One picture worth a thousand words

This image comes from the South Delta Leader – and their credit simply reads “via Twitter”

Velopalooza

More info, including the event calendar, at www.velopalooza.ca

Why voting Green DOESN’T “split the vote”

Better Cycling Facilities Means Mobility for Everyone – Not Just Cyclists

A Press Release from the BC Cycling Coalition

This just turned up in my inbox. I have already posted it in the comments section of an earlier post, that covered a Transportation event in Richmond I spoke at. Then it occurred to me that not many people would likely see it there.

Disability Advocates & Seniors Support Cycling Infrastructure Improvements

VANCOUVER, BC – Improved cycling facilities are not just for cyclists – they benefit everyone by increasing mobility, safety and accessibility. People who use power wheelchairs and mobility scooters have seen real everyday benefits in accessibility from new bike lanes and paths in the City of Vancouver. Leaders in the disability community and seniors are voicing their support for major investment in cycling facilities across B.C via a new video:

The BC Cycling Coalition (BCCC) is calling for $75 million a year in provincial funding to implement comprehensive cycling improvements outlined in their Cycling Strategy for B.C.  ”Investing in better cycling facilities and safety education will bring widespread benefits to BC communities and all of its residents – including people with disabilities and the elderly,” said Craig Langston, vice-president of the Cerebral Palsy Association of BC.

“I get around on a power wheelchair – it goes a lot faster than is safe on crowded sidewalks and I used to have to creep along in Downtown.” added Langston, who sits on the Disability Advisory committees for the cities of Vancouver and Burnaby, and for TransLink.  ”On the new separated cycle routes, I can travel at the same speed as slower cyclists and get around more efficiently. Cycle tracks are not just for cyclists or for the young and athletic.”

“I’m 63 years old and I started riding an electric-assist bicycle three years ago. I love the freedom and mobility that it gives me, but there are plenty of areas where I still feel unsafe riding.” says Fiona Walsh, Board Member for HUB: Your Cycling Connection. “We want better cycling facilities so that everyone – from eight to eighty years old – can ride their bike and feel safe and comfortable.”

The Cycling Strategy for BC calls for greater investment in cycling facilities, improved road user safety education for cyclists & drivers and clearer regulations in the Motor Vehicle Act around the use of cycling facilities by electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters.

“Streets that are bike-friendly improve safety, mobility and accessibility for citizens of all ages and abilities – including families with children, pedestrians, people with mobility issues and even drivers.” says Richard Campbell, President of the BC Cycling Coalition. “This is a wise investment that benefits everyone – not just the cycling community.”

For more information about the Cycling Strategy for B.C., visit http://bccc.bc.ca/election/.

What’s with abandoned Gas Stations?

I have often wondered why there are so many abandoned gas stations – and why so little ever seems to happen to them. This is not something outside my experience but is completely beyond my understanding. Until now. Patrick Johnstone does this sort of thing for a living – and he writes well. So take yourself over to NWimby and learn something. Warning: this is only part one – there is more to follow.

Upcoming Event: Northern Voice

I got an email this morning from the organizers of Northern Voice. This is an annual event that I have had to miss the last couple of years, but I will be going this time. I have already bought my Early Adopter tickets. What I had not known – and might well have taken advantage of if I had – is that volunteers get to go the conference for free. Details on speakers are now on the conference web page

In previous years this was at UBC but this year it will be at the Space Centre/Museum of Vancouver. There will be wifi – of course – and many of those attending will be live blogging, tweeting (#nv13 ), facebooking, instagraming, there are over 11,000 pictures on flickr from previous years – so if you wish to remain anonymous this is probably not your sort of thing. Or you could wear a disguise. One year there was a Giant Chicken. The amounts of swag available – like lapel buttons and stickers for your lap top will be significant too.

Hey, Early Adopters! Only One Week Left! Our first round of tickets are on sale for only one more week. After that, the price goes up! Northern Voice 2013 is happening on June 14 and 15, 2013. If you haven’t picked up your Early Adopter tickets at the special price of $100, you’d better get them soon! After May 1, the price goes up to $130! Don’t miss out! Be an early adopter and get ahead of the curve. Until May 1, 2013, a limited number of Northern Voice tickets are available for $100 (both days) and $60 (one day). Get registered now! Speaker Announcements Coming May 2 Just yesterday, the organizing committee met for many hours of intense libation and deliberation. We fought, we cried, and we had a few hair-pulling sessions. In the end, we have built up one of the best speaker lineups since the inception of the conference. E-mails are starting to go out to confirm all of our speakers and, once that is done, we will announce the 2013 speakers on May 2 (a few may be leaked in advance). Extra Bonus! Electric Company Show Preview Nights on June 12 – 14 Whoa, hold the presses! What is this? One of Vancouver’s hottest theatre companies is doing a show at the Space Centre in June! We poked them with a stick, sent out a few communiques and — presto! — we are now able to purchase preview tickets for only $15! These tickets are half off! But what is this show about? Glad you asked! Here are some of the highlights: YOU ARE VERY STAR is an immersive, transmedia experience from Vancouver’s legendary ELECTRIC COMPANY THEATRE that will transport you back to 1968 and ahead to 2048, from the height of the Space Race to the dawn of a new augmented humanity, as characters in each story look forward or back to 2013 as a mysterious time of wonder. Pushing at the boundaries of where theatre exists, You Are Very Star is encountered on-line, through social media, as a site-specific treasure hunt and as live theatre inside Vancouver’s beloved planetarium. Why not take advantage of this awesome deal. If you are in town early, take in a show or come to the Friday party and then go the the show. To find out more, go to the Electric Company web site. We Have A Few Volunteers Now But We Need More! Many have accepted the call and have contacted us seeking volunteer placement. We still need more! If you would like to step up and join our ranks, send an e-mail to volunteer (at) northernvoice.ca and get in touch. [I have removed that twiddly at sign to defeat spam bots] As always, in return for volunteering, you’ll get to meet new people and wear a funky t-shirt. You also receive a free conference registration! How cool is that? Darn cool, if you ask us.

An Alternative to the Broadway Subway

At the request of its leader, Adam Fitch

Saturday May 4 at 10am a Jane’s Walk (on bicycles!) to look at CPR RoW/16th Avenue for LRT