Cycling Benefits - Environment Archives

Summarizing 5 Years of Community Cycling in Peel Region

Peel Region Publishes a Retrospective Analysis of its Community Cycling Program in Brampton, Caledon & Mississauga.

Like many communities in the Greater Toronto Area, Peel Region faces multiple challenges. Inflation is putting a squeeze on household finances, traffic volumes threaten to swamp available road space, health issues related to the pandemic and to sedentary lifestyles are threatening to overburden healthcare systems. And a rapidly changing climate is wreaking havoc on local and worldwide weather patterns, causing untold suffering and threatening to overwhelm disaster relief systems. Increasing bicycle use is one important way to positively impact all of these issues, especially if the bike ride replaces a car ride to shorter-distance destinations.

With most people in Peel not getting enough daily exercise, bicycle riding is an effective, low-impact form of physical activity that improves fitness and helps with weight loss. Using a bicycle for short-range trips instead of a car, helps people to be more physically active without having to schedule it or pay for it.

Bicycles represent a very efficient and low-cost form of transportation. Bicycles are six times faster than walking and are 90% less expensive to own and operate than a car. With proper knowledge, bicycles are simple to maintain in top working order. And, with proper care and suitable clothing, bicycles will last for many years and can be ridden all year long.

Environmentally, a bicycle produces no carbon emissions or polluting particulates. Bicycles take up less road space than a car and are less damaging to road pavement. The more bicycles replace car trips, the less congested roads become, the safer roads become, and the cheaper roads become to build and maintain.

So encouraging more people to ride bicycles is a good thing for everyone in the community, even those people who don’t ride. Since 2015, the Region of Peel’s Community Cycling Program has helped thousands of Brampton, Caledon and Mississauga residents become safer, more proficient cyclists both for transportation and recreation. The program offers a range of free services including, bicycle loans, bicycle repair training and bicycle riding mentorship. Participants in the program have saved money, improved their health, increased their confidence and skill and better connected with their communities.

Peel recently completed a retrospective analysis of the program’s results over the 5 years it has been operating since the first pilot project began in Brampton in 2015. The full report can be accessed here. The report concludes the Community Cycling Program has successfully increased access to cycling, increased cycling skills and knowledge, and made cycling in the Region a normative behaviour by creating a cycling community. Peel is now evaluating how the program fits into its integrated transportation plans for the future. Let’s hope it will come up with an approach that will expand the program and provide long-term stable funding.

Download the full Peel Report

BikeWrx 2022 Success

Integrating BikeWrx into the Brampton Community

BikeBrampton integrates the Brampton Bike Hub and Caledon Bike Hub BikeWrx programs into the community through partnerships. This encourages new and existing cyclists to consider riding. Learning basic bike repair skills empowers people to ride for transportation and to venture longer distances. Having help with route planning removes another barrier to cycling.

BikeWrx pop-up at Earth Day Apr 23rd, Norton Place Park

BikeWrx education for families at Earth Day

Sonia demonstrated how to load a bike onto Brampton Transit bus. Electrical bus on display at Earth Day.

Success! Trying a new skill with support and without pressure makes using a bike for “first-mile-last-mile” transit trips much more possible.

Brampton Bike Hub BikeWrx pop-up at Fletchers Creek SNAP (Sustainable Neighbourhood Action Plan), Fred Kline Park, Earth Day — combined event with CVC tree planting.

BikeWrx pop-up at Bramalea Secondary School packed with eager students. June is Bike Month!

Carabram Park Brampton Bike Hub BikeWrx pop-up at Cycling Advisory Committee Community Ride start location.

Caledon BikeWrx pop-up, along Caledon Trailway, Inglewood

BikeWrx pop-up at Algoma University at start of the semester. Introduced students to the community, and borrowing, repairing their bike.

BikeWrx pop-up at Vivian Lane painting event. Social media video image capture from Councillor Santos

Brampton Bike Hub Bike Valet at Farmers Market. Vistors securely left their bikes while shopping!

Mom and her child cycled to Farmers Market, used the bike valet while shopping for fresh produce. Her child instantly falls asleep as Mom pedals!

Pedalwise Group Rides

Pedalwise group ride in March. Said ‘goodbye’ to former protege who was moving out of town.

When the chain came off and was jammed next to the frame, these Pedalwise mentors (2 of whom were formerly proteges), came to the rescue and freed the chain! BikeWrx training works!

Pedalwise group ride to catch up with visiting former protege. A flat tire does not slow down this experienced group for long!

Different Spokes BikeWrx

Book your appointment for Different Spokes, our downtown Brampton DIY bike repair co-op.

BikeWrx in action at Different Spokes, 8 Nelson St. W.

Different Spokes participants planned their cycling routes using the new City of Brampton trail and bike lane map.

Link to Brampton Trail and Bike Lane map

Bike the Creek 2022

REGISTRATION OPEN #bikethecreek22

Bike the Creek is an awesome FREE community event held on June 18th. It raises awareness on the benefits of cycling and how active transportation is essential to building a healthy and sustainable community. Established in 2014, the event is planned with partners, BikeBrampton, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), City of Brampton, Town of Caledon and City of Mississauga. This event attracts over 1000 cycling enthusiasts and engages over 50 volunteers from the community.

Bike the Creek Cycling Jerseys:

Jakroo Canada virtual store is open for your Bike the Creek Jersey order! Our custom jerseys are on sale until May 12th 2:59am. Estimated delivery May 30th to your address, via FedEx. Signature required. Anyone can purchase an event jersey from Jakroo Canada Inc. at a cost of $61.00, available in youth, women and men sizes. Technical t-shirt available at $46.00. Great for a gift or for yourself! To see a 3-D sample of the Bike the Creek jersey, click here. Sizing chart available in the virtual store.

Whether you can ride 5 or 65 kilometres, this event is for you! It’s not a race. It’s a community party where you can enjoy nature, see friends, make new ones and enjoy yourself. Kids can try out the Bike Rodeo.

Visit our booths at Jim Archdekin, and stop at the pavilions along the way. Here’s a small sample of sponsors and vendors, and there will be many more!

Stop to scan the QR code posters to learn about civic facts and BikeBrampton’s video safety tips!

REGISTER NOW

Dayle and David delegated on behalf of BikeBrampton to City of Brampton Council.

Earth Day Bike Tour

Join one of four BikeBrampton led bike rides to Earth Day celebration at Norton Place Park on Sat Apr 23^rd. People are encouraged to walk, cycle or take public transit to promote environmental sustainability.

Rides leave at 9:15am. Send an email to info@bikebrampton.ca telling us which ride number below you will be joining.

Shoppers World Plaza near Tim Hortons, led by George
Carabram Park at Eagleridge Dr. just s of Cliff Swallow Crt, led by Lisa
Earnscliffe Recreation Centre, Eastbourne Dr., led by Steve & Cindy
Loafer’s Lake Recreation Centre, Loafer’s Lake Lane, led by David & Dayle

City of Brampton and Brampton Environmental Alliance’s first Earth Day Environmental Celebration and Grow Green Awards Ceremony will be held Saturday, April 23, at Norton Place Park from 10 am to 2 pm.

This is a public event! Everyone is invited to take part in the festivities as City of Brampton celebrates and showcases community leaders with the Grow Green Awards.

Come out to meet and speak with local environmental groups, such as BikeBrampton, Heart Lake Turtle Troopers, Sierra Club, Community Climate Council, Human Impact Environment, Friends of Dorchester Park, Heart Lake Happenings, Brampton Horticultural Society, and Toronto Region Conservation Authority (TRCA). Family-friendly activities are planned during the day including a nature walk, and a kid’s zone.

“Come visit the Heart Lake Turtle Troopers tent and learn what we are doing to protect and monitor the local turtle population. Find out about Ontario’s native and invasive turtle species, how we protect turtle nests and monitor habitats, and interact with our displays. We’ll also have turtle-themed activities in the Kids Zone!”

Explore the park in detail with members of Community Climate Council . “Nature in Norton: Exploring a Hidden Gem in the Heart of Brampton.”

Norton Park represents Brampton in a way; the plants and animals that reside in Norton are as beautifully diverse as the people who call Brampton home. Like Brampton, this exceptional diversity is the strength of this park and marks it as a rare jewel within the City. Come enjoy the wonder of big trees and learn a few nature nuggets about this incredible park!

A light lunch will be provided. There is no cost for lunch, but registration through Eventbrite is required to get your food voucher. Registration will close once maximum capacity is reached.

Important Consideration: this event endeavours to balance community and public safety. For this outdoor event, we aim to maintain physical distancing. City staff and volunteers will be wearing masks and COVID-19 assessments are required at the entrances of the event. Participants are welcome to choose whether or not to wear a mask. At this time, if you are uncomfortable being outdoors with others who do not wear a mask, please do not register. You are welcome to join at a future event.

Streets for People

Turning the pyramid on its end, Brampton proclaimed Streets for People. Brampton’s 2040 Vision stated civic sustainability emphasizes walking, then cycling, then transit, and finally vehicles.

City of Brampton’s 29.3 km of new bike facilites for 2021 has been announced with a flurry of ‘bike lane coming soon’ signs for 17 roads. Building on the 19.7 km of infrastructure from 2020, Brampton is creating a solid cycling network that will encourage more people to shift to the bicycle for their transportation choice.

BikeBrampton shares good news with the Media

BikeBrampton Chair David Laing was interviewed for Brampton Guardian article by Clarrie Feinstein on May 14th.

BikeBrampton reviews bike lanes coming to Glenvale Blvd Video

This video formed a follow-up delegation to Brampton Council on May 19th.

Streets for People Bike Lanes Delegation to Brampton Cycling Advisory Committee

2021 Streets for People Bike Lanes – BCAC

Cycling Chronicles Vol 5

The reason we ride bicycles is different for each cyclist. There is something universal among all cyclists. Bicycles represent freedom.

The modern bicycle, the design of which has not significantly changed in over a hundred and forty years, symbolizes the same thing it did in the 1880s. The freedom to travel. This freedom to travel was accentuated by the fact that your engine of travel was totally reliant on your own energy output.

There was no hitching up of horses or getting on a steam train. You proceeded directly from your residence to wherever you wanted to go. To make this easier, bicycle manufacturers organized and lobbied for better roads, which, literally paved the way for the automobile. You could say walking was also freedom, but it was a freedom limited to how far you wanted to go and how much you had to take with you. Cycling, on the other hand, greatly expanded how far you could go in a day or even an afternoon. The great advantage to cycling was its efficiency. In fact, in terms of energy consumed for distance traveled, it is the most efficient way of travelling invented.

To children of many generations, the acquisition of a bicycle was their first taste of freedom, as their world expanded by leaps and bounds. My first trips to Claireville Conservation Area, Eldorado Park and Toronto International Airport were the epic adventures of my youth. Always enjoyed with at least one friend, if not a group of friends.

In my mid twenties, my perspective of the freedom that cycling provided took on a new perspective with my exposure to a motorcycle enthusiasts magazine called “Easyriders”. I believe the inspiration for the magazine came from the movie “Easy Rider” released in 1969. The plot of this movie followed the two lead characters experiencing the adventure of riding across part of the United States on custom choppers. Songs from the soundtrack, like Steppenwolf’s “Born to Be Wild” reinforced this theme that living your life to the fullest happens on the open road.

In the magazine “Easyriders”, besides stories about custom built motorcycles, which were usually Harley Davidson derived, and the obligatory picture almost always was draped with scantily clad model, but they were really selling something else. They were selling a counterculture that revolved around the freedom of a type of travel. In America, this freedom dated back to a romanticized depiction of the wandering cowboy of the nineteenth century, that was portrayed in many Hollywood movies and also in travelling old west rodeos. This continued in American pop culture and still exists today. In 1986, Jon Bon Jovi sang “I’m a cowboy. On a steel horse I ride”.

Of course, I did not really identify with the outlaw or one percenter aspect of what this biker culture was espousing. I did identify with the sub-culture aspect, where I realized that what I was doing, although accepted, was not practiced by a large cross-section of the population. However, this was actually part of the attraction for me. The fact that if you came across another cyclist, on a country road, you would give them a knowing wave and smile, as you were both part of a fraternity. In an era before the advent of cell phones, the unwritten rule was that if you saw a fellow cyclist with a mechanical or other problem by the side of the road, you would stop and offer assistance. I still follow this rule.

The mindset that left an impression on me, from the pages of “Easy Riders” was that those of us who that travelled on two wheels in the open air, were experiencing something more. A more honest type of travel. To highlight this, the motorcycle aficionados coined the term “cagers”, which was applied to anyone who travelled by car. The term had obvious intonation that car drivers were not really experiencing the freedom of the road since they were cocooned in a cage-like structure and hence, were unable to appreciate the same sights, smells and wind-in-your face as the motorcyclists did.

I took this thinking to heart and realized that traveling on a bicycle one-upped the motorcyclist’s experience by adding the additional sensation of travelling noiselessly. You can hear the environment you are travelling through.

The concept of the freedom of cycling has never been more pertinent than now, during a pandemic. It is not only an escape, but it brings a sense of normalcy back to your day. The requirements are so simple. All that is needed is a bicycle and a road or path. As previously mentioned, the fact that you are out of a “cage” and experiencing the sights, sounds and smells of your environment makes you feel more alive, and hopefully, at the end of the ride, rejuvenated and serene.

photo credit: Dayle Laing, 2016 – image of Peter Bolton at Greg’s Ride, Milton

There were other stories to come out of this cycling adventure, but they are for another time. Story by Steve Stoller.

Cycling Chronicles Vol 4

Cycling Chronicles Vol 3

Cycling Chronicles Vol 2

Cycling Chronicles Vol 1

Brampton endorses historic energy plan

Brampton Council endorses historic energy plan, including 7% mode share for active transportation to meet 2041 targets.

City of Brampton Council unanimously passed motion to support the Community Energy and Emissions Reduction Plan (CEERP), and to initiate the creation of Community Centre for Energy Transformation (CCET).

This will position Brampton as a community leader in the fight against climate change.

Community Energy and Emissions Reduction Plan 2020 Report

CEERP provides a path for the City to be environmentally sustainable while providing significant economic, social and health benefits to City residents.

According to a 2016 energy audit, almost 80% of the City’s carbon emissions come from transportation, (mostly private vehicles) and from energy inefficient homes.

As part of the CEERP, Brampton Council has adopted aggressive targets for greenhouse gas reductions, especially in these areas.

The CEERP calls for the City to implement 6 priority projects within the next 5 years.

Priority Project # 6 is particularly exciting. The Community Centre for Energy Transformation will be a not-for-profit entity independent from the City. This will operate independently from the City and not be subject to City restrictions or changes with Council priorities.

Regular readers of BikeBrampton blogs will recall that the CCET is the revised name for Institute for Sustainable Brampton, which was reported in our Jan 13, 2019 blog post.

The CCET will support community wide projects by accessing funding from both the government and private sectors. It will allow the City to create thousands of well-paying green jobs and help repatriate a large portion of the billions of dollars that are currently leaving the community through energy costs to large multinationals and through energy waste.

Most important to active transportation advocates and enthusiasts is that it will provide for more funding and programming to encourage walking and cycling in the City of Brampton.

City of Brampton media release

Williams Parkway Widening Issue

BikeBrampton encourages residents support Option 3 for Williams Parkway to remain 4 lanes with multi-use path, treed landscaped showing sustainability leadership for Climate Emergency, 2040 Vision and Active Transportation Master Plan. Ask the Mayor and your Councillors to vote for Option 3, by sending your letter prepared by the David Suzuki Foundation.

City of Brampton Staff is proposing to widen Williams Parkway between McLaughlin Road and North Park Drive from 4 to 6 lanes, as planned since 2004. The latest collective knowledge about vibrant city planning, Brampton’s Active Transportation Master Plan (2019), Brampton’s 2040 Vision (2018), and Brampton’s declared Climate Emergency (2019) have cast a much different light on what was logical in 2004, Brampton’s Transit and Transportation Master Plan (2009) and the Environmental Assessment (2011).

Council passed a unanimous motion to pause Williams Parkway road widening

Council passed a Motion on October 23, 2019 to request Staff review options and opportunities for managing traffic congestion due to growth and for maximizing people-moving capacity management opportunities, improvements to active transportation (walking, cycling) and transit infrastructure and services, and operational interventions and improvements, in particular at intersections.

Council Workshop on Williams Parkway Options

Staff returned with a Council Workshop on June 15, 2020, recognizing that “Brampton is at a pivotal point in development”, “we cannot keep doing things the same way” and there are “contrasting views on increasing people moving capacity vs. congestion”. Because “Williams Parkway is the first of several previously identified 6 lane widening projects currently pending”, it is critical that we make the right decision for the growth that Brampton will experience and for our limited time to plan for climate change. Council Workshop Presentation

Option #3 narrows Williams Parkway existing 4 lanes – best choice

It creates more space for the multi-use path and additional trees, shrubs, and a park-like setting. It offers the best solution for encouraging AT with safety, comfort and protection for vulnerable cyclists and pedestrians. Narrowed lanes calms the traffic speeds. This option is most aligned with Brampton’s 2040 Vision, the Active Transportation Master Plan, and Brampton’s declaration of a Climate Emergency.

This is Brampton’s Chance to demonstrate Sustainability Leadership

The Williams Parkway project is our opportunity to make sure that Brampton’s urban planning is in line with our more recent publicly supported plans. It is a watershed decision that will impact the other proposed road expansions to 6 lanes and indicates that Brampton is a sustainability leader. Please complete the online survey which can be found here

Send a letter to Mayor Brown and your Councillors by following this link to a letter prepared by the David Suzuki Foundation.

Staff recommended Option #1 (not unanimous across Staff departments)

Option #1 would proceed with widening 4 lanes to 6 lanes of traffic, providing HOV and transit in the curb lanes. The sidewalk would be removed, and a 3 m. multi-use path for shared cycling and pedestrians would be added to both sides of the road, extending to the sound barrier. Virtually all the green landscaping and trees would be removed, leaving an asphalt corridor. This road is not designated for bus rapid transit. We are not in favour of this option for the following reasons:

Issues with Option #1

1. Induced Demand Effect on Congestion

Induced Demand is a concept well understood by planners since 2011, yet often ignored in traffic demand modelling. It means that building more traffic lanes won’t alleviate congestion. A bigger road offers more supply and this makes driving more attractive, which encourages people to get behind the wheel. Traffic does not get better. When Houston expanded their freeway to 26 lanes at a cost of $2.8 billion, over the next 3 years traffic actually became worse and travel times increased by 30% in the morning commute and 55% in the afternoon. The cost of widening roads is neither an effective use of tax dollars, nor is it good for the environment. Video demonstrating Induced Demand.

2. Trees & Green Spaces – Brampton’s 2040 Vision

Option #1 give the appearance of an asphalt and concrete thoroughfare. Brampton’s 2040 Vision #1 stated that “Brampton will be a mosaic of sustainable places, sitting in an interconnected green park network, with its people as environmental stewards – targeting ‘one-planet’ living.”

3. Safe, Comfortable Active Transportation Infrastructure

Brampton’s 2040 Vision #4 stated that “Brampton will be a mosaic of safe, integrated transportation choices and new modes, contributing to civic sustainability, and emphasizing walking, cycling, and transit”. Brampton’s ATMP also emphasizes Complete Streets and the need for an integrated AT network, sustainable community design and global best practices. Option #1 will not give either cyclists or pedestrians the feeling of comfort between a faster moving HOV lane and the tall sound barrier. Crossing six lanes of traffic is less compatible with Vision Zero.

4. Explore other options for replacing or using Development Charges

The Workshop and the survey assert that DC funding makes Option #1 the most economical for the Brampton taxpayer. This may not be the only solution to selecting the best option.

5. COVID-19 potential changes to Traffic Demand

The traffic demand modelling does not account for potential changes due to COVID-19. There might be permanent drops in traffic as more people continue to work from home. Certain businesses may not reopen.

Option #2 keeps Williams Parkway existing 4 lanes

Option #2 changes the sidewalk to a multi-use path for pedestrians and bikes. There is more of a green landscaping buffer between the vehicles and the path. This option is preferable to Option #1 in our opinion.

We therefore request support for Williams Parkway Option #3.

Make your Voice Heard – Complete the Survey before Aug 1st

Please complete the online survey which can be found here

Bike the Creek Environmentally Sustainable Communities

Due to precautionary measures surrounding COVID-19, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), City of Brampton, City of Mississauga, Town of Caledon, Region of Peel and BikeBrampton have made the collective decision to cancel the 2020 Bike the Creek event scheduled for Saturday June 13^th.

We look forward to welcoming you all at the 2021 Bike the Creek virtual event in June.

This post was written on Jan 26th, before the events of COVID-19 unfolded. Your Bike the Creek planning committee is a model of collaborative partnership. The details of this post are being maintained below, as we look ahead to making our plans become a reality in 2021.

The main purpose of the Bike the Creek event is to encourage active transportation and to increase environmental awareness in our communities. The theme for this year’s event is Environmentally Sustainable Communities and we want this year’s Bike the Creek to be a celebration of environmental sustainable plans and practices.

We all know that the population growth in Peel Region continues putting tremendous pressure on our environment by reducing habitat for plants and animals, as well as producing large amounts of waste products that pollute our land and water and contribute to climate change.

Economic growth and environmental sustainability go hand in hand, and decisions made at the municipal have a tremendous impact on both our financial prosperity and our environmental quality of life.

The good news is that all three municipal governments in Peel Region are taking climate responsibility seriously!

By spending a few minutes at the Bike the Creek pavilions you can learn what our municipal governments and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority are doing as well as the role you can play in keeping our planet clean and green.

Encourage your co-workers, friends and family to come out and show your support for Environmentally Sustainable Communities in the Region of Peel.

See you there, from your Bike the Creek partners: Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), City of Brampton, Town of Caledon, City of Mississauga, Region of Peel and BikeBrampton!

For event information

It’s a FREE event!

Brampton ATMP

The Active Transportation Master Plan was endorsed by City of Brampton on Sept 25, 2019.

The City’s first ever Active Transportation Master Plan provides the network plan, policies and programs to support Brampton’s 2040 Vision for a mosaic of safe, integrated transportation choices and new modes, contributions to civic sustainability, and emphasizing walking, cycling, and transit.

Brampton Active Transportation Master Plan Full Report

Active Transportation (walking, cycling and other self-propelled mobility options) presents one of the greatest untapped opportunities for reducing single occupant vehicle trips, and for addressing a host of community design and public health issues. Incorporating global best practices in active transportation and promoting the concept of ‘complete streets’ and ‘sustainable’ community design is a guiding principle for the City’s planning and engineering efforts.

The Active Transportation Master Plan focuses on the implementation strategy for building a connected cycling and pedestrian network across the City (and connecting to neighbouring municipalities) to enable safer, more convenient travel by non-motorized modes, and to encourage cycling as a viable means of transportation for both recreational and utilitarian purposes for the general public.

BikeBrampton & BCAC members came out to support Brampton ATMP delegation, championed by Councillor Rowena Santos and Councillor Paul Vincente.

Region of Peel Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Jessica Hopkins sees the new ATMP as “an opportunity to promote the health of Brampton residents”. She delegated about the health issue of physical inactivity, where “62% of the adult population in Peel is overweight or obese and 1 in 6 adults has diabetes. Only 15% of adults and 7% of children in Canada meet the minimum requirements for daily physical activity.” Dr. Hopkins added that “more physical activity improves mental health and overall well-being. Reduced vehicle use improves air quality and respiratory health. Walking and cycling infrastructure investments improve road safety.”

MOH Dr. Jessica Hopkins delegating on Brampton ATMP.

Kevin Montgomery, BCAC Co-Chair delegated in support of the ATMP, suggesting the resources and funding requests be approved. The budget request for 20 years is comparable to a one-year budget for widening of 4 roads.

BCAC Co-Chair Kevin Montgomery delegating in support of ATMP

David Laing, BikeBrampton Chair delegated with a show of support for the Brampton ATMP, suggesting “funding requests as outlined by staff be approved and that staff take the appropriate steps to begin implementation”. David’s delegation

BikeBrampton Chair David Laing delegating in support of Brampton ATMP, as City of Brampton Active Transportation Manager Nelson Cadete looks on.

BikeBrampton has long awaited Brampton’s Active Transportation Master Plan. We congratulate City of Brampton staff, especially Nelson Cadete, Henrik Zbogar and Tamara Kwast for their dedication and expertise in working with IBI Group to create this excellent plan. We appreciate that they have encouraged the dozens of hours of input from BikeBrampton members.

Archive

Summarizing 5 Years of Community Cycling in Peel Region

Peel Region Publishes a Retrospective Analysis of its Community Cycling Program in Brampton, Caledon & Mississauga.

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BikeWrx 2022 Success