You’re Invited: More ‘Bike to Work Day’ Events May 28, 2012!

This video presents “60-second Bike Tips: PEDALLING”:

This is an update to my previous blog You’re Invited: Fabulous Bike Events in Toronto May 5-6,12 & 28, 2012.

ACTIVATE Your Commute, Walking & Cycling Program:

“Active Transportation means using human power to get from place to place.

• Walking, cycling, rollerblading, (even pogo stick jumping!) are all forms of active transportation.

• The Walk and Roll website  is a joint effort between Peel, Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon and is a great resource for all things people powered.
  • The site features great interactive maps as well as information and tips on walking and cycling.

• Get started by registering an account with the ACTIVATE Your Commute online resources and discover how the FREE, easy-to-use online tool can help you:
  • Set personal goals and targets
    • log your walking and cycling trips
    • and monitor your personal progress
  • Track your kilometres/steps taken and calories burned
  • Track how many greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) you saved!
  • Please click here for more info and ACTIVATE Your Commute registration

• Here are your ACTIVATE Your Commute online resources:
  • Check the Air Quality Health Index  (AQHI) daily.
    • The AQHI is a health-based index that uses a simple 10-point scale to indicate the level of health risk associated with local air quality.
    • The higher the reading, the greater the health risk and the greater the need to take precautions (Please note, for the AQHI rating for Caledon, check under Newmarket).
  • Try the Time/Distance calculator to see how long your trip will take
  • Also, try the GHG emissions calculator to see how many emissions you saved by not driving your vehicle
  • Please click here for more info about the above Activate Your Commute resources

Listed here are more ‘Bike to Work Day’ events in Ontario, Canada, on May 28, 2012:

Bike to Work Day 2012

Monday, May 28

Register for your chance to win
a VIA Rail trip to Quebec City, or
a two night stay for 2 in St Catherines
including a winery tour and tasting.

Join Smart Commute’s annual event aimed at raising awareness of cycling as a healthy, practical and fun way to travel to work or school.

Many Smart Commute offices throughout the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area are organizing events such as group rides.

Take the Bike to Work pledge for a chance to win one of two great prizes:

• A trip for two to Quebec City courtesy of VIA Rail
  • Return travel voucher for two business class VIA Rail tickets from Toronto to Quebec City.

Or

• A weekend cycling getaway to St. Catharines courtesy of Welcome Cyclists.
  • Weekend getaway for two people to St. Catharines, Ontario, which includes roundtrip travel on GO Transit   (gotransit.com) from Toronto
    • two nights at Welcome Cyclists-certified accommodation (Best Western Hotel and Conference Centre, St. Catharines)
    • two breakfasts, and a wine tour and tasting at Rockway Glen Golf Course & Estate Winery.
  • The winner will be given a package with cycling maps and other local tourism information.

You can pledge to:

• Ride to work or school on May 28, 2012;
• Tell a co-worker or friend about Bike to Work Day and send them a link to this form; or
• Assist a new rider in finding a route to school or work.

Contest closes at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, June 1, 2012.

Please click here for contest details!

Login to your employer’s bike page here: www.biketoworkday.ca

This video presents “60-second Bike Tips: HELMET FIT”:

“Spring has Sprung, so why not Bike to Work on May 28?

Join hundreds from across Hamilton and the Toronto Area as they bike to work as part of the annual Bike to Work Day!”

TORONTO

• Bike Month Group Commute and Pancake Breakfast
  • Time: 7:00 to 10:00 a.m.
  • Location: Nathan Philips Square, City Hall, Toronto
  • Contact: Dianne Bravo, 416-392-6064 (office) or 647-678-4175 (cell)
  • Please click here for more info about the Toronto’s Bike Month Group Commute and Pancake Breakfast event.

Bike to Work Day at York University

• Time: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

• Location: Harry Arthurs Common (at the fountain across from Vari Hall), York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto
  • Bring your bike to the fountain in The Common (across from Vari Hall in the bus loop) and get a FREE Bike to Work Day t-shirt while quantities last.
  • Smart Commute NTV will be there to give you a 2012 cycling map, some snacks, and sign you up for the York U Bicycle User Group.

• Contact: Keagan Gartz, 416-650-8205

• Bike to school or work on May 28 for a FREE bike safety check-up, courtesy of Curbside Cycle!

• E-mail them at info@SmartCommuteNTV.ca if you would like to participate in a group ride or for more information about the event.

• Please visit www.SmartCommuteNTV.ca for more info.

HAMILTON

A number of great events will be taking place across Hamilton to make your Bike to Work Day fun and easy:

• Commute to work or school on your bicycle on Bike to Work Day – Monday May 28th and celebrate Hamilton as a cycling and active community

• Bike to Work Day is a safe community-building event that promotes cycling in Hamilton and offers new cycling commuters an opportunity to build their cycling confidence

• A central Welcome Reception in Gore Park for riders in the downtown area

• Two Group Rides to Gore Park, led by experienced local riders

• A number of great prizes and giveaways for participants, including a regional grand prize!

• Register, Ride & Meet at Gore Park – It’s Easy
  • 1^st –   Please click here to register.
  • 2^nd–  Choose how you will cycle in on Bike to Work Day.  You can:
    • Join a Group Ride that brings you downtown to the Gore Park Celebration before work
    • Ride a suggested (but unguided) route and meet at the Gore Park Celebration before work
    • Ride your own route to work then Tweet or email (air@greenventure.ca) upon arrival.
      #biketoworkday #HamOnt

• Bike to Work Day Group Rides and Suggested Routes
• Please click here for details of suggested routes to downtown Hamilton at Gore Park
• Some of these routes also feed into other routes and destinations including Mohawk College Fennel Campus and McMaster University
• These routes are do-it-yourself routes
• Approximate travel times are noted
• Special Bike to Work Day guided Group Rides to Gore Park led by experienced cyclists will start at Gage Park (Gage and Cumberland entrance) and Dundurn Street North
• Visit the Bike to Work Day map for a visual representation of the routes.

• Gore Park Celebration – 7:30 am to 8:30 am
  • Suggested routes and guided Group Rides arrive at Gore Park for the Bike to Work Day Celebration
  • Stop in at the Gore Park Cycling Celebration before work.
  • Here you can re-fuel with a FREE healthy snack and hot and cold beverages.
  • Claim your prize; meet other residents and local organizations interested in cycling; learn about routes and tips to make your cycling commute easy and fun!
  • Find out what City staff are doing to promote cycling in Hamilton and what you can do to improve cycling in your neighbourhood.

• Prizes – Just Register and Ride to Win
  • Register for Bike to Work Day and ride to be eligible for a great grand prize draw.
  • Ride downtown to Gore Park for a chance to win other fun prizes including:
    • 8GB iPod
    • Coffee prize packs
    • Smart Commute Prize Packs
    • Bike to Work Day T-Shirts

• Group Rides – All Skill Levels Welcome
  • First time riding to work?
  • Two organized group rides led by experienced cyclists will converge downtown at the Gore Park Celebration.
  • They suggest you get a friend or co-worker to register and ride with you.

•  Choose Your Own Route or One of Ours
  • If you are the independent type and choose your own route to work, don’t forget to register to win prizes and show Hamilton you care!
  • They can also suggest some other friendly routes to ride.

•  Get Your Workplace Involved
  • Cycling is more fun when you bring a friend or co-worker.
  • If you are interested in organizing Bike to Work Day for your place of work just send an email to air@greenventure.ca.
  • They’ll provide you with the support and communications materials you will need to make your day a success!
  • You can also raise some money for the Bike for Mike Foundation who are looking to get every kid in Hamilton on a bicycle.

•  Please click here for more information, or contact Paul Barrett at air@greenventure.ca, or 905-540-8787 ext. 113.

This video demonstrates a quick pre-ride bike inspection that involves the following ABC’s checklist:

• “A = Air: check your tire pressure—while you’re at it, check that both quick-releases are securing your wheels safely to the frame

• B = Brakes: Check that front and rear brakes engage properly

• C = Chain: Check that your drivetrain is clean and lubed“:

 DURHAM

• REGISTER TODAY for BIKE TO WORK DAY & be entered to WIN great PRIZES!

ANNUAL GROUP RIDE DETAILS	2nd GROUP RIDE WITH COUNCILLOR FONSECA
Start Location: Chappell House Lawn at Riverwood Park Conservancy Sign-in Time: 7:15 a.m. Departure Time: 7:30 a.m Address: 4300 Riverwood Park Lane, Mississauga, ON L5C 2S7 End Location: Mississauga Celebration Square End Address: 300 City Centre Drive, Mississauga ON Breakfast Time: 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. MAP	Start Location: Burnhamthorpe and Tomken Sign-in Time: 7:15 a.m. Departure Time: 7:30 a.m. End Location: Mississauga Celebration Square, 300 City Centre Drive, Mississauga ON MAP

PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS

Cawthra Park Secondary School Clarkson Secondary School Erindale Secondary School Glenforest Secondary School Gordon Graydon Memorial Secondary School Lorne Park Secondary School Mississauga Secondary School Port Credit Secondary School Rick Hansen Secondary School Thomas L. Kennedy Secondary School

OTHER GROUP RIDES/EVENTS

PAUL & BRENDA’S GROUP RIDE Start Location: Meadowvale Community Centre Address: 6655 Glen Erin Drive, Mississauga Start Time: 6:45 AM Midpoint Location: Chappell House Lawn 4300 Riverwood Park Lane, Mississauga End Location: Mississauga Celebration Square – 300 City Centre Drive  BIKE TO WORK DAY WORKPLACE EVENTS May 16: Pratt & Whitney Canada Co. May 17: RBC Meadowvale May 18: Hatch Ltd. May 23: Transat A.T. Inc. May 24: University of Toronto at Mississauga May 25: Greater Toronto Airports Authority May 25: HB Group Insurance/The Co-operators June 1: McCormick Rankin, A member of MMM Group

YORK REGION

5th Annual Bike to Work Day Event

Smart Commute Toronto – Central

• It is a network of employers  committed to improving employee transportation options, so that commuters arrive to work relaxed and on time, plus other benefits such as:
  • Increase employee productivity
  • Boost morale and retention
  • Help clean our air and the environment

• “Gridlock is a major issue facing Toronto’s business community

• In a survey of its members, the Toronto Board of Trade has identified traffic congestion as a factor affecting the competitiveness of our city.
  • The price tag is about $3 billion each year in lost productivity.
  • Employees who spend their mornings and evenings sitting in traffic are more stressed and dissatisfied – ultimately affecting your business’ performance.”

• Smart Commute Toronto-Central is currently working with a group of progressive businesses  representing over 50,000 employees based in downtown Toronto.
  • They offer a wide array of services to make commuting easy and enjoyable.

• Smart Commute Toronto-Central is a program of the City of Toronto and Toronto Environment Office, made possible with support from Metrolinx

• Please click here for more info about business membership of Smart Commute Toronto-Central.

Happy Bike to Work Day!

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