Committee Minutes Brockville Cycling Advisory Committee Meeting Thursday, May 08, 2014, 5:00 pm City Hall, Boardroom Members Present: Mr. Alan Medcalf, Chair Mr. Hugh Campbell, Vice Chair Ms. Kathleen Lowe Mr. Dennis FitzGerald Mr. Doug George Mr. Mike Kalivas, Councillor Ms. J. Labelle, LLG Health Unit Mr. Douglas Lumsden Mr. Peter Meier Mayor David Henderson Absent: Mr. Tim Webb Staff: Mr. Conal Cosgrove, Director of Operations Ms. L. Murray, Deputy City Clerk (Recording Secretary) DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA Moved by: Kathleen Seconded by: Douglas THAT the Agenda of the May 8, 2014 meeting of the Brockville Cycling Advisory Committee be approved. CARRIED Page 1 of 7
CHAIR'S REMARKS Alan offered that he is pleased to see the positive change in the weather and reported that he had been out and about on his bike all day. Alan welcomed Mayor Henderson for attending. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES Moved by: Douglas Seconded by: Doug THAT the minutes of the Brockville Cycling Advisory Committee meeting dated April 10, 2014 be adopted as circulated. NEW BUSINESS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES DELEGATIONS/PRESENTATIONS 1. Mayor David Henderson - Ontario Bike Summit "Thoughts on moving forward" CARRIED Mayor Henderson explained that Alan had recently received an award (2014 Wheels of Change Advocacy Award) at the Ontario Bike Summit that they had just returned from. Alan explained that he felt very honoured to have been the recipient of this award. The Mayor circulated a pamphlet he had received at the Summit called "#CycleON Action Plan 1.0". He referred to several areas such as working with municipalities to improve infrastructure, province wide network of routes, introducing legislation to improve cycling safety, promoting cycling awareness and increasing cycling tourism. He added that the upcoming provincial election could put this all in jeopardy. The Mayor encouraged the committee to draw up a plan (active transportation) and bring it to Council. He thought it might be easier to establish a 4 year plan, with a planned financial commitment for each year. Alan explained that they already have a subcommittee working on a cycling network throughout the City. The Mayor thought maybe they could initiate an Active Transportation Fund. Page 2 of 7
Alan said that transportation in today's world is not all about cars, it is about moving people and goods from one place to another, regardless of mode. Conal suggested that they need solid numbers to see how many people this would be affecting. Peter said they have identified safe routes and are in the process of linking them. CORRESPONDENCE & COMMUNICATIONS STAFF REPORTS SUB-COMMITTEE AND MEMBER REPORTS/PROJECT UPDATES 1. Bike to Work - Doug L / Jennifer Douglas reported that the anticipated participation in the Bike to Work week is not going well this year. The committee felt that the DBIA should get on board and try to motivate downtown businesses to promote biking to work and that would therefore free up a parking spot for a car. Douglas explained that they could use the Sidewalk Sale downtown at the end of May to promote their Bike to Work week. Alan, Hugh and Doug G. offered to help man a table at the Sidewalk Sale. Jennifer explained that the Health Unit is preparing signage and they have a tent the committee could use. Douglas wondered if there was any place people from out of town could drive to, leave their cars and bike the rest of the way to work. Laurier Park was one idea that was suggested, but nothing formal was decided. 2. Ontario School MTB races - Peter Peter explained that this event was scheduled for just one week away on May 16, 2014. He added that they have collected $750 in prizes to give away. Doug G. wondered if they needed volunteers, Peter replied that they could indeed use a few. Peter thought it would be great to have a photographer for the day. Page 3 of 7
3. Brockville cycling network - Peter Doug G. explained that he and Peter have been working on the routes and they must now look at how to connect them. Doug thought that it would be best to go out and see how they can link them. 4. Ontario Bike Summit - Doug G. Doug G. felt that they are seeing a lot of support from all the provincial parties not just the one that is in power. Alan added that the impact of the Provincial election has unfortunately killed the bill making Ontario's roads safer, it will have to be reintroduced. Doug G. explained that Eleanor McMahon is now running as a Liberal MPP candidate in Burlington so he is unsure as to what is going to happen with Share the Road. Doug G. said they will just keep monitoring the situation. 5. YMCA bike group - Doug G. Doug G. explained that Alan and he had approached the Y in Brockville regarding starting up a cycling group. They were very receptive and they are starting on May 22. They will be drawing up some routes, just for a leisurely ride and they haven't decided on the distance yet. Doug feels that striking up a relationship with the Y is great. 6. Cycle Tourism trends - Alan Alan reviewed the following: From talking with colleagues from across Ontario at the recent Ontario Bike Summit, it was reinforced for me that all across the province, even some northern areas, cycle tourism is growing rapidly. Many regions are actively developing routes and maps, DMO s are in high gear for marketing, and the Ontario-By-Bike program (formerly Welcome Cyclists ) continues to expand rapidly and is now much larger than the equivalent Quebec Bienvenue Cyclistes program. There are several very large and significant route developments underway which combine quiet roads and off-road routes for touring. These include: the now-open Lake Erie segment of the Ontario Waterfront Trail, development of an on and off road active transportation network across Essex County the 600km Greenbelt Route around the GTHA, with an organized route Page 4 of 7
development tour underway this week to check out the route, facilities, need for signage, and to meet with tourism partner groups along the route to start promotion, the Lake to Lake trail linking Lake Ontario and Lake Simcoe, Cycle Canada s around Lake Simcoe route and tour, the fast-developing Georgian Bay Cycling Route which circumnavigates Georgian Bay, routes on Manitoulin Island, ever-expanding route options in Niagara Region, home to a mosaic of Bicycle Friendly neighbouring Communities, including Thorold where this year s entire tourism spend is devoted to luring the 75,000 annual cycle tourists off the beaten trail to explore the town, a North Shore route from Sault Ste Marie to Sudbury, the Guelph to Goderich rail trail, many regional efforts to map out and promote cycling routes in existing roads. As each of these initiatives comes on stream, they re accompanied with lots of marketing and buy-in from local businesses and governments. This all speaks to the demonstrated economic benefit of investing in cycle tourism, and the understanding that doing so also provides local and regional lifestyle attractors. This year, Velo Quebec s week long bicycling bacchanalia, le Grand Tour, tours Niagara Region from Hamilton. It will introduce 2,000 riders, mostly from Quebec, to the pleasures of Niagara Region. For many, it will be their first visit to the region and many will easily decide that it s a delightful area to revisit, and will take family and friends along when they do. In our area, the revitalization of the St. Lawrence Rec Trail along the 1000 Islands Parkway corridor is a strong attractor for local and regional cyclists and visiting weekenders. The same is true for the segments of the St. Lawrence Rec Trail from Crysler Farm through to Long Sault, linking into the off-road bikeway to Cornwall. However, for organized groups and others looking for longer multi-day treks, we may see stagnant or declining cycle tourism along the Waterfront Trail through Leeds Grenville. Not only are we competing with nearby Quebec s 5,500km Route Verte network and offerings, we re now competing with a rapidly-expanding and diverse set of experiences across Ontario. What can we do to retain and grow cycle tourism in this region? In no particular order, here are some ideas that could start discussion: 1. Bolster adoption of the Ontario-By-Bike program which offers free exposure to cycle-friendly providers (accommodations, food, services, etc) and shows cyclists who are planning trips and using the OBB website that we have a Page 5 of 7
density and diversity of offerings matching other areas. 2. Share the Road signage along County Road 2 from end to end through Leeds Grenville. Given the challenge of educating motorists and the slow rate of attitudinal change in this region, this would go a long way to reinforcing the legitimate use of regional roads by cyclists. 3. Development of more explore off the Waterfront Trail routes to entice cycle tourists to stay and explore more than just the Ontario Waterfront Trail itself. This can be done through careful route selection and mapping, featuring this region s many historic/cultural gems, markets, local food providers, artisan studios, and so on. The Great Waterway and Frontenac Arch Biosphere have a good start on this, but we need much more. 4. Maps, signage and marketing of routes and attractions. 5. Better development of local/regional trails like the unfulfilled promise of the Brock Trail. 6. In Brockville, revitalization of the under-utilized King St W four-lane segment from Rivers Ave to the city limits, and to the cemeteries with County help, reducing the undivided four lanes to two, with accommodation for a pedestrian island/crossing for St. Lawrence Park (for the Brock Trail), parking for St. Lawrence Park, bike lanes in both directions (or a cycle track on one side only), and centre left-turn lanes where needed. 7. Encourage the County and local Townships to pave shoulders during road reconstruction, along with Share the Road signage on selected routes, especially County Road 2. It is well documented and accepted now that paving shoulders reduces maintenance costs and single vehicle crashes, which together more than repay the upfront costs. Lanark County is the most recent, of many, to adopt a pave the shoulders policy. 8. Encourage entrepreneurial development of supporting services such as summer bicycle rentals, on-bike heritage/cultural guided tours, or shuttle services across our two bridges to the US. Alan would like to find opportunities within all our other priorities to get some of this discussion going and act to retain and grow our share of the cycle tourism market. Page 6 of 7
7. Eastern Ontario Bike Summit - Alan Alan wanted to draw everyone's attention to this event on May 29-30, 2014(poster circulated). He will be attending and offered rides for up to three more. He added that the cost is $50. NEW BUSINESS Conal explained that there is a musical group coming to town from Toronto who will be in Hardy Park on August 23 using the band shelter. What is interesting is their speakers are powered by bikes. ADJOURNMENT Moved by: Doug G. THAT the Brockville Cycling Advisory Committee meeting be adjourned until its next regular meeting scheduled for June 12, 2014. CARRIED Page 7 of 7