BARRIEAPR1

Energize Your Transportation

Did you know that every year, the average Canadian makes 2,000 car trips for excursions that could easily be made on foot or by bike? Now that spring has sprung, there is no better way to take in the sun and shed that winter weight than to leave the car in the driveway and use your own personal mode of active transportation – your legs, bike, or blades.

The City of Barrie recognizes the negative impact cars and a sedentary lifestyle can have on the community. For this reason, the City has embarked on a quest for Active Transportation that will benefit the environment and local economy and promote healthy living and safety.

Active Transportation is any form of human-powered transportation for the reason of getting yourself, or others, to a particular destination - to work, to school, to the store or to visit friends. As long as it is ‘active,’ you can choose the mode - walking, cycling, wheeling, in-line skating or skateboarding.

Last August, Barrie held its first Active Transportation event called Car Free Sunday. Despite the rain, many showed up to learn more and to participate in this new lifestyle approach. The event closed Lakeshore Drive to traffic, to hold various attractions and activities, as well as provide monitored bike parking, in the effort to demonstrate how Active Transportation on small trips and errands can benefit our physical health and the well-being of the community.

The City is committed to adopting and supporting this more active lifestyle. Presently, 39 km of bike routes and 5 km of on-road bike lanes are available throughout Barrie and are both expected to increase over the next few years. In April, a new Recreation map detailing our parks, trails and bicycle routes will be made available.

In addition, Barrie is looking to install bike lockers in key places to enhance the ability of the public to circulate throughout the City without the use of their personal vehicles. In 2010, the City looks to install several bike lockers at City Hall for both public and staff use, and based on the popularity, may expand further installations at other municipal facilities. Based on Council approval of funding, the City also aims to install bike racks on all its Transit buses by 2011.

Cities such as Barrie encouraging Active Transportation make relevant changes to the community’s infrastructure and outlook to support an active lifestyle. For example, they advocate to motorists for sharing the road with cyclists; they favour urban design that reduces the distances that people have to travel to get to work, retail areas, schools and recreational/leisure pursuits; they have a network of green spaces throughout the urban and suburban areas; they have dedicated bicycle lanes and routes; and more.

With ongoing commitment, soon the private sector such as workplaces, stores, restaurants and schools will support employees, clients, and students who chose to travel actively by providing such things as bicycle storage, allowing more flexible dress codes, and working with municipal planners in mapping out safe and efficient routes.

As for those interested in how to get more active, the Public Health Agency of Canada suggests you start taking action now by thinking twice every time you get in the car and contemplating walking or biking instead; dusting and tuning-up your bike to work when the weather permits; putting on running shoes and a backpack and walk to work or school; biking the kids to the park as a family activity instead of driving; and thinking of Active Transportation possibilities next time you move.

For more information on Barrie’s Active Transportation commitment and on some great Active Transportation links and videos, go to Community section of www.barrie.ca.

Foryard waste collection

EASTER HOLIDAY COLLECTION SCHEDULE

There will be no garbage, organics, recyclingand yard waste collection onGood Friday, April 2, 2010

in the City of Barrie. Collection for this day will occur onSaturday, April 3, 2010.

Collection will occur as usual onEaster Monday, April 5th

and will remain on the regular schedule throughout the week.The Landfill Site will be closed on Good Friday and is closed

every Sunday and Monday.Barrie residents are reminded to have their

materials at curbside by 7:00 a.m.

2010 DRINKING WATER SYSTEM REPORT

The City of Barrie’s Water Operations Branch has prepared the Annual Drinking Water System Report in accordance with the Drinking Water Systems Regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act.

The Annual Drinking Water System Report is available at www.barrie.ca and a copy can also be obtained, upon Request, during normal business hours (8:30 am - 4:30 pm) at the City of Barrie’s Water Operations Branch located on the second floor of the Operations Centre at 165 Ferndale Drive, North.

Please direct any questions regarding the Annual Drinking Water System Report to Sandra Brunet, Manager of Water Operations at 705-739-4220 Ext. 4866