One of the liveliest conversations we’ve ever had on our online CivicCamp discussion group was one that unfolded last month. It all started when a CivicCamper shared a two minute video on bicycle rush hour in Utrecht. Replies began popping up immediately and over the course of a couple of weeks, messages were posted on cycling gear, bike models, safety stats, route-finding challenges and the city’s overall approach to making Calgary safe and accessible to cyclists. Turns out the discussion was timely. On Monday, June 7, council will vote on working up a comprehensive biking strategy for our city over the next year, one that:
“identifies actions The City will take in the short, medium and long term in order to make Calgary a bicycle-friendly city for all – a city where cycling is a great option for transportation and recreation purposes.”
But, as with so many of these things, the path to such a vote is convoluted and complicated, hence this blog post to lay out what is unfolding (as far as I understand it), how we can participate as it unfolds and why it’s important that we participate at every opportunity.
This has been a long time coming in Calgary. Many bike groups have worked hard for years, trying to convince council of the need for bike infrastructure changes and long-term bike infrastructure investment. Some members of council have long supported such investment and others have been slow to take up the cause but, finally, a motion passed at council in March of this year to have admin scope out what should happen next. The scoping report was presented to Land Use, Planning and Transportation last month and next week it’s coming to council for a vote.
This is one of those times when those who want change - everyone from daily commuters to occasional and recreational riders – need to speak up and let council know that this comprehensive cycling strategy is long overdue. We need to support the Aldermen who have shown leadership and nudge those who have not yet grasped the importance of making active modes of transportation like biking a much higher priority. Do you envision a network of dedicated cycling lanes, physical barriers between bikes and cars, efficient commuter routes, bike-sharing programs? Speak up! Council needs our feedback. Call your Alderman’s office, send an email to all members of council, drop in at Monday’s council meeting if you can.
But wait, there’s more. Once this motion passes at Council, we have an opportunity to do more than just write emails and passively watch meetings unfold because this motion comes with a recommendation for an external stakeholder committee that will:
“advise administration on the development of the cycling strategy. The committee will consist of representatives from various cycling organizations including, but not limited to, Calgary Pathway and Bikeway Advisory Council (CPAC), Bike Calgary, Calgary tour de nuit Society and Elbow Valley Cycle Club (EVCC). The committee will also have members from the general public that are not affiliated with any cycling organization.” (bold type added)
This means that interested citizens can apply for a spot on the committee to advise admin on cycling infrastructure. Imagine the message it would send to Council if hundreds of citizens applied. So often I hear people say they want to see things change but they don’t know what to do about it. Well, this is what you do for starters: speak up and, if possible, step up. And then demand to be heard and included more often.
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I just emailed my alderman, as well as posted a copy of the letter on my blog.
http://www.darcynorman.net/2010/06/03/open-letter-to-my-alderman-make-calgary-bicycle-friendly/
I would love to be involved.
Moving forward on a more bicycle-accomodating Calgary is not only needed, it will eventually become essential and unavoidable. Time for Calgary to lead.
Any word on how the vote went?
- Peace
Yikes, just found a bunch of comments that somehow didn’t get posted when submitted. Better late than never, now looking into new webpage hiccup (growing pains)
Update: Council voted unanimously to move forward with a Comprehensive Bike Strategy Review and a Pathway Safety Review over the next several months. We’re waiting to hear how individual citizens can submit their names to be part of the External Stakeholder Committee (along with reps from established yyc bike groups) that will advise City admin. We’ll post the info when we have it.
Gold standard for bike sharing in Montreal: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bixi
City now accepting applications for citizens who want to sit on the External Stakeholder Committee, deadline Friday, July 16. Info here: http://bit.ly/bAHZJZ
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