Ward 19: Trinity-Spadina

We'll have our last meeting of 2012 at CSI Annex, lower level. Dec. 3, 6:30pm.

Snacks and refreshments available - it's the holidays coming up after all!

Agenda:

• Report back on the two interesting Harbord meetings;
• Updates on bike parking budget
• Pilot bike racks with Astral
• Cycle Toronto campaigns for 2013
• Ideas for 2013:
  • Carrotmobs
  • Public consultations on Harbord
  • Contact BIAs, residents associations on Bloor

Hope to see you there!

Present: Nico (19), Antony (19), David (19), Peter, Hamish, Raj (27), Herb (19). Regrets: Don (20)

Next Meeting: December 3 (based on 1st Monday of each month), CSI Annex 6:30pm

Agenda:

• Harbord bike lane meeting - Nov. 12 (Ward 20), Nov. 20 (Ward 19)
• Contra-flow meeting with Jonah Schein
• Co/deputy ward captains
• Bloor is getting repaved between Bathurst and Lansdowne in 2013
• Bike parking update

HVRA is hosting the Harbord bike lane meeting Nov. 12, 7-9pm, Multipurpose Room at 45 Brunswick. Councillor Layton is hosting one Nov. 20. Location/time still to be determined. We brainstormed ideas of what to present - bike lanes are good for biz; bike lanes reduce injuries; it's an opportunity for branding; Green P parking on Central Tech parking lot and side streets; and there are up to 40% cyclists of all traffic on Harbord.

Antony attended contra-flow meeting with Laura Pin (Ward 14) and MPP Jonah Schein. It will require a memo from the Ministry to say that contra-flow bike lanes are allowed in the HTA. Schein and Layton would like to drum up support for a response from Ministry to support them. Laura has taken it to the Advocacy Cttee and will continue to work on it. We'll support what CycleTO decides.

Nico and Antony have agreed to stand as deputy ward captains for Ward 19. The idea is to have backups in case Herb is unable to continue, to help spread the responsibility and to provide continuity when there is turnover.

Bloor Street is being repaved next year between Bathurst and Lansdowne. Hamish asked: Opportunity for bike lanes? The BIAs along stretch include: Annex, Koreatown, Bloorcourt. We would need to get them onside, not that easy. What is the utilization of off-street parking in area? All we have are questions so far.

Bike Parking update. Herb checked with Michal Hay of Layton's office. She's working on a budget number which will hopefully be presented to City Council for approval this budget year.

Please mark in your calendars! People interested in separated bike lanes for Harbord Street, especially in the gap (from Spadina to Brunswick).

There is a public meeting organized by the Harbord Village Residents Association on bike lanes on the missing blocks of Harbord Street, 7-9pm on Monday, November 12th in the Multi-Purpose Room at Kensington Gardens at 45 Brunswick.

Attending will be the Harbord Village Business Improvement Association, which had previously blocked any bike lanes along this segment, and also Councillor Adam Vaughan.

My impression is that it will be a tough meeting. There are some businesses along Harbord that are anti-bike lane; assume that bike lanes will hurt their business. Luckily this is false. NYC just reported that the separated bike lanes on 8th and 9th have both decreased injuries and increased retail business. Cycling is good for business.

We need people to represent cycling at this meeting!

The following is a letter I wrote to Councillor Ana Bailao in regards to her vote against Jarvis bike lanes. I reference this letter she wrote to Bruce, Ward 18 captain:

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Hi Councillor Bailao,

Do you remember saying this to the Ward 18 Cycle Toronto group last year?

"The decision to remove the Jarvis Street bike lanes was premature and a significant step backwards for safe cycling in the City of Toronto. I opposed the removal of these bike lanes and supported the motion and amendments of the local Councillor to save these lanes."

So what happened with your principles from last year? Did you change your mind on the need for safe and accessible cycling, regardless of age, ability and location?

Your vote to remove the Jarvis bike lanes is disappointing. In fact, your vote was a "significant step backwards for safe cycling in the City of Toronto".

As far as I can tell now, you are willing to sacrifice the safety of your residents for the convenience of a few motorists.

I would ask what are your positions on cycling infrastructure in your ward, the Lansdowne bike lanes and the Dupont bike lanes, but I don't know if we can trust your responses anymore.

Your actions on stalling the Lansdowne bike lanes, going along with the Dupont EA which will bring up the spectre of removing the Dupont bike lanes, and your vote to remove the Jarvis bike lanes suggest that you don't feel that cycling safety is all that important.

I hope that your residents find out your currently hypocritical position on safe cycling. Perhaps in the future you could keep in mind that you represent a ward with more than 15% of the people commute by bike. It is also a ward with hundreds of Cycle Toronto members.

But even if it was just 1%, it is cynical to sacrifice the safety of the few for the convenience of the powerful.

-- Herb