Ontario Bike Summit on Apr 11, 2017.
Brampton was pleased to be awarded Bicycle Friendly Community Bronze status at OBS awards dinner ceremony last night. On hand to accept this hard-earned award were cycling advocates and members of Brampton Cycling Advisory Committee and BikeBrampton, Kevin Montgomery, Pauline Thornham and Dayle Laing. From City of Brampton was Henrik Zbogar, Acting Director, Planning Policy & Growth Management.
David Laing, Chair of BikeBrampton remarked he is “thrilled that Brampton is receiving this much deserved award”. He added “this is the reason we started BikeBrampton four years ago. City of Brampton has made much progress and this is an important milestone that demonstrates Brampton is serious about supporting and encouraging active and healthy living. More work needs to be done. We should pause briefly and reflect on our success!”
Ontario Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry Kathryn McGarry (MPP-Cambridge), Dayle and Kevin chat at Ontario Bike Summit 2017. Minister McGarry cycled in Bike the Creek last year.
The theme for Share the Road’s OBS 2017 is “Just Add Bikes”. Indeed, it does not really need to be more complicated than that! Keynote speaker Todd Scott from Detroit Greenways Coalition said:
“Protected bike lanes are the minimum.”
With a city on the verge of bankruptcy, 68% unemployment, average annual salary around $24,000, Detroit went from 72 miles to 200 miles of bike lanes in a short space of time. Detroit has 50 bike clubs! They put in ‘pop-up’ bike lanes and pedestrian plazas and then count the useage. They are even putting in a bike lane on the new Gordie Howe International Bridge to connect Detroit and Windsor!
Ontario Bike Summit was well supported by the Ontario Government, including MPPs from the All-Party Cycling Committee. In attendance were: Minister of Environment and Climate Change Glen Murray, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry Kathryn McGarry and Minister of Tourism Culture and Sport Eleanor McMahon.
Also receiving Bronze awards were Belleville, Collingwood, Cambridge, Ingersoll, Kingston, Cornwall, St. Thomas, Temiskaming Shores and Whitby. We offer congratulations to these other communities. Currently 68% of Ontarions live in Bicycle Friendly Communities! Brampton is in good company!
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