Month: May 2011

Successful Hintonburg Kids Ride

May 28, 2011 Hans on the Bike - Ottawa, Canada 0

Reading Time: 2 minutesThere is hope. A new generation of cyclists is taking to the roads. Kathleen Wilker organised a kids ride on May 28th from the Hintonburg Community Centre to the Parkdale Market and Arts Fair. Despite a somewhat gray morning, a few dozen kids and their parents came out for the ride of less than one kilometer. Kathleen gets it. No need for grants, no large advertising campaigns, just roll up the sleeves and organise a neighbourhood event. A very simple ride for the kids and T-shirts for the best decorated bikes made this a nice community event that doesn’t cost [Read more…]

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The Mystery of the Scenic Orange Road Barrel

May 15, 2011 Hans on the Bike - Ottawa, Canada 0

Reading Time: 2 minutesWe’re obsessed with safety. We make big orange road barrels to mark an upcoming danger to make sure no accidents happen. However, if someone calls in for a large dangerous pothole, you’d think road crews just go to Tim Hortons, have a smoke, stare to the pothole and eventually fill the hole. No such thing: the city or the NCC sends out the truck with orange paint, steel plates and/or orange road barrels visits the site to mark the appropriate spot as dangerous. About three weeks ago, in the last week of April, someone went out to put a road [Read more…]

NCC study on winter pathway usage

May 11, 2011 Hans on the Bike - Ottawa, Canada 0

Reading Time: 2 minutesThe NCC commissoned a study on the usage of their pathways in wintertime. Although some claim that the winters in Ottawa are ‘cold and dark’ the numbers might stun you. Here are some results: Close to four in ten (36%) Canada’s Capital Region residents aged 16 and older (some 196,000 individuals) have used a recreational pathway during the winter months. An additional two in ten residents (21%, some 114,000 individuals) say there are winter activities they would do on the pathways if they were better maintained. Winter pathway users tend to be younger, and have higher incomes than do non-users [Read more…]

Shifting Gears in Halifax

May 9, 2011 Hans on the Bike - Ottawa, Canada 0

Reading Time: 2 minutesLast week I visited Halifax for a series of talks about cycling. Halifax cycling enthousiasts are working hard on developing a cycling culture. Obviously, without an NCC to build paths, budgets are somewhat tighter. However, Nova Scotia (and Halifax) are slowly becoming a better cycling place. Cyclists are pretty united in their effort to move forward. Support of City Councillor Watts (a younger version of Ottawa councillor Holmes – sorry Diane) is vital. Here are a few images of Cycling culture in Halifax. Read also more here: http://halifaxmag.com/2011/04/cover/shifting-gears