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Via the BikingToronto Inbox, a message from the still developing fetus of the Cyclist Union. Fathered by Dave Meslin, the bouncing baby is due in Spring 2008.
Dear friends,
The Toronto Cyclists Union is 8 months away from delivery and appears
to be developing in a healthy manner. Your support has been very
influential and has ensured an enjoyable beginning to our first
trimester. Your cards, presents and warm wishes are greatly
appreciated.
The overwheming amount of support we have received is also an
indication of the future success of the Cyclists Union. This project
will only work if we have the support and active involvement of
thousands of cyclists, beginning in June 2008. Early indications of
support are positive and we are proud to announce that the Ultrasound
Facebook group has attracted close to 800 members in just a few weeks
making it the largest bicycle-related Facebook group in Toronto.
In this newsletter we'd like to share with you our primary goal as an
organization: advocacy. Although we will serve as a "service club"
for cyclists, we will also be working every day to improve riding
conditions in our city to make sure that your ride is safer and more
enjoyable. We are modeling our organisation after the Canadian
Automobile Association (CAA) which promotes itself as a service club
but actually spends a significant amount of resources on advocacy,
pushing governments to build more highways, wider streets, etc. It
seems that no one has informed them about global warming or basic
congestion theories which explain that more roads simply increase the
number of cars leading to increased congestion. Just two weeks ago,
the CAA was in the media speaking out against the proposed east-west
bikeway in Toronto. No problem. We can play the same game. The
Cyclists Union will be a loud voice, supported by our members,
countering the message of the automobile lobby groups. Lucky for us,
we have both public opinion and science on our side.
The Toronto Cyclists Union will work hand-in-hand with other
organizations and individual cyclists to ensure that bicycles are
taken seriously by City Hall politicians and planners, as well as the
media. We'll focus our attention on the installation of new bike
lanes, improved signage, maintenance of existing infrastructure and
enforcement of bikelanes. Think how much money the City could make
if they actually ticketed every car found parked in a bikelane!
Most importantly, we want to promote Toronto as a Bicycle City.
There is a misconception that cycling is only a "downtown" issue.
The truth is that people ride bicycles in every neighbourhood in
Toronto and it is the non-downtown riders who are most in need of new
infrastructure. The Cyclists Union will be a city-wide project, with
44 Ward Captains acting as a liaison between the bike union, local
bikers, the local Councillor, city planners and local media. If you
live in North York, Scarborough, York or Etobicoke and you're
interested in being a Ward Captain, please get in touch with us soon.
Over the winter we will be developing a comprehensive political
mandate that clearly describes our vision and goals for Toronto. If
you wish to submit ideas for this document, please send us your
thoughts in an e-mail.
Thanks again for your continued support! Stay tuned for the November
Newsletter which will contain an exciting announcement.
Bikelovers can subscribe to this newsletter by sending an e-mail to
ultrasound@monkeycycle.org.
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