Meetings

The SCU did not meet in the summer of 2014 – we were too busy doing things!
We also do not meet over the winter. Watch for a meeting in April 2015!

 

May 6, 2014 general meeting

Elections poll and questions

  • The members attending reviewed 5 proposed questions for a municipal election poll. A discussion was held about how the City’s “$400,000 for active transportation from development charges” proposal would impact the questions. There was agreement on the wording of the questions and a proposal to add an “explain why/why not” to each question in order to get candidates to expand on their answers. In the next stage, the poll will be circulated more widely for comments.
  • The intent is to start sending the questions to candidates next month in order to begin generating conversations before summer hiatus.
  • The questions can also be used to target specific conversations with candidates and with the general public about individual topics that are reflected in the questions.

Recruitment

  • There was a brief discussion about how and why we target additional members. A community engagement project by reThink Green may provide opportunities since the SCU currently does not have the capacity to organize recruitment drives.

Commuter Challenge

  • Commuter Challenge is June 1 – June 7. Key events include Bike Fest on June 1 and the Sudbury Share the Road Ride on June 5. The SCU may also organize workshops during the week. Check the Sudbury Cycles site for updates.
  • A suggestion was to invite the “bike police” to assist with an organized ride during the week.

Upcoming Events

  • Manitoulin Share the Road Ride – June 7 and 8
  • Clara Hughes Cycles – June 27
  • Check the website Events calendar for additional details

Next Meeting

  • The next meeting is on June 3, 7 pm at reThink Green. This meeting may be moved due to Commuter Challenge week.

April 1, 2014 general meeting

Advocacy: Second Avenue and other campaigns

  • The issue of no safe cycling on Second Avenue was discussed. There is the possibility of a meeting with the City to discuss changing the plans to include separated cycling infrastructure. The SCU will continue to lobby councillors for changes and perhaps a motion to change how capital projects are planned and how to include advisory groups like the Sustainable Mobility Advisory Panel.
  • The SCU will mount an I bike, I vote campaign for the municipal elections.

Election Survey

  • A discussion was held around what questions will be asked to municipal candidates. A small group of members will work on the questions so they can be reviewed at the next meeting.

Recruitment

  • Members discussed how to engage organizations like the Chamber of Commerce, the hospital, the Sudbury & District Health Unit and the university and colleges. This will require someone to coordinate the activities that will be needed.

Upcoming Events

  • Earthday – April 26 – we need volunteers!
  • Bike Fest – June 1 – we need volunteers!
  • reThink Green workshops – check the SCU events calendar.
  • Yearly BBQ – will be scheduled shortly.
  • CAN-Bike and other courses – are being coordinated through the Sudbury Cycles collaborative.

Next Meeting

  • The next meeting is on May 6, 7 pm at reThink Green.

March 4, 2014 general meeting 

Sudbury municipal elections

  • The group discussed options for getting platforms from candidates and the questions that we may want to send to them in a survey form.
  • It was agreed that specific questions were best – eg do you support xxx ?
  • It was suggested that we should concentrate on the top items that we had requested at the last public budget input session, eg Complete Streets, Active Transportation or perhaps Transportation Demand Management, 1% budget for new cycling infrastructure.
  • It was felt that we needed to ask how they would ensure that the cycling policies and plans are actually implemented, given that Council has talked a lot about supporting cycling, but implementation and budgets have been lacking.
  • Members are to think about how the format and specific questions they would like to see for review at the next meeting.

2014 budget

  • The group discussed Council’s failure to provide line items funds for cycling in the 2014 budget, in particular the fact that the only option was budget add-ons and no attempt to find existing dollars through a re-evaluation of the roads budget priorities. It was felt that a suggestion by Joe Cimino to find permanent dollars through development fees was not enough of a commitment. The development fees policy is currently under review, and the SCU will be watching for its presentation to Council.
  • CBC Radio has also contacted the SCU to comment on the issue; they will also be interviewing David Shelsted and Tony Cecutti. Additional advocacy will be determined once the development fees policy is presented, and once the Transportation Study recommendations are presented to the public.

General updates

  • There is a “letter to the editor” workshop on Friday, March 7, 2014 at 5:00 pm in the ERC at reThink Green. This workshop is hosted by the Coalition for a Liveable Sudbury.
  • There has been interest expressed in having a co-op of some sorts in the downtown core for locals who need minor repairs or bike parts. Kevin Morgan is interested in doing some repair workshops and offering access to tools and parts and will provide us with some suggestions re implementation.
  • The Transportation Study final report is due sometime in March and a public input session will be scheduled by the City of Greater Sudbury.
  • reThink Green has been asked by the CBC and possibly Northern Life to provide articles on green living and is asking member groups if they would like to be included in the monthly articles. It was agreed that we would participate.
  • The Coalition for a Liveable Sudbury has a project called Chez Nous On The Rocks which is a “A video project exploring what makes the City of Greater Sudbury a great place to live, and what would make it even better.” It was agreed that we would participate and a few members are planning to submit some videos about winter cycling. Work will be done sometime next week. Other videos will also be done. See: Video Project.
  • The Sustainable Mobility Advisory Committee met on March 3rd, 2014. They will be presenting their yearly report to the Community Services Committee on April 14. The report will provide recommendations for the rest of Council’s term as well as recommendations for the next Council.
  • The SCU has submitted a letter of support for a proposed Rainbow Routes project that focuses on physical literacy in cycling, snowshoeing and urban poling. The SCU will be asked to provide volunteers for teaching cycling courses and workshops.

Important events for the next few months

  • Ontario Bike Summit – April 14, 15
  • Earthday – April 26
  • Sudbury Cycles and kids bike exchanges – May 10 and May 31. We are looking for volunteers for the exchange dates and for some evenings that will facilitate bicycle collection from the public.
  • New Sudbury Days – June 7. We have been asked to be present to provide cycling workshops for kids and adults, safety information, and maybe bells, helmets, etc.
  • Commuter Challenge – Jun 1-7. The new cycling cooperative Sudbury Cycles (a collaboration of the City of Greater Sudbury, the Sudbury and District Health Unit, Rainbow Routes Association and the SCU) will be leading the project.
  • Manitoulin Share the Road Ride – Jun 7-8. Two days of rides are again available this year. The cost is $65 for both days and $40 for one day. Register at the MICA site: MICA

Next Meeting

  • The next meeting is on April 1, 7 pm at reThink Green.

February 4, 2014 general meeting 

Organization and Structure

  • Confirmed that the Chair is Rachelle Niemela and the Vice-Chair is Dan Barrette. Members are encouraged to assist in recruiting additional members who might be interested in fulfilling other roles, i.e. events/activities coordinator, communications.

Sudbury Cycles

  • The City of Greater Sudbury, the Sudbury and District Health Unit, Rainbow Routes and the Sudbury Cyclists Union have partnered to create a collaborative called “Sudbury Cycles”. It will deliver various community cycling programming, including bike exchanges, CAN-Bike courses, the Commuter Challenge and cycling promotion at community events.
  • A website should be in place by end of February, and Sudbury Cycles is currently working on confirming details for two bike exchanges in May.

Official Plan and Transportation Study

  • The Official Plan is due for release sometime after March, and the Transportation Study for March. The SCU will need plan on responding to the final report; there will be opportunity for public input.

Georgian Bay Cycling Route

  • Rachelle Niemela is on the Steering Committee for the Georgian Bay Cycling Route feasibility study and presented a summary of the work to date. She asked for input for the suggested route that will allow cycling tourists to travel through Sudbury. The SCU discussed a number of options and Rachelle will forward the recommendations to the Steering Committee.

Advocacy

  • The SCU discussed a number of advocacy initiatives that were done since the last meeting and the results. Included were the 40 km/hr speed reduction for residential streets motion that was defeated at Council (although a positive outcome is that the City will implement school speed zones in the remaining 20 schools in Sudbury that do not yet have them; and they are looking at implementing these zones in the area of all playgrounds in 2015). An update was also provided on the request for 1% of the 2014 roads budget for cycling infrastructure (staff have not yet brought options back to Council).
  • There is interest in attending a “letter to the editor” writing workshop that would be hosted by the Coalition for a Liveable Sudbury. There were no preferred dates identified by members.

Yearly report

  • Rachelle Niemela informed members that a yearly report has been posted as an article on the main page of the website.
  • A communications plan is not yet ready for review, but hopefully we’ll have a draft by the next meeting.
  • The SCU reviewed the small expenses that were spent last year. The main expense forecasted for this year is the renewal of the web hosting solution in December 2014 (approx. $150).

Projects

  • It was agreed that we would continue work on the bike racks inventory. A suggestion to look at existing smartphone apps to assist in the recording will be investigated.

Partnerships

  • The SCU is now a member of EarthCare and reThink Green.

November 5, 2013 general meeting

Members at the meeting agreed to the following directions for 2014:

Organization and Structure

  • The SCU will continue to use the name Sudbury Cyclists Union, especially for advocacy purposes, but will also investigate using the name Sudbury Cycles for projects and activities. Sudbury Cycles would be a less confrontational approach because the word “union” can be misunderstood. This would be a direction that is similar to the Toronto Cyclists Union which is now using the Cycle Toronto name. Discussions with Rainbow Routes Association, who previously used the name Sudbury Cycles, will be required. The SCU already owns the domain sudburycycles.ca.
  • The SCU will move towards a bit more formal structure i.e. with a Chair or President and a few other positions. At the moment, a few key individuals are the only ones who take the initiative to lead projects and campaigns, but there are no clear responsibilities defined for individuals. Having more people involved with clear roles will provide more stability and additional resources, especially for projects or campaigns.
  • Partnerships will be solicited with cycling-related clubs and organizations in the region in order to help coordinate efforts to improve the cycling culture in Sudbury.

Planning for Coming Year

  • Advocacy: Political advocacy will continue to be the primary goal for the SCU, especially for major initiatives like the Official Plan and the Transportation Study. There is interest in a campaign to solicit support from candidates for the municipal elections which will be held in November 2014. Other campaigns that were discussed included additional rides, postcard campaigns, a petition, and videos. There is also interest in mentoring members to write letters to the editor and to Council.
  • Events: The SCU will continue to participate in the events for which the SCU has previously provided volunteers, including bike exchanges, Northern Lights Folk Festival bike valet parking, and others. Rainbow Routes Association has offered to provide its mobile bike rack, its tent, and other equipment if the SCU wishes to organize or participate in an event. There is the possibility of organizing more events, but this will require additional involvement by SCU members.
  • Education: SCU members will continue to offer workshops and training (especially its CAN-Bike instructors). It will also assist other organizations who wish to run campaigns directed towards educating cyclists and motorists in Sudbury. The SCU will investigate offering modular workshops as an alternative to courses previously offered by Rainbow Routes as weekend courses.
  • Projects: The SCU will focus on completing the Sudbury Bike Racks project in 2014.
  • Partnerships: The SCU will continue to partner with Rainbow Routes and the Coalition for a Liveable Sudbury and will actively seek out partnerships with other organizations that support cycling in Sudbury. Representatives from the Cycling Grannies and the Sudbury Women’s Cycling Club were at the meeting and will link with the SCU for events and campaigns. The SCU will attempt to connect with the Greater Sudbury Police Service, the Sudbury Cycling Club, the Walden Mountain Bike Club, the Community Action Networks, the Sudbury and District Health Unit, and other organizations as well as post-secondary schools to create linkages that will support a cycling culture. There is a need to recruit additional members who can help with SCU activities.
  • Fundraising: This will be discussed later as the need arises.
  • Public Relations: The material that the SCU already uses (website, facebook group, email distribution list, brochures, bulletin board, and banner) are good for 2014. There is interest in using media releases for specific initiatives.

July 11, 2013 general meeting 

Projects

  • Testing on the Bike Inventory project is continuing until August 2013.

Education

  • A meeting with the Greater Police Services is outstanding.

Advocacy/Campaigns

  • The CAA campaign is still outstanding
  • A cycling petition was deferred to the next meeting.
  • The SCU will submit a response to the third Elgin Greenway Open House held on July 9, 2013, as discussed at the meeting
  • The SCU will submit a response to the Transportation Study Open House held on June 19, 2013; feedback was discussed at the meeting and additional feedback will be solicited electronically from members.

Public Relations

  • Additional brochures will be printed for use in events throughout the summer and fall.
  • The SCU banner will be adjusted to include the SCU website address.

Events

  • The next major events are the Share the Road ride and Donovan Days, both in August.

June 6, 2013 general meeting:

Projects

  • The Bike Inventory is in testing phase and a number of entries have been made. Testing will continue for the next few weeks.

Education

  • A meeting shortly with the Greater Police Services is outstanding.
  • CAN-BIKE courses are continuing.

Advocacy/Campaigns

  • Several campaigns are ongoing, including the CAA and Ontario CAN campaigns.
  • The SCU submitted a response to the second open house for the Elgin Greenway.
  • Members discussed the approach for the submission to the 2014 budget public input session, which will be held on June 18th. A draft presentation will be circulated to members next week.
  • A cycling petition was deferred to the next meeting.

Public Relations

  • The existing SCU promotional materials seem to be well accepted by the public.

Events

  • The SCU will participate in the Northern Lights Folk Festival in July. Participation will include assisting with Bike Valet parking and with a Greenville parade.

May 5 , 2013 general meeting:

Projects

  • The Bike Inventory is a priority for the next few months. The scope of the project and activities were discussed. Further information on the project will be distributed using social media and a call out for volunteers is forthcoming.

Education

  • The SCU will be meeting shortly with the Greater Police Services to discuss this year’s activities and opportunities for collaboration.
  • CAN-BIKE courses have been booked, including Learn to Ride and more advanced cycling skills courses. Several SCU members will be instructing.

Advocacy/Campaigns

  • Members are encouraged to participate in the Elgin Greenway Open House on May 9th. The SCU will aggregate member feedback and provide a written letter.
  • The Silver Hills development is moving slowly and the City has no new designs ready for review.
  • The SCU is continuing to attempt to contact the CAA about running CAA cycling campaigns in our region.
  • It is anticipated that the Transportation Study report will be released for public review in mid-June. The SCU has prepared a study that compares the City’s recommendations for routes with the BAP and SMAP recommendations. We will be in a position to respond to the report when it is released.
  • A public input session will be held on June 18 for the 2014 Budget. Our next meeting will focus on developing our requests and proposals.
  • The SCU discussed how it could foster opportunities for input into infrastructure development and changes made by the City. It was agreed to continue to focus on getting Complete Streets adopted into the Official Plan, to investigate lobbying councillors; to respond to any Transportation Study guidelines; and to work with   our members who are on the Sustainable Mobility Advisory Panel.
  • The SCU reviewed the April Sustainable Mobility Advisory Panel April meeting. Of special interest was the discussion around requests for the 2014 Budget.
  • The SCU reviewed the Ontario CAN campaign that is being organized by the Share the Road Coalition. Members of the SCU will be participating. The main intent is to lobby the provincial members of parliament to get their support to dedicate 1% of the roads infrastructure budget to cycling infrastructure. Additional information will be available soon on our website.
  • A cycling petition item was deferred to the next meeting.

Public Relations

  • Members reviewed the flyers, banner, and display board prepared for Earth Day. The flyers are posted on our site (under SCU materials) and additional comments are welcome.
  • There were a few minor changes to our website last month – namely the change of the logo; the reorganization of sidebar link categories; and changing post displays to summaries in order to better display our home page. We will also change our motto to “Get Smart. Get Cycling.” This will match the motto that is currently being used on other public relations material.

Events

  • As there were no volunteers available to coordinate our participation in the Sudbury Rocks Road Race, the SCU will not participate this year.
  • The SCU will participate in the Commuter Challenge, slated for June 2-8. We will contact EarthCare (who is organizing the event) to get more information and then plan our events.
  • Members were reminded about the SCU BBQ on May 18.
  • The SCU discussed our participation in the Green Gathering in April. This was a very good meeting where green organizations gathered to share coming priorities; and discuss common concerns and opportunities for sharing resources and knowledge. Additional information is available on our website.

Next Meeting:

  • There is a conflict with the meeting scheduled for June. The meeting was moved to Thursday, June 6th at 7 pm. The location will be confirmed shortly. Most of the meeting will be dedicated to the 2014 budget requests.

April 7, 2013 general meeting:

Advocacy

The SCU is continuing to work on a response to the Transportation Study and should be ready when it is released for public review.

The Elgin Greenway project was reviewed and a response to the City was drafted. The draft will be circulated and sent to the City by end of week.

No additional information has been received about the Silver Hills subdivision development.

The SCU discussed some of the 2013 summer capital construction projects, including the major overhaul of the Lasalle/Notre Dame intersection. To date, the City has not announced any enhancements to cycling infrastructure for this year, and has confirmed that the Lasalle/Notre Dame enhancements will not include cycling infrastructure. The SCU discussed the best way to ask for updates from the City regarding capital budget and construction. Further discussions will be held among members.

The next priority will be the 2014 budget; the first public input session will be held on June 18, 2013.

The SCU is assisting the Coalition for a Liveable Sudbury in drafting a summary of Complete Streets principles, which will be presented to the Mayor. The hope is that this will assist in getting Sudbury to adopt the principles of Complete Streets in its Official Plan.

The SCU supported and was a signatory to a letter sent to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing expressing “our strong support for policies in the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) that are protective of natural heritage in the North.”  Coordinated by the Coalition for a Liveable Sudbury, 30 local green organizations were signatories. A copy has been posted on the website.

Other campaigns that are ongoing include the use of petitions and the CAA Watch for Bikes campaign.

Projects

The Bike Inventory Project will proceed as soon as the snow has melted. No other projects have been identified.

Education

The SCU has initiated its yearly outreach to the Greater Sudbury Police Services. CAN-BIKE courses are being booked for the summer by the Rainbow Routes Association and SCU CAN-BIKE instructors will participate.

Public Relations

A revised SCU draft flyer was circulated and will be posted on the website for other members to review. A final flyer will be prepared and printed in time for Earth Day at the end of the month. Another  safety tips flyer was also reviewed and will hopefully be also ready for Earth Day.

A monthly electronic newsletter was discussed and work will begin on it shortly.

Presentations to CANs (Community Action Networks) are ongoing. The PowerPoint presentation is available on our website.

Discussions about a media workshop was deferred.

Events

The priorities for the next few months will be Earth Day, activities with the Rainbow Routes Association (bike exchanges and rodeos, including Bike Fest 2013) and the Commuter Challenge.

Earth Day: The organizing committee is meeting this coming Tuesday, April 9th, 2013. The SCU has agreed to provide the following activities: SCU and safe cycling promotions (SCU and Rainbow Routes Association flyers and materials), one or more groups rides, a bike valet parking facility with the RRA tent for shade, mini safety rodeos for children.

Concern was expressed about the SCU holding any public events due to the fact that we are not insured for such events. The SCU will continue to volunteer to help with events organized by other organizations that have insurance, and will hold further discussions about how to fundraise for event monies. Incorporation was also discussed and will continue to be explored.

Member rides will continue and are usually held on the last Friday of every month.

Members were invited to participate in the Solidarity Against Austerity Rally and March on Friday, April 12, 2013.

Meetings

It was agreed that the SCU would hold its monthly meetings for June, July, and August on the first Tuesday of those months. The events will be posted on our website and facebook page.

March 3 , 2013 general meeting:

Advocacy

The members discussed the response from an inquiry to David Shelsted as to when the Transportation Study’s next public input session would be held. The response was that it would not be held any time soon. It was agreed that SCU members would proceed to prepare a response that would take into account the BAP, SMAP and City’s recommendations in regards to a cycling network. Work has been done on mapping the BAP recommendations, and comparing them to the recommendations from SMAP and extra recommendations from the consultants hired by the City to propose a network. More information will be posted on the SCU website once the base information has been completed. An inquiry has also been done to SMAP to get their response to the Transportation Study public input session, and the rationale behind the proposed network as it appears in the SMP (Sustainable Mobility Plan).

SMAP has decided not to proceed with a bike rack inventory project, as they feel it is not within their mandate. The SCU has decided to take on the project. More information should be available after the SMAP meeting on Monday, March 4, 2013.

An update was provided on the OMB appeal for Silver Hills Drive, which was settled by S. May and the City/Developers. An update on the issue has been posted on the SCU website.

Members discussed the upcoming SMAP meeting’s agenda. Of particular interest to the SCU:

  • The SCU has agreed to assist with the Bicycle Friendly City application if needed. This item was an identified SCU advocacy priority.
  • There are several new items on the agenda that will be of interest, namely review of BAP and SMP recommendations; Commuter Challenge; Bike Fest; and Safe Routes to Schools (another SCU priority)
  • It was noted that David Shelsted missed the last meeting, and has not been able to update the SMAP on a number of outstanding items. Members recommended that SMAP ask that designates be identified by the City for City representatives who cannot attend. Current City staff members include Chris Gore (Community Partnerships), Mark Simeoni (Planning), and David Shelsted (Transportation). A new member, Daniel Despatie respresents the Greater Sudbury Police Services. David Kilgour is the councillor who sits on the committee. The SCU recommendation will be forwarded to the SMAP.
  • It was noted that the new SMAP website contains agendas and notes of all their meetings.
  • Some important dates will also be discussed at the next meeting and updates will be forwarded. Of interest is the public consultation for the Elgin Street Greenway Project, the week of March 18, 2013.

Public Relations

Two members from the SCU have made a presentation about the SCU to two CANs – the Coniston CAN and the Ward 12 – New Sudbury Chapter CAN. A Powerpoint presentation has been developed and is available on the SCU website. Additional presentation dates will be communicated to members. Any member who wishes to attend may do so.

Meetings

It was agreed that the SCU would continue to hold monthly meetings on the first Sunday of each month. The venue will be communicated prior to the meeting. These meetings dates/times will be monitored and may be altered once the summer arrives.

Events

Members reviewed the events which have been identified to date that may require SCU volunteers. All events are posted on the SCU website’s events calendar. Additional events that the SCU has attended in the past and that are not yet posted include Wheels for Hospice and other activities held last year around Earth Day. Information will be posted on the website as it becomes available.

Priorities

Members discussed priorities and decided to focus on the following at this point in time:

  • An online petition asking for more/better cycling infrastructure.
  • A request that the CAA – Northeastern Ontario make available their Bike Safely campaign available on other areas of the province.
  • Our tentative response for the Transportation Study so we are prepared when the next public input session is announced.
  • Continuing to present at CAN (Community Action Networks) meetings.
  • Earth Day and other events in April/May will also be a priority.
  • A campaign to contact and establish partnerships with drivers education companies will be put on hold until further information is received around changes to the Drivers Handbooks.
  • Additional priorities that are on the SMAP list of projects will be evaluated once more is known about them.

January 13, 2013 general meeting:

Advocacy

Two guests from the Manitoulin Advisory Cycling Advocates presented a proposed Georgian Bay Cycling Route. The route would circle Georgian Bay starting in Sault Ste. Marie, then going to Sudbury, to Owen Sound, to the Bruce Penninsula, to Manitoulin Island and back to Sault Ste. Marie. The SCU is supportive and will be writing a letter of support to MICA. The SCU will assist MICA in any way required.

The SCU discussed the feedback required for the Draft Ontario Cycling Strategy. A response will be developed and circulated, and then submitted prior to the due date of January 29, 2013.

The Sustainable Mobility Advisory Panel is working on recommending new bike racks for city-owned buildings. A budget allocation of $10,000 is in the 2012 budget to purchase new racks. The SCU has been working on a similar project and will assist by updating their database of existing bike racks in Sudbury. Over the summer, additional information on bike racks across the city will be gathered and provided to the public at large.

In December, the SCU filed an appeal with the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB), in regards to the language of the rezoning approval for the Silver Hills Subdivision. The language was very specific about the proposed cycling infrastructure. The SCU had concerns because it was felt the design was not the best for both the proposed bike lanes, and the roundabout. The SCU is now finalizing settling. The intent is that all parties will agree on the requirement for cycling infrastructure, and that the conditions will contain less specific language about the required implementation. This will allow the city to require cycling infrastructure, and also allow additional dialogue to proceed on what is optimum for the design.

The SCU understands that the city may be proceeding on doing traffic calming on Attlee St. More information will be forwarded to members as it becomes available.

Public Relations

The SCU will be providing cycling articles to a news Sudbury magazine called Sports Life Magazine. The magazine will be published every 2 months. The SCU and Rainbow Routes will partner in providing articles. The first article will be written by the SCU and will be about getting bikes ready for spring and bike safety.

As part of the SCU partnership with the Coalition for a Liveable Sudbury (CLS), a letter of support was developed for presentations to CANs. The letter asks CANs to support the 4 green priorities, including the priority “Save, convenient and connected cycling routes). The SCU participated in the drafting of the letter, and it can be found on the Cycling Documents links sections of the SCU web site. The SCU needs volunteers to do the presentations.

Events

The SCU will be participating in the rescheduled Eco-League forum which was rescheduled for February 2013. Additional information will be provided to members as it becomes available.

Other

Members were informed that the SMAP (Sustainable Mobility Advisory Panel) has a new website: https://sites.google.com/site/sudburysmap/home.

There is also a new CAN-BIKE site at http://www.cyclingcanada.ca/resources/can-bike; CAN-BIKE is also on facebook.

A new member of the SCU is a student at Cambrian College and he discussed some partnership possibilities for the students and the SCU. Further discussions will be held about common issues and possible projects like a bike to school campaign, bike safety training, and a bike coop.

November 7, 2012 general meeting:

Silver Hills Subdivision Cycling Infrastructure

The meeting’s major discussions revolved around the Silver Hills subdivision’s cycling infrastructure and the results of the meeting with City and the developer on Oct. 26, 2012 where the SCU asked to replace the bidirectional bike lanes with unidirectional lanes. The meeting was fairly positive, with the City agreeing to investigate design options. The City also presented the preliminary design for the roundabout. Both parties agreed to meet again on Thursday, Nov 15, 2012 at 3:30 p.m. Members discussed preferences and referred to the Planning and Design for Pedestrians and Cyclists – A Technical Guide published by Velo Quebec for best practices. It was agreed that unidirectional lanes would continue to be requested. There was concern about the roundabout, with some members wanting lights at the expanded intersection, because of safety and traffic volume concerns.

Fall Green Gathering, October 17, 2012

SCU members who attended the gathering reported on the proceedings. Information on what was discussed and minutes will be posted on the SCU site as soon as they are received.

Next Campaigns

Proposed next campaigns have been posted on the website as a poll item. Not many members have as yet voted for their preferences. Members will continue to be polled and final decisions and subcommittees will be identified shortly.

September 29, 2012 general meeting:

Note: the SCU did not meet during the summer months of July and August.

Advocacy:

The SCU reviewed the status of the appeal that was made to the Ontario Management Board in regards to amending the plans of the Silver Hills subdivision. Members recommended that we continue with the appeal process in order to ensure that a good precedence is set with this subdivision.

Although the SCU has heard that the Transportation Study has been completed, it has not yet been released to the public. We will provide a response once public input sessions have been booked.

Events:

The Fall Green Gathering is being held on October 17th. A number of green-focused groups in Sudbury will follow up on the gathering held in the spring, and on recommendations and priorities made there. Feedback from members was gathered. We will also ask for additional member feedback via eletronic means.

The SCU will be delivering a workshop at a youth forum for secondary school students on October 25th. The youth forum consists of different skill-building, interactive workshops which address important global environmental and sustainability issues. Ideas for the workshop were discussed. Further information to members will be provided electronically.

2013 Priorities:

The SCU discussed ideas for priorities for 2013. Preliminary priorities include

  • Report incidents to 311, city counsellors, the police
  • Good driver campaign
  • Complete Streets
  • Safe cycling campaign with driver’s ed companies in town
  • continue CAN-Bike courses
  • education workshops with children
  • continue with attending and supporting local festivals and events
  • CAN presentations
  • possible incorporation

June 25, 2012 general meeting:

The SCU discussed the new Silver Hills subdivision and its proposed cycling infrastructure. The resulting feedback is to be presented to the city Planning Committee this evening. The SCU will ask that the proposal for the subdivision be amended to ensure that appropriate and proper cycling infrastructure is implemented, including both the new road design and the proposed roundabout on Bellevue/Bancroft. The SCU also briefly discussed the proposed list of activities for the summer.

May 27, 2012 general meeting:

2012 events/issues:

– The SCU held a roundtable discussion in regards to the City’s proposed Sudbury Cycling Network. It was agreed to hold a meeting with core members who will work on feedback that will be circulated to the members at large for further comments.
– A member noted that the handlebars on the bike stands in the city care may be dangerous. The SCU will recommend to the Downtown that future installations should be of a design that is without the handlebars.
– The SCU discussed the new housing development in Minnow Lake with the corresponding impact on the Bancroft drive bike lanes and traffic flow, including the possibility of the city constructing a roundabout in the area. The SCU wants to ensure that if a roundabout is constructed, it is of the safest configuration, and that specific education campaigns be conducted by the city for motorist and cyclist use.
– The SCU discussed some of the city plans for road construction for 2012. The SCU noted that there is not much information on the City’s web site in regards to construction for this summer, and would like to have additional information in case input is necessary.
– The SCU noted that they would like to do more outreach campaigns in the summer. Further discussions will be held.

Promotions:

– The SCU logo was revised so the abbreviation of the name is only in English. The letters SCU will be used for English communications and the letters ACS will be used for French communications. The SCU will now proceed on purchasing its pinnies.

April 29, 2012 general meeting:

SCU development:

R. Niemela presented the results of the discussions with the Toronto Cyclists Union. 3 members of the SCU visited with them. There is interest in pursuing a visioning session to determine short, medium and long-term goals for the SCU. There is also support for incorporation in order to apply for grants. These issues will be pursued in the fall.

2012 events/issuess

– R. Niemela reported on the Ward 8 CAN Earth Day Event. There is interest in organizing a communications workshop with Amanda Pride, the communications director with the CAN. This will be scheduled for later in the summer.

Promotions:

– The SCU is in the process of purchasing sports pinnies with the SCU logo.
– The promotional material from the Toronto Cyclists Union was reviewed. There is interest in developing a Sudbury-specific cycling map and cycling guide.
– A member has purchased a Hero2 Pro video camera that can be used for developing promotional videos.

April 1, 2012 special meeting:

The SCU discussed options for applying for a grant through the Road Safety Challenge program. Since the grant application required an equal money contribution from the SCU, it was decided not to apply.

March 25, 2012 general meeting:

SCU development:

– Promotional material proofs and costs were discussed. Business cards will be a priority, then pamphlets. A banner will be printed and a tent will be borrowed.for events, The SCU will link with existing organizations to get SCU wear silkscreened. Reflective pant legs were suggested. A PSA-style video was suggested for the website.
– It was decided to hold the future meetings at Rethink Green to be more inclusive for members who do not wish to meet at a restaurant. The SCU will trial this, and if it proves successful, will look at a Rethink Green membership.

2012 events:

– The first BBQ/bike tuneup for 2012 will be held on April 29, at the home of R. Niemela. Bell Park was suggested as a location for a future BBQ.
– The SCU is in the process of mapping out the cycling route for the Sustainable Tour on May 12.
– It was suggested to do a cycle tour of Sudbury’s community gardens in the fall
– A meeting will be held on April 1 to discuss a funding opportunity for an event through the Road Safety Challenge.
– The SCU is asking for volunteers for the Sudbury Rocks race on May 13.

February 26, 2012 general meeting:

Communications:

Changes to the website were reviewed. Outstanding items include integrating our email distribution list, and adding a benefits to supporters page. An additional recommendation is to change the requirement for admin approvals of comments prior to their visibility. The changes will be implemented as soon as possible.

SCU development:

– Networking with the Toronto Cyclists Union will be implemented, as well as with student unions at the local university and community colleges.
– The SCU will contact the CLS (Coalition for a Liveable Sudbury) regarding incorporation issues they are investigating.
– The SCU will contact local cycling shops for possible sponsorships to help defray the cost of promotion materials and events costs.
– A proposed CAN (Community Action Network) presentation format was discussed.
– A list of proposed promotional material was discussed and will be costed out for the next meeting.

2012 events:

– The list of potential activities and events was reviewed and prioritized. They will be posted on the website as events.
– It was decided to not proceed with a meeting specifically organized as an AGM this year, as monthly meetings are now being held where members have an opportunity to participate in decisions.

January 29, 2012 general meeting:

Communications:

– The new web site was launched on January 16, 2012. Additional changes were discussed and approved. It was agreed to transition the existing hotmail email account to a more database-driven email campaign system.
– The SCU will revise its description at www.greenconnectssudbury.ca

2012 Events/Issues:

– Additional public relations initiatives were discussed, including Watch for Bikes CAA stickers. The SCU will target February as the month to finalize all approved PR initiative and to work on approved key activities.
– Janet Evans from the Rainbow Routes Association identified events that the RRA will be organizing for 2012. The SCU will participate in a number of these activities. The RRA is currently developing a format for participating in the Northern Lights Festival Boreal.
– A number of other potential SCU activities were discussed, including networking with cyclists unions in Toronto and Ottawa, networking with the university and colleges, Earth Month, Bike to Work Day, Share the Road (Sudbury and Manitoulin), Car Free Day, Canada Day, neighbourhood events like Donovan Days, entertainment initiatives, educational opportunities for motorists, Bike Friendly Communities and cycle tourism.
– The SCU agreed to participate in the Sustainability Tour scheduled for May 12.
– The SCU provided feedback to a request from the Bell Park Advisory Panel for input on the design of the Bell Park Amphitheatre. The SCU also provided their priorities for additional changes/enhancements to Bell Park. Further input will be gathered from the membership at large and a letter with final recommendations will be submitted.
– The SCU will attend the Downtown Master Plan public input session on January 31. SCU recommendations will be gathered and submitted to the Master Plan committee by February 21.

January 8, 2012 special meeting:

Communications:

– Final changes to the web site were approved. Launch is scheduled for January 16, 2012.

2012 Events/Issues:

– The SCU held a special discussion on the City of Sudbury Official Plan and the Transportation Study reviews. Input was gathered and the SCU will present its recommendations to input sessions for both reviews.
– The SCU brainstormed activities and campaigns for spring, and approved a number of initiatives, including cycling rides, monthly BBQs, bike racks and CAN presentations. Other proposed initiatives include mobile events (including festivals), cycling movie nights, shoot and compute your commute youtube videos, and report a problem (new web site component). These new initiatives will be discussed at a further time.

December 4, 2011 general meeting:

Communications:

– Members did a comprehensive review of the design changes for the web site. Starting the newsletter was deferred until the new site is launched. A final review of the web site is scheduled for January 8, 2012 with a tentative launch of January 16, 2012.

2012 Events/Issues:

– The Christmas party was confirmed for December 17, 2012
– A number of public relations initiatives previously identified were discussed; leads for each initiative were identified.
– Additional events and campaigns were identified, including Earth Month and mobile initiatives.

November 11, 2011 general meeting:

Communications:

– The web site is in the process of being redesigned.

2012 Events/Issues:

– Planning for events will begin in the new year.
– Additional public relations initiatives were proposed, including brochures, a tent/banner for events, sports pinnies, and business cards/tags.
– Additional campaigns were identified for 2012, including continuing with the bike racks campaign, and a cycling column in local newspapers.
– The SCU has provided some information to Cambrian students who want to provide some public relations recommendations as part of a student project.
– Due to costs, the SCU will not attend the London Bike summit to be held in December 2012.

October 30, 2011 general meeting:

Communications:

– The SCU agreed to redesign its web site, start a newsletter and confirm its existing email distribution list. Communications will be provided on four fronts: the web site, the newsletter, emails, and its facebook group page.

2012 Events/Issues:

– The SCU will partner with the Rainbow Routes Association on a number of initiatives in 2012.
– A number of advocacy and campaign initiatives were identified for 2012, including presentation to CANs (Community Action Networks).
– The issue of roundabouts was discussed; further research will be done on the safety of roundabouts and the position of SCU towards them.
– The SCU will investigate legal issues around hosting planned rides in 2012.
– The SCU agreed to focus on advocacy and campaigns, as well as fun activities; a Christmas potluck will be held.
– A number of public relations initiatives were discussed, including stickers, t-shirts and license plates.

Meetings:

– Meetings will be scheduled for the last Sunday of each month.