their destination, and they don’t know how long it will take them to get there,” says John Griffin, project manager of Active Transportation & LRT integration with the City of Waterloo. “By installing these signs, we’re giving people the information they need to plan their route, plan their day, and arrive at their destination safely and on time.”

The City of Waterloo examined the best practices of active transportation wayfinding signage from all over North America before arriving at their final design guidelines, and are pleased with the final results.

“The feedback on the signage has been great,” adds Griffin. “We’re happy to share these designs with other communities as well—there’s no sense reinventing the wheel, and the more we’re able to standardize the way we do things relating to active transportation here in Ontario, the better it will be for all people riding bikes in this province.”

As more and more Ontario residents begin to use their bikes for utilitarian purposes, communities are developing new ways of ensuring that cyclists have places to park their bikes when they arrive at their destination. In districts that tend to attract large numbers of cyclists, more and more communities are turning to bike corrals as a solution.

Typically placed on the street, occupying the same space that would be allocated to a vehicle parking space, bike corrals provide parking for large numbers of bikes without requiring the installation of sidewalk-mounted bike parking. Replacing a car parking spot can mean the addition of up to 12 bike parking spaces, helping to increase parking capacity in congested urban areas, without taking away valuable space on sidewalks.

In 2014, Waterloo began installing bike corrals in priority areas, including one on Regina Street outside of City Hall. The corral has been well used, and the City plans to roll out more corrals

in high-use areas. “Eliminating on-street parking is always a bit of a tough sell,” says John Griffin, Project Manager, Active Transportation & LRT Integration with the City of Waterloo,

“but as more businesses start to see more customers arriving by bike, they realize that their customers are asking for more bike parking spaces as well, so it becomes easier as more people shop by bike.”

Waterloo isn’t the only city in Ontario offering bike corrals, either. In 2014, new bike corrals showed up in Ottawa and Hamilton, joining Toronto, Peterborough and Guelph as communities that have on-street bike parking available to customers, employees and residents who arrive by bike. Bike corrals make bike parking more visible and more accessible to all residents, and we expect to see many more bike corral projects take off in the coming years.

Corrals Provide Parking Solution for Large Number of Bikes

Waterloo Updates Active Transportation Wayfinding Signage

Above photo: Waterloo’s first bike corral, freshly installed outside of City Hall.

Above photo: A cross-ride through the intersection on Churchill Avenue keeps riders feeling safe.


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Why are most bike safety videos so boring, and what can we do to change them? That was the challenge laid out before Adam Krupper and his team in Thunder Bay. With a goal to create cycling education videos that people would actually want to watch, they began filming a new series of videos in the spring of 2014. Featuring a plucky instructor providing advice to a first-time cyclist, the videos harken back to a time when after-school safety videos interrupted after-school cartoons with interjections about safety and health.

“The videos were really meant to have that kitschy feel,” explains Krupper. “We really had a lot of fun with them, paying homage to that style of instructional video while poking a bit of fun at them too.” Seamlessly mixing valuable instruction with comedy and wit, the series of six videos is almost as funny as it is educational. The dramatic use of a bike-stealing bear certainly doesn’t hurt with the humour factor.

“The videos have been very well received,” says Krupper. “We’ve used them for corporate

training, had them playing on local cable stations and showed them at our outdoor movie nights—so they’ve reached pretty far into the community.” The partnership with the City of Thunder Bay’s events department, which plays a series of films each Thursday during the summer, proved particularly good for the promotion of the videos. “Each week they’d play the educational videos before the feature film—it exposed thousands of people to the videos, and reached a group of people that we would never have reached otherwise,” Krupper added.

Moving forward, Krupper hopes to continue to expand the reach of the videos, using them in presentations for driving schools and for employers who are participating in commuter challenges. As the videos gain exposure and popularity, Krupper expects to see a better understanding of the roles and responsibilities of drivers and cyclists alike develop in Thunder Bay. The videos can be viewed at thunderbay.ca/Living/Getting_Around/Active_Transportation/Resources.htm.

The most bicycle friendly communities don’t just build great infrastructure, they build great relationships between cyclists and other road users. They do this by integrating a culture of safe cycling into every communication they have with their residents—whether it’s through a widespread public campaign, through in-school education or through programs outside of school like safety villages or bike clubs for kids. By educating all road users on their rights

and responsibilities on the road, communities make it safer for everyone and reduce the likelihood of conflict on the roads. All road users are just trying to get to their destination safely, and strong education campaigns can help ensure that we recognize our roads work best when we all look out for one another.

At Share the Road, we’re fond of saying that “the Bicycle Friendly Communities Program is about a lot more than just lines on the road,” and in no section of the BFC application is that more apparent than under the “Education” theme.

Thunder Bay’s Entertaining Cycling Education Videos

Screenshot from the educational video that proved itself very popular in Thunder Bay

Elements of a Bicycle Friendly Community

http://thunderbay.ca/Living/Getting_Around/Active_Transportation/Resources.htm

http://thunderbay.ca/Living/Getting_Around/Active_Transportation/Resources.htm

Thumbs Up Waterloo Region! A collaborative program with impressive results

In Waterloo Region, a highly collaborative cycling education effort produced some impressive outcomes. The “Thumbs Up Waterloo Region!” campaign was designed to engender more positive relationships between motorists and cyclists; it reached a wide audience and initiated a useful dialogue around cycling safety in the region.

“As road users, we tend to focus so much on our own experiences, thinking only about what’s good for us,” says Colleen Cooper, a public health nurse with Region of Waterloo Public Health and one of the architects of the Thumbs Up! campaign. “This program really encouraged people to see things from the other road user’s perspective, and to think about how you can act in a positive way to

create more positive interactions on the road. It’s really the idea of good behavior leading to more good behavior—a driver who gets a thumbs up from a cyclist when they give them adequate passing space is more likely to repeat that action, because it feels good to have positive interactions when you’re on the road.”

The messaging that formed the base of the Thumbs Up! Campaign was simple: cyclists were encouraged to ride on the right side of the road, be visible and predictable, signal their turns, stay off the sidewalks and make eye contact with people driving. Drivers were encouraged to change lanes to pass a person on a bike, just as they would with another person driving; to watch for cyclists when opening vehicle doors, changing lanes or making turns; and to make eye contact with people cycling. These small courtesies can make a big difference in how different road users interact, and can make the roads safer for everyone.

Because the campaign was based on such positive messaging, it gained significant support from all of the municipalities in the region and from a number of different agencies including Waterloo Regional Police Service, Waterloo Cycling Club and Region of Waterloo Public Health.

“It was really exciting to see all of the different partners from across the region in the same place working on the same project,” says John Griffin, Project Manager of Active Transportation & LRT Integration at the City of Waterloo. “ By all working together it allowed us to spread the message much further than we would have been able to by working individually.” And indeed the message was spread far and wide across the Region of Waterloo. A 16-page newspaper insert featuring safety tips, cycling events, maps and other cycling-related information was delivered to 66,000 homes. One hundred radio ads featuring the Thumbs Up! messaging graced the airwaves of Waterloo, hundreds of social media postings were created and thousands of people were engaged at events all over the region.

“The whole idea behind this campaign was to create something that could be built upon year over year,” explains Josh Joseph, Trails Manager at the City of Kitchener and

former Transportation Demand Management Coordinator. “By continuing to leverage the Thumbs Up! brand, we hope to begin to change the conversation around cycling in Waterloo Region, and to create a culture of mutual respect on the roads.”

The Region realizes that culture change takes time, and they also recognize that the broader the reach of the Thumbs Up! campaign, the more effective it is going to be in creating lasting change. With that in mind, the Thumbs Up! team has made all of the resources for the campaign available to other communities. Why not launch a Thumbs Up! campaign in your community this year?

3 Simple Steps to Launching your own Thumbs Up! Campaign

1. Identify relevant program delivery partners in your community. Suggestions include: law enforcement, public health, transportation and engineering departments, corporate communications, advocacy organizations, cycling clubs, etc.

2. Download and adapt Thumbs Up! campaign materials at http://thumbsupwr.com/resources/. Materials available include: radio ads, print ads, 16-page newspaper insert, flyers and more.

3. Launch your campaign! Take materials to as many community events as possible, run ads on local radio stations, host events during bike month, etc.

2015 Yearbook | 15

With events, giveaways and consistent branding, the Thumbs Up! Campaign was instantly recognizable across Waterloo Region.


Programs, events and promotions designed to give people the opportunity to get back on their bikes can have tremendous potential to boost ridership. Events like Bike to Work Day, Open Streets and bike valet at community events provide people with the impetus and opportunity to get back on their bikes, show them what is possible when it comes to cycling and make them feel valued when they make that choice to ride.

Efforts made in the encouragement section help to embed a culture of cycling within a community, and they often have low costs when compared to the benefits that they can provide.

There’s something that people don’t often talk about when it comes to riding a bike: it can be very addictive. For some people, the short ride to the grocery store can quickly transition to biking to work a few times a week, which can then lead to a person choosing their bike for most trips. More than half of Ontarians express a desire to bike more, but they’re unsure of how to get started, which is why a community’s encouragement efforts are so important.

3

Sometimes the key to getting an entire town to pitch in towards a common goal is to set such a lofty, ambitious goal that people can’t imagine the goal being reached without their contribution. That’s how Halton Hills’ Community Cycling Challenge got hundreds of residents on their bikes, riding together towards a single goal to benefit the entire community. In everyone’s sights was a $50,000 donation to the Halton Hills Hospital Foundation, which came from a variety of community donors. In order to gain access to that money, however, the town had to collectively cycle 200,000km and log their cycling trips using an online system.

“The great thing about the challenge was that it really allowed everyone to contribute,” says Halton Hills Councillor, Jane Fogal. “A child that rode 10km felt the same sense of accomplishment that elite riders riding over 100km felt, and it really got people excited and talking more about cycling.”

In the end, Halton Hills did reach their goal of riding a collective 200,000km in 2013, and then set their sights even higher in 2014, riding 300,000km and raising $66,000 for the hospital. But the real legacy of the project, says Councillor Fogal, is the way that the challenge changed the conversation about cycling in the community. “It brought everyone together to recognize the benefits of cycling in Halton Hills. It was a consistent good news story, and we had buy-in from our residents, the media, town council, the business community and town staff. It’s created an incredible amount of positivity about cycling in Halton Hills.”

Halton Hills’ Community Cycling Challenge Puts the Whole Town on One Team

The Community Cycling Challenge raised money as well as the profile of cycling in Halton Hills.



INSPIrATION FrOM OUTSIDE ONTArIO

Edmonton’s 1-Day-a-Week Campaign

When it comes to transportation, people are creatures of habit. They may express a desire to try something new, like walking or cycling, but much of the time if driving is what they know, it’s what they will continue to do. With that in mind, the City of Edmonton went about creating a program called “1-Day-a-Week,” a pledge program that encourages residents to give an active mode of transportation a try and leave their car at home just one day each week.

“The goal was to give people a chance to experience a new form of mobility without making them feel like they had to completely change their lifestyle,” explains Pam Hnytka, Social Marketing Program Supervisor with the City of Edmonton. “We wanted to show people in a tangible way what kinds of personal benefits they can accrue by making different transportation choices. It’s a program that focuses on what’s possible, and gives people choice, and that’s why I think they like it so much.”

The 1-Day-a-Week marketing team attended dozens of community events, from festivals to farmers markets, highlighting the benefits of active and sustainable transportation. The team focused on highlighting personal benefits of making sustainable transportation choices, e.g., they used an installation with 800 balloons to show how much CO2 one driver would save by leaving the car at home for one day, and they created a giant coffee cup made up of 250 coffee cups to help people imagine what they could do with the money they could save by switching from driving to walking or cycling for one day a week for an entire year.

“People want to make a switch, but they need that nudge sometimes,” says Hnytka. “So we’d send emails to participants including tips for travelling sustainably, reminding them of the pledge they took and providing encouragement to keep it up.” Apart from getting people to change their travel habits, the program also had some side benefits, according to Hnytka. “Even if people only tried an active transportation mode a few times, it gave them a different perspective on mobility, so maybe they’d be more cautious around cyclists because they got to experience what it was like to be on a bike in Edmonton, and maybe they’ll be more supportive of new infrastructure to keep cyclists safe in the future.”

a

The UCycle Pilot Project was coordinated by Share the Road on eight university and college campuses in 2014. The goals of the project were to encourage post-secondary students to ride their bikes and to educate the students about safe cycling practices. Some of our most successful and visible initiatives were the group rides coordinated at each campus. These rides provided students with a convenient opportunity to try cycling to interesting destinations such as local businesses, farmers markets, grocery stores, parks and community events. The rides also introduced students to the cycling facilities near campus and provided instruction about their safe use. To ensure the rides were accessible to all, bikes and helmets were available to borrow for free by any students

Seven years ago, community leaders in Mississippi Mills, Ontario, were inspired by an article in Momentum Magazine profiling Bike Month efforts across the country. They saw these efforts generating a tremendous amount of interest and advocacy around cycling, but they also quickly realized that none of the bike weeks or months profiled in the magazine featured communities that looked like theirs. All of the communities profiled were larger urban centres, miles away from Mississippi Mills’ 12,000 residents. But what the community lacked in population, it more than made up for in dedication, so they undertook the development of their own bike month. Now heading into its 7th year, Mississippi Mills Bike Month continues to pick up steam and engage more community members to give cycling a try.

“The idea for the Bike Month was to provide as many entry points as possible for residents to try cycling,” explains Jeff Mills, Community Development Coordinator with Mills

Community Support. “We wanted to engage non-traditional partners like book stores to encourage cycling, and give people non-traditional reasons to try cycling, like a bicycling art show.”

Beyond raising the profile of cycling in the community, Bike Month has also created tremendous capacity within Mississippi Mills, giving committee members new skills to organize cycling events, advocate for infrastructure improvements and work to make their community better.

“Bike month is a lot more than just an event,” says Mills. “It’s a celebration of everything on two wheels that serves to amplify the value of the art, culture and diversity that makes Mississippi Mills such a unique place to be.”

Mississippi Mills Celebrates Everything on Two Wheels During Their Annual Bike Month

UCycle Group Rides Introduce Post-Secondary Students to Interesting Local Destinations & Cycling Facilities

Above photo: Mississippi Mills Bike Month features a wide variety of activities designed to give residents new reasons to get on their bikes and ride!

who were unable to bring their own. To further enhance these events, bike maintenance and road safety information was delivered by a local expert before each ride, and free bike lights were distributed.

More than 130 students participated in these rides, many of them international students. Participants learned safe cycling practices, met other students and connected with the wider community off-campus. Our success coordinating these rides highlights the desire among students to try cycling and their willingness to participate when cost and convenience barriers are removed.

Above photo: University of Windsor students explore the waterfront by bike.

An installation of helium balloons shows the potential environmental benefits of walking or cycling instead of driving.

20 | Bicycle Friendly Communities

Effective relationships between law enforcement and cyclists are critical in every Bicycle Friendly Community. Laws that are designed to protect more vulnerable road users, such as people walking and biking, help to make roads safer for all and ensure that everyone gets to their destinations safely. Enforcement of those laws is also key. In this section, we share stories that show innovative approaches to enforcement, demonstrating the equally important roles law enforcement professionals and cyclists play in making the roads safer, and showcasing the importance of building understanding of others’ viewpoints.

4

On a chilly December day, a group of 12 cyclists set out from the Toronto Police headquarters on College Street for a special group ride, one with the goal of creating a better understanding between cyclists and law enforcement officials about the challenges each group faces.

“The whole idea really came about because of a Twitter conversation,” explains Jared Kolb, Executive Director of Cycle Toronto. “We wanted to create a better understanding in the ranks of the Toronto Police Services about the conditions on the roads that our members, and all cyclists in Toronto, face every day.”

A total of nine officers—representing Toronto Police Services, Parking Enforcement and Toronto Transit Commission—accompanied cycling advocates on a bike-about in downtown Toronto. The experience allowed the officers to better understand the challenges faced by cyclists, and vice versa. The cyclists learned about the laws governing bike lanes and parking in Toronto and got to see firsthand some of the challenges faced by law enforcement officials. For example, the cycling advocates had a chance to observe how officers respond to parking infractions, particularly those in bike lanes, which can force a cyclist to

change lanes unexpectedly. In Toronto, the set fine for parking or stopping in a bike lane is $150, among the highest in Ontario. However, since officers must physically attach the ticket to the vehicle, drivers can often avoid the fine by driving their vehicle away while the officer is preparing the ticket.

Through this experience, the officers gained a better understanding of what cyclists face by riding in plain clothes, an exercise that provided a new perspective on cycling in the city. “Officers riding in plain clothes had a very different experience than they were used to while riding in their uniforms, facing higher levels of aggression from people driving,” reported Officer Victor Kwong of the Toronto Police Service. “It was informative to see the kinds of conditions that the average cyclist faces on a daily basis.”

Both Kwong and Kolb say that they hope to schedule more rides like this in the future, with even more officers riding in plain clothes to gain a better understanding of what riding is like for the average Toronto resident.

Ride a Mile in My Cycle Shoes: Toronto Police Join Advocates for Group Bike-About

Above photo: A Toronto Parking Enforcement officer chats with a colleague while out on a ride with advocates and other officers in Toronto.



Every Cyclist’s Guide to Canadian Law

If you’re interested in learning more about how Canadian law applies to cycling, this great new book, written by lawyers Craig Forcese and Nicole LaViolette, provides answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about bikes and the laws governing their operation, as well as explanations of how those laws vary across the country. Written in a way that’s easy to read and understand, it’s a law book aimed at those without a legal background. Be sure to pick up a copy, especially since a portion of proceeds from this informative book go towards Share the Road! For more information or to purchase a copy of the print book or e-book, visit www.irwinlaw.com/titles/every-cyclist%E2%80%99s-guide-canadian-law. The book can also be purchased at select Mountain Equipment Co-op and Chapters locations.

Each summer, the Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) works with the Brain Injury Association of Niagara to reward children and youth in the community who are “caught” wearing their helmets while staying active on their bikes, scooters or skateboards. NRPS officers, patrolling on their bikes or in their cars, keep an eye out for kids setting a good example for their peers by wearing helmets. When a child or youth is spotted wearing a helmet, the officers reward them with a voucher for free tickets to the waterpark at the Americana Resort in Niagara Falls.

“The campaign is an excellent example of a partnership between an organization and the police service who share a mutual goal of reducing injury and improving safety,” says Sergeant Chris Stewart, Corporate Communications and Community Engagement with the NRPS. “It creates great awareness in the community, and fosters a positive relationship between youth and our officers—it’s a win-win.”

Waterloo Cycling Club Aims to Set Good Example by Following a Rider Code of Conduct

In communities all over Ontario, the local cycling clubs are some of the most visible and recognizable riders on the roads. Often decked out in club colours, riders take to the roads several times a week for group rides, providing visibility for cycling and a collegial environment for their members. In Waterloo, the Waterloo Cycling Club has recognized that this visibility provides an important opportunity to take a leadership role. In order to ensure that their visibility contributes positively to the conversation about cycling in the region, the club has set out a Rider Code of Conduct—12 rules designed to facilitate better relationships with people driving, and to make law enforcement’s job easier. One of the credos of the Code is “Police officers are our allies.” Another one of the important aspects of the Code of Conduct is aimed at diminishing the “scofflaw cyclist” stereotype by requiring all riders to come to a full stop and put one foot down at every stop sign.

“For many people driving, their interactions with our club are the most frequent and visible interactions they get with people cycling, so it’s important that we set a good example,” says Alain Francq, club president. “We want to make sure that all road users know that we respect the rules of the road, because we know that if we want to be given respect on the roads, we have to show respect back. If all road users follow the rules and behave predictably, it makes it more likely that we’ll all get home safe, and that’s really the goal at the end of the day.”

On October 21, 2014 Ontario’s Minister of Transportation, the Honourable Steven Del Duca, introduced Bill 31: The Making Ontario’s Roads Safer Act. Bill 31 is one of the most comprehensive amendments to the Highway Traffic Act in decades, and it contains some very important legislative changes that will make the roads safer for all those who ride a bike in Ontario. Among the legislative changes that are most important to people who bike are:

b A 1m safe passing law, requiring people who drive to leave 1m of space when passing a person on a bike.

b Increased fines and penalties for dooring a person on a bike, the dangerous situation when a person in a car opens the car door into the path of a person on a bike.

b New infrastructure elements like contra-flow bike lanes and bicycle-specific signal heads will now be permitted.

b Increased fines and penalties for distracted driving. b New regulations which permit people on bikes to legally

travel on paved shoulders on provincial highways.

All of us at Share the Road are extremely supportive of these legislative amendments.

Caught You Using Your Head: Positive Ticketing Campaign Rewards Good Behavior in Niagara Region

Bill 31: The Making Ontario’s Roads Safer Act

Above photo: Niagara Regional Police Officers hone their cycling skills before heading out to hand out waterpark passes.

http://www.irwinlaw.com/titles/every-cyclist%E2%80%99s-guide-canadian-law




A key element of having an effective plan lies in the monitoring of the successes or shortfalls of that plan—which requires communities to collect an increasing amount of data on cycling to establish the effectiveness of the measures being implemented. While collecting information on the raw number of cyclists using a facility is certainly useful, it’s the communities that are digging deeper into the data around cycling that are making significant gains in their understanding of the conditions for cyclists in their community. What is the

gender split of cyclists in your community? What are their ages? For what purpose are they riding? What routes do they prefer? If residents aren’t riding, why are they making that choice? These are the kinds of questions that the best cycling communities in the world are increasingly beginning to ask, and we’re seeing some Ontario communities start to ask as well. In these pages you’ll read about how BFCs are making cycling count by counting (and reporting on) people who cycle in their community.

When it comes to cycling, the old adage “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail” rings especially true. Across the province, one thing that unites all Bicycle Friendly Communities is the fact that they each have an effective, results-based active transportation plan. Plans that identify a priority network of cycling infrastructure, lay out specific timelines and identify funding sources for projects to ensure continuous improvement are the ones that can propel a community from Bronze to Silver and to help them chart a path to Gold and beyond in the BFC rankings.

5

The first step in improving is taking stock of where you are currently at, which is why the City of Waterloo undertook a systematic inventory of their bicycle parking assets before embarking on an ambitious plan to improve the availability and quality of their bicycle parking.

“We did our inventory, and we also surveyed cyclists asking them how they felt about the current offering of bike parking in Waterloo, and we found out that they weren’t that happy with what there was,” says John Griffin, Project Manager of Active Transportation & LRT Integration at the City of Waterloo. “We took that feedback and we created new guidelines for bike parking. We replaced our post-and-ring stands with inverted-U style racks, which were preferred by cyclists. We brought in standards for a 5-ring rack, for bike corrals and for secure bike parking. Since then, we’ve been upgrading our bike racks all over the city, especially in BIAs and transportation nodes.”

Waterloo is now working with the University of Waterloo and other post-secondary institutions to gather more information about bike parking available on private property, including malls, schools, post-secondary institutions and apartment buildings. By introducing these new data sets into the city’s existing GIS data detailing where the city-owned bike racks are, the city hopes to gain a better view of where bike parking deficiencies exist, and to create new strategies to provide good quality parking all over the city.

“This project really speaks to the importance of public consultation,” says Griffin. “We’ve given cyclists the opportunity to let us know what styles of racks they prefer and where our deficiencies are, and we’re developing strategies to respond. It’s a great partnership.”

Waterloo Takes Inventory of Bike Parking

Waterloo’s new standard designs for bike parking—the inverted U (above photo) and the 5-ring rack (opposite photo).


2015 Yearbook | 27

In Guelph, city staff have discovered that if you want to truly consult with the public, the best way to do that is to go out and meet them where they are. That’s why in 2014 the Bicycle Friendly Guelph booth was set up at more than 10 events over three months, distributing cycling maps, safety tip sheets, bike lights and more. In the three month period, staff at the booth had more than 1,000 interactions with residents, gathering valuable insights about Guelph’s cycling programs along the way.

“The traditional model of public consultation, where you wait for interested members of the public to come to you, only tends to attract those who have a strong interest in the project,” says Jennifer Juste, Guelph’s Transportation Demand Management Coordinator. “If you go to where the public is, you hear a much broader perspective. When we

attended everything from small community bike rides to the city’s Canada Day festivities, we heard much more valuable feedback about what all residents had to say about our cycling programs.”

Residents were treated to a plethora of information about cycling in Guelph, and were invited to give their feedback about how the city is doing as it moves forward in becoming more bicycle friendly.

“We heard all sorts of feedback, but most of it was positive,” says Juste. “Residents of Guelph are generally very supportive of our efforts to encourage healthy, active transportation.”

When it comes to collecting data on people who bike, cities are increasingly beginning to recognize that simply counting the number of people riding isn’t giving them a full picture. For that reason, the City of Kitchener embarked on an ambitious data collection exercise in 2013-2014. Aimed at all residents, whether they ride a bike or not, the City’s cycling survey received over 1,000 responses, providing some valuable insight into how people perceive cycling in Kitchener.

“It was a much more holistic survey than a traditional bike count” explains Danny Pimental, Transportation Demand Management Coordinator. “It provided people the opportunity to tell us how they feel about the infrastructure

we’re building, how aware they are of the various programs we run, and for what purpose they’re using their bikes on a day-to-day basis.”

Even more valuable than the information collected from cyclists who ride frequently, however, was the data obtained from residents that never ride. “It gave us a better sense as to the barriers to cycling within our community,” says Pimental. “That kind of data can be extremely valuable in the future as we work towards making cycling more accessible to more residents—it helps us to understand where we need to target our efforts and our investments.”

INSPIrATION FrOM OUTSIDE ONTArIO

Calgary Publishes Bicycle Yearbook

Good data drives good decisions, and good data becomes more powerful when it is packaged in a way that is accessible and visually interesting. With this in mind, the City of Calgary began their ambitious Bicycle Yearbook project in 2013 to help citizens better understand how the city is using data to inform its ongoing commitment to making Calgary a more bicycle friendly city.

Inspired by “Bicycle Accounts” from cities like Copenhagen, Minneapolis and Melbourne, which are in-depth reports that provide a holistic view of the state of cycling in a community, the City of Calgary went about collecting, compiling and presenting data on cycling in the city. The resulting document provides a visually striking, comprehensive overview of the efforts underway to make cycling more accessible in Calgary and the results of those efforts.

“A lot of the reasons for putting the Bicycle Yearbook together have to do with accountability and transparency. We want our Councillors and citizens to know what we’re doing and what kinds of impacts those actions are having,” explains Katherine Glowacz, Calgary’s Active Transportation Education Planner. “The yearbook helps Calgarians better understand what the city is doing to make it safer and more convenient for people of all ages and abilities to ride bikes in and around Calgary. This is important because citizens have told us consistently that they want a transportation system that provides safe, convenient, and affordable travel choices in the city.”

Overflowing with vibrant photos, infographics and easy-to-understand charts and tables, the yearbook is a visual and informative resource about the City of Calgary’s Bicycle Program. The first yearbook was published at the end of 2013, but the data collection hasn’t stopped. In fact, the city is gathering more data than ever, and plans to release the next edition of the yearbook in 2015, and then every two years after that to provide an ongoing picture of how investments in cycling are benefiting Calgary.

“The Yearbook answers many of the Frequently Asked Questions about cycling in Calgary. If people want to know how many people are using the city’s first cycle track along 7th Street downtown, what’s the percentage of people who commute to work by cycling, and what efforts have been taken to improve safety, that information is all in the yearbook,” says Glowacz. “The yearbook is published every two years so we can provide citizens with regular updates on the city’s ongoing commitment to making Calgary more bicycle-friendly while tracking important trends in cycling here in Calgary—it’s a benchmark and communications tool all in one.”

aKitchener Conducts Comprehensive Cycling Survey

Guelph Takes the Bicycle Friendly Message Out Into the Community

Above photo: Kitchener’s Bikefest was just one of several events where the City promoted their cycling survey.

Above photo: Jennifer Juste, Guelph’s Transportation Demand Manager, attending the Bicycle Friendly Guelph booth at an event.

Photos from Calgary’s 2013 Bicycle Program Yearbook.

We were excited to see some new communities join the list of Bicycle Friendly Communities in 2014 as well as quite a few return applicants move up the ranks in their designation. In total, six communities received awards in 2014: two new communities (Milton and Wasaga Beach) and four returning communities (Guelph and Kitchener rising from Bronze to Silver, and Halton Hills and St. Catharines rising from Honourable Mentions to Bronze).

It is incredible that in just five years, the Bicycle Friendly Communities program has recognized 26 Ontario municipalities as worthy of a Bicycle Friendly designation, and that those 26 communities represent over 57 percent of the provincial population.

The following pages offer profiles of the 2014 award winners, highlighting their successes and celebrating the excellent work they have done to warrant BFC recognition. We sincerely

hope that the stories and images presented here serve as inspiration for communities that haven’t yet applied to the Bicycle Friendly Communities program, encouraging them to do so soon.

2015 Yearbook | 2928 | Bicycle Friendly Communities

Lake Erie

LakeSt. Clair

Lake Ontario

St. Lawrence River

Lake Huron

Georgian Bay

Québec

TorontoSILVER

OakvilleBRONZE

ONTARIO

LEGEND

Waterfront Trail

Bicycle friendly communities

2014 Winners*

MarkhamBRONZE

Town of Blue MountainsBRONZE

OttawaGOLD

KingstonBRONZE

PeterboroughBRONZE

OshawaBRONZE

AjaxBRONZE

Richmond HillBRONZE

Wasaga Beach*BRONZE

MississaugaBRONZE

GrimsbyBRONZE

ThoroldBRONZE

WellandBRONZE

PelhamSILVER

HamiltonSILVER

BurlingtonBRONZE

Milton*BRONZE

Guelph*SILVER

Kitchener*SILVER

WaterlooSILVER

LondonBRONZE

WindsorBRONZE

Halton Hills*BRONZE

St. Catharines*BRONZE


“Guelph has always taken pride in being a sustainable city,” says Jennifer Juste, Guelph’s Coordinator of Transportation Demand Management. “Sustainability is embedded in everything we do, from our Official Plan to our Community Energy Plan, so it makes sense for us to promote cycling as a sustainable, healthy mode of transportation. Cycling is to transportation what renewable energy is to electricity—it’s the lowest impact form of transportation that keeps our residents and our environment healthier and adds dollars to the local economy.”

Guelph’s journey to become more bicycle friendly began in earnest in 2008, with the approval of the Bicycle Friendly Guelph program—one explicitly designed to get Guelph into the ranks of Gold Bicycle Friendly Communities in the near future. In 2012, the City’s dedication to cycling was rewarded with a Bronze certification and in 2014, Guelph took the next step towards Gold by achieving Silver status.

Guelph’s plans for becoming a great place for cyclists are built upon the same foundation as the Bicycle Friendly Communities program itself: the 5 Es. So while the city has been building new infrastructure, they also recognize the importance of building a culture of cycling at the same time to ensure that the investment in new physical infrastructure is maximized.

The community support for cycling in Guelph is strong and growing. The Guelph Coalition for Active Transportation (GCAT) is a positive, results-focused group that has built strong connections within the community. Businesses are getting on board with cycling too, with a local restaurateur hosting a social ride from the Borealis Grill to

the Woolwich Arrow downtown, where a new bike repair station, sponsored by Steam Whistle Brewing, was unveiled. Events like these can help to cultivate a strong cycling culture, get new riders on their bikes and increase the visibility of cyclists.

With the benefits of cycling events in mind, the City of Guelph unveiled a new flagship cycling event in 2014, the Tour de Guelph. The inaugural event, which featured a wide variety of ride lengths, was attended by over 500 cyclists of all ages and abilities, from high-performance riding teams to families pulling children in trailers. The ride raised over $30,000 for the hospital foundation in Guelph, and provided the City with a highly visible forum to celebrate its cycling culture.

Over the next two years, Guelph plans to focus on creating a high-quality, low-stress network of off-road cycling infrastructure to complement the on-road infrastructure that already exists or is in the planning stage. By providing seamless connections between the on- and off-road networks, Guelph hopes to attract new riders and continue to progress on their path towards becoming a Gold Bicycle Friendly Community. With such strong support from the community, staff and political leaders, it seems certain that Guelph will join the ranks of Gold communities sooner rather than later.

Guelph Population: 121,688

Previous BFC Designation: Bronze (2012)

2015 Yearbook | 35

The City of Kitchener’s rapid ascension up a level in the Bicycle Friendly Communities ranks is no accident. With strong plans in place, an abundance of community support and a growing network of low-stress cycling infrastructure, Kitchener has rapidly moved from a Bronze award in 2013 to a Silver designation in 2014, with their eyes firmly set on achieving Gold in the near future.

“Kitchener’s bike friendly initiatives are based on the extensive feedback that we’ve gotten from our residents,” says Josh Joseph, Kitchener’s Trails Project Manager. “We’ve focused extensively on engaging our citizens, asking them what they want to see in their community, and the overwhelming response we’ve been getting is that people want to see a more walkable, bikeable, livable community.”

In response to that demand, Kitchener has been building innovative infrastructure to improve safety and convenience for cyclists at an incredible pace. They have installed a downtown cycling network utilizing “Super Sharrows,” traffic calming and single-file traffic; introduced a new contra-flow bike lane on Nyberg Street; and developed active transportation projects around nodes for their future LRT (Light Rail Transit) line.

“A lot of the on-road improvements that we identified as a priority in our cycling Master Plan in 2014 have already been approved,” states Justin Readman, Director of Transportation Services. “That’s why the focus is really on encouragement and community engagement—we know that the infrastructure is coming, and we want to make sure that people know about it, are excited about it and will use it extensively.”

Encouragement and community outreach have been important aspects of creating a community that caters to people cycling. “Community rides have been great for getting more families riding, getting people back on their bikes and getting them to realize just how easy it can be to use a bike for your day-to-day activities. Hosting bike valets at community events, installing secure bike cages and public repair stations, and taking part in the Thumbs Up! Campaign have all made cycling more visible in Kitchener, and have convinced more people to give it a try,” says Readman.

As Kitchener and Waterloo move forward with the implementation of the ION LRT project, building multi-modal community hubs will become increasingly important. “Kitchener doesn’t have a grid network,” says Joseph, “so the connections between on- and off-road infrastructure are extremely important.” With those connections in mind, Kitchener is undertaking the Iron Horse Trail improvement strategy—a study examining major and minor improvements to a main commuter trail and a part of the Trans Canada Trail network, to determine how it could be made more attractive to new commuters.

“Our ultimate goal is to have a seamless network of low-stress cycling infrastructure that will connect to our transit system, a priority outlined in our Planning Around Rapid Transit Service (PARTS) strategy,” Readman explains. “By making active transportation an easy choice, we can build ridership on our transit service, reduce single occupant vehicle travel and create a more active, healthy and connected community.”

Kitchener Population: 219,153

Previous BFC Designation: Bronze (2013)

2015 Yearbook | 37

In Halton Hills, building a Bicycle Friendly Community meant starting from scratch. “Our Cycling Plan was approved in December of 2010—before that plan was approved, we really didn’t have anything in place for cyclists in Halton Hills, so we’ve been moving very quickly to address that,” says Councillor Jane Fogal. “In just a few short years, the whole culture of Town staff has changed—cycling infrastructure doesn’t necessarily need a champion pushing for it anymore—it’s just a part of the daily expectations.”

That change in culture can be one of the most difficult hurdles for a community to overcome on its journey towards becoming bicycle friendly. The mantra “It’s always been done that way” can undo months of planning and preparation, and communities that don’t tackle these difficult changes head-on are often destined for years of slow progress. But Halton Hills has embraced the culture change, both at City Hall and within the community.

With the introduction of the Cycling Challenge (page 17) in 2013, Halton Hills residents began to see cycling in a new light. No longer was riding a bike something to be done by weekend warriors looking to ride a hundred kilometres or more in Halton Hills’ scenic landscapes—cycling was now for families, for employees and for residents who wanted to do their part to help the town’s hospital gain access to a $50,000 donation that had been promised if the community hit its cycling goals.

The Cycling Challenge led to more events, like the town’s Bike It to Market event, designed to give residents a chance to get on their bikes in a safe, comfortable environment, and rewarding them for doing so. At the Bike It to Market event, people were able to ride on a closed-off section of Main Street to get to the farmers market, where they were greeted with a free bike valet service and a complimentary pancake breakfast. By giving cyclists a safe way to get to the event and rewarding them for riding, Halton Hills reintroduced people to the joys of riding their bikes.

For Halton Hills, making cycling safer is an important priority for the next several years. As a community without a public transit service, Halton Hills is looking to active transportation as a means of reducing its residents’ reliance on automobiles to get around. They’re actively building new on- and off-road infrastructure throughout the town, including bike lanes on Armstrong Avenue and Sinclair Street, providing active transportation options to major employment centres.

“Residents are excited about our new infrastructure, our new programs and the increasing focus on cycling in Halton Hills,” says Councillor Fogal. “Town Council and staff are on side, and every year we make improvements. It fits with our desire to become a more sustainable community, and helps us to attract new investment and new talent to Halton Hills.”

Halton Hills Population: 59,008

Previous BFC Designation: Honourable Mention (2012)


The story of Milton for the past 10 years can be summed up with two words: incredible growth. With a population that has tripled in the last decade, Milton is the fastest growing community in the Greater Golden Horseshoe, and one of the fastest growing places in all of Canada. As a result, Milton has the opportunity to do what many existing urban environments don’t, build new roadways that accommodate all road users right from their initial construction.

For the last several years, Milton has been ensuring that newly constructed subdivisions feature bike lanes on all collector roads. Along busier arterial roads, the town is installing bike lanes or multi-use boulevard trails to ensure that people on bikes have access to safe, continuous routes all over town.

In addition to the cycling that goes on within the Town of Milton, the riding that takes place in the surrounding area also deserves some attention. Situated at the foot of the Niagara Escarpment, Milton is home to some of the most impressive vistas Ontario has to offer to people on bikes. And for those who desire speed while riding, Milton is also home to the world-class Mattamy Velodrome—one of only two facilities in North America that meets international competition standards. With renowned touring routes surrounding the town, the velodrome and an ever-growing network of safe urban cycling routes, Milton is certainly a community that merits watching!

St. Catharines has long recognized the value of active transportation to the community, investing significantly in a network of trails, bike lanes and other infrastructure to keep people on bikes safe and comfortable. As the largest community in the Niagara Region, St. Catharines serves as a central hub for the thousands of tourists who visit annually on their bikes. For visitors and residents alike, the Garden City has become increasingly bike friendly in recent years, and their plans for the future indicate that the trend will certainly continue.

“Our next Official Plan and Sustainability Strategy will have a Complete Streets approach embedded within it, which will ensure that all modes of transportation are considered when we make choices about our future,” says Chris Day, Manager of Transportation Services with the City of St. Catharines. “We’ll be creating a new Transportation Master Plan and an Active Transportation Advisory Committee in the near future, with the goal of both of those initiatives being to ensure that we remain accountable to our vision of being a great place to walk or bike.”

In addition to its “Garden City” moniker, St. Catharines could also very well be called the Great Trail City, especially now that the newly established Greenbelt Cycling Route runs through it. Joining the Great Waterfront Trail and the Greater Niagara Circle Route, the Greenbelt Cycling Route becomes the third major trail system to go through St. Catharines, making it an excellent place for riders of all interests and abilities to explore a wide variety of trails, landscapes and vistas. Undoubtedly, as St. Catharines moves forward with the development and implementation of their new Transportation Master Plan, the City will see even greater numbers of cyclists on the road for both utilitarian and recreational purposes, bringing new investment and excitement to the Garden City.

Milton Population: 84,362

St. Catharines Population: 131,400

Previous BFC Designation: Honourable Mention (2013)

Above photo: Milton receives BFC Award from Share the Road. From left: Oakville Councillor Pam Damoff, Justin Jones from Share the Road, Milton Councillor Arnold Huffman, Burlington Mayor Rick Goldring, and Teresa Di Felice from CAA. Above photo: Riders line up at the start line of the

Lake to Lake 29er Race in St. Catharines.

2015 Yearbook | 41

Stretched out over 16km of beach along Georgian Bay, the town of Wasaga Beach is located between water to the north and Wasaga Beach Provincial Park to the south. It’s a community that draws tourists from all over Ontario to experience the beautiful shorelines and a host of outdoor activities, so it should come as no surprise that the community wants to be known as a great place to ride a bike as well.

“Quality of life is a primary draw for Wasaga Beach—people move to town because they want the kind of community that allows them to be active in the outdoors all year round,” says Nathan Wukasch, a planner in Wasaga Beach. “Whether it’s walking, skiing, cycling or paddling, being outdoors matters, which is why in 2006 we formed our Healthy Communities Network and created an Active Transportation Plan.”

The fact that Wasaga Beach created an Active Transportation Plan in 2008 says a great deal about how important the town sees walking and cycling to its development. Most communities under 20,000 people hadn’t even considered creating an Active Transportation Plan that long ago, making Wasaga Beach an early leader when it comes to smaller communities considering the importance of active transportation.

“We’ve heard extensively from our community that they want more bike routes and safer roads,” says Wukasch, “and now we’re really starting to respond to that desire. This past year we built a 1.5 metre-wide paved shoulder on a major route between Collingwood and Wasaga Beach, Beachwood Road (page 9). Next year, we’ll be rebuilding River Road West—a major thoroughfare

through town—and will be installing bike lanes along it, providing a safe place for cyclists to ride on one of our major arterial roads.”

The unique shape of Wasaga Beach presents some interesting challenges in building a Bicycle Friendly Community, but also provides some tremendous opportunities. Spanning 16km east to west, but only 4km at its widest north to south, Wasaga Beach is a long, narrow town. Transit service, which primarily runs east to west, features a bus fleet that is completely outfitted with bike racks, making multi-modal travel a reality.

With so many amenities in a relatively small community—the town has a provincial park, six beach areas and a significant number of shops—moving from one destination to another by bike is relatively easy. Travelling east to west by car, however, can be more difficult, since there is limited road space in that direction, especially during the height of summer when tourists flock to Wasaga Beach’s picturesque waterfront.

“With the way the town is laid out, and the way it’s set to develop into the future, cycling is really the best option to get people around in Wasaga Beach,” says Wukasch. “The distances between destinations can be a bit too long for walking, and driving can cause a great deal of congestion on our roads, so cycling really makes it easy to get around. We want to make it easy for people to come into town, leave their cars parked, and see our community by bike.”

Wasaga Beach Population: 17,537

Bicycle Friendly Communities Workshops

Chart a path to a more bicycle friendly future – for communities just starting out or those ready to take it to the next level

In a full-day workshop, we will:• Analyze your cycling assets & identify gaps

using the Bicycle Friendly Communities’ Five Es framework

• Set goals, establish priorities & identify realistic next steps

• Create a short-term, action-oriented work plan

• Encourage collaboration to ensure the work plan is put into action

For more details including pricing,

contact:Jamie Stuckless

905-233-2273 [email protected]

Documents

2015 Bicycle Friendly Communities Yearbook