Ontario Trails News - for roads and trails - Get Lit - from the Ontario Trails News Archive

Learn more at Ontario Cycling Trails

Cycle Toronto, Toronto Police Service and the personal injury law firm of McLeish Orlando will run an awareness  program called Get Lit which will flag down unlit cyclists in the hope of educating them on the importance of staying visible and providing them with a free set for a safe ride home. The sites will be held successive weeks on busy streets as follows: Tuesday, October 13, 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. – Boulton Drive Parkette; Tuesday, October 20, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. –Toronto Public Library at College and Shaw; Tuesday, October 27, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. – Prince Edward Viaduct Parkette

$110 FOR NO LIGHT

The Ministry of Transportation has recently increased the set fine for improper lighting of a bicycle from $20 to $110. From half an hour before sunset to half an hour after sunrise, Ontarians must have a front white light and either a rear red reflector or rear red light on their bicycle. Ontarians riding bicycles also need to be lit when it’s dark due to rain, fog, or snow. “Improving road safety and traffic flow is one of our goals in support of and commitment to safe communities and neighbourhoods” said Superintendent Gord Jones, Unit Commander of Traffic Services. “Traffic safety is the responsibility of everyone who uses our roadways, and active transportation continues to grow in the city every day. The safety of cyclists and other road users in the city of Toronto is very important to us. We are pleased to be in partnership with our colleagues at Cycle Toronto on this innovative and important campaign.”  Also participating are bike shops Urbane Cyclist Worker’s Co-op and Sweet Pete’s Bike Shop.  For more information, please contact Jared Kolb, Executive Director of Cycle Toronto at 416-644-7188.

Ontario Trails News - can you cycle in Toronto Parks? From the Toronto Star, and the Ontario Trails News Archive

Learn more at Ontario Cycling Trails

JACK LAKEY / TORONTO STAR Order this photo

Signs along a recreational path that cuts through Riverdale Park West, just outside the Riverdale Zoo, offer contradictory advice that is confusing to cyclists and even pedestrians.

By: Jack Lakey Staff Reporter, Published on Sun Oct 11 2015

Don’t believe everything you see on signs, particularly when it comes to riding bikes in city parks.

There are still signs posted near mixed-use paths running through inner-city parks that say cycling is prohibited, along with hikers who agree and object to sharing the space with bikes.

But they are not a sign of the times at Riverdale Park West, right outside the Riverdale Farm, at least not any more.

B. Hall emailed to say that just over a week ago, “contradictory new signs were erected, showing the pathway as part of the city cycle route despite a clear sign next to it saying that bikes are not allowed!

“There is a very good reason to restrict cycling, as this particular part of the park is next to the popular, family oriented Riverdale Farm and is intensely used by families and small children throughout the summer.

“It is already a problem with some bikers and even e-bikes illegally crossing the park, sometimes at speed. Keeping bikes out of this family park should be enforced, not encouraged.”

We went there and found a sign that says “No bicycle riding” just a few metres away from a new sign, attached to a utility pole, that indicates the path is part of a cycling route.

At the other end of the path, which cuts through the park at an angle, we found a similar sign, not far from another sign that also shows it as a cycling route.

The no-cycling signs are very old and show the logo for the former City of Toronto, which changed after amalgamation in 1998. It prompted a foggy memory of a similar complaint from a reader in 2011.

About a year later, a reader contacted us to say he’d done some research and figured out the bylaw on which the signs are based was repealed shortly after amalgamation, and that cycling on park paths is no longer prohibited.

But the signs are still capable of befuddling cyclists, pedestrians and even parks officials.

STATUS: Ray Stukas, who’s in charge of inner city parks, emailed to say “it does sound confusing. I have copied the local Park Supervisor to investigate and remove the no-cycling signs. I have also copied the supervisor for the farm to see if they know why there was a no cycling rule to begin with.”

What's broken in your neighbourhood?

Ontario Trails News - Trail Smart, we caution all to trail safe, we regret any and all accidents on trails, from the Ontario Trails News Archive

Learn more at Ontario Cycling Trails

TORONTO – Police are investigating a fatal accident at Blue Mountain resort after a man in his 50s died on a mountain bike trail.

A Blue Mountain spokesperson told Global News that the death occurred Saturday when the 58-year-old man was found on the Haole Trail at 5:30 p.m.

Attempts were made to resuscitate the man, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The victim, who hasn’t been identified, was an avid and experienced mountain biker, according to a resort official.

http://globalnews.ca/news/2271549/opp-investigate-cyclist-death-on-blue-mountain-trail/

Ontario Trails News - cyclists be safe, be seen, and more from Ontario Cycling Trails and the Ontario Trails News Archive

Learn more at Ontario Cycling Trails

Cycle Toronto

As the number of daylight hours dwindles, Toronto cyclists are being reminded to use extra caution on the road. Installing bike lights and wearing reflective gear helps cyclists stay visible before dawn and after dusk. Many Toronto cyclists, however, continue to risk their lives.

On October 6, members of cycling advocacy group Cycle Toronto waited at the corner of Beverley and Dundas West, part of a popular bike route downtown. Within the first two hours, roughly 200 cyclists were stopped for not using lights.

“What we found is that about 50 per cent of cyclists ride without lights. That’s too high,” says Cycle Toronto’s executive director Jared Kolb. “We want to ensure that going forth, more cyclists – and eventually all cyclists – will ride with lights and reflective gear on their bikes at night.”

To promote cycle safety after dark, Cycle Toronto has partnered with Toronto Police and McLeish Orlando, a critical injury law firm, to launch the Get Lit! campaign this month. Once a week for the rest of the month, Kolb and his team will set up along one of the city’s major bike routes to stop unlit cyclists.

“In exchange for listening to us talk about the importance of staying visible, we’re giving them a free set of bike lights and installing them right there,” Kolb says. “Some people have a working front light but not a back light. Some have a back but not a front. We’re trying to help support the cycling community and do a bit of education in a positive way.”

In addition to safety risks, cycling without lights can result in a hefty fine. Recently, the Ministry of Transportation increased the fine from $20 to $110. Cyclists must have a front white light and rear red light when on the road in the dark.

In addition to running the Get Lit! campaign, Cycle Toronto is organizing a fundraising ride on Bloor and Danforth later this month. The mass cycling event takes place October 24 in support of the Bloor Loves Bikes Campaign, which promotes biking infrastructure along east-west corridor. The group hopes to raise $50,000.

“That will go directly to our advocacy work, everything from organizing work, supplies we purchase, and a pop-up bike lane on Bloor Street a few weeks ago,” Kolb explains. “We have all sorts of activities that we’re working on for 2016, but the money will go directly to supporting our advocacy work.”

Bloor Street businesses that support the bike lane are promoted on Cycle Toronto’s website. In addition, an online pledge supporting a pilot project for improving Bloor Street’s biking infrastructure in 2016 has already collected nearly 4,000 signatures.

Cycle Toronto’s Get Lit! campaign will be at the following locations until 9 pm:

• October 13: Boulton Drive Parkette, Boulton, near Poplar Plains
• October 20: Toronto Public Library, College and Shaw
• October 27: Prince Edward Viaduct Parkette, across from Castle Frank Subway Station

website@nowtoronto.com | @nowtoronto

Ontario Trails News - your round up of trail news, events and archive of Ontario Trails Activity

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That Dam ‘Cross Race heats up a chilly Ontario afternoon at the Pittock Conservation Area near Woodstock

Siobhan Kelly, seen here competing in Winnipeg in November, 2014, prevailed in the Elite Womens’ class to take the win. Photo: David Lipnowski

Held near Pittock Dam, a location for cyclocrossers described as “infamous,” That Dam ‘Cross Race wheeled out on under chilly, blustery conditions at the Pittock Conservation Area in Woodstock, Ontario on Saturday, October 3. Previously known as the London Riverbend Cross, the event — about an hour west of Toronto — draws a roster of southern Ontario’s best cyclocross riders.

The course was a challenging mix of terrains, ranging from the hike-a-biking barricades of the grounds’ grassier segments to sandy, wheel-snaring beach stretches — an environment made even more challenging by stiff, sluggish headwinds blowing in off the water, something noted by several competitors.

This year, that list of competitors included TOWheels/Epic Sports Performance/BCC’s Siobhan Kelly, fresh back from Cross Vegas, one of the continent’s most prestigious competitions.

Ten classifications in all rolled out as That Dam ‘Cross Race began: Minime Boys, an 11.2 km race with four laps; the Elite 4 men’s competition, 14 km with five laps; the Master 3 men’s competition, also with five laps and 14 total kilometres; the Master women’s race, with the same characteristics; a 16.8 km, six lap Elite 3 and Junior Men’s race; the Master 2 men’s competition at 16.8 km and six laps; the Elite women, riding five laps on a 14 km course; a 22.4 km Master 1 Men’s race, consisting of 8 laps; the Elite 1 & 2 men’s competition, with 8 laps covering 22.4 km; and finally, a Single Speed division, covering 14 km of ground over the course of 5 laps.

The Minime Boys competition saw Wesley Hill, riding for Kallisto-FCV p/n Toyo Tires, record a time of 0:44:46. In the Elite 4 Men’s race that followed, Connor Gregory of Bateman’s Bicycle Company took top standings with a time of 0:42:00, followed 28 seconds later by Taylor Ford of TOWheels/Epic Sports Performance/BCC, and in third place, Ryan Prystai of Morning Glory Cycling Club, who finished with 2:06 behind the leader.

In the Master 3 Men’s class, the top three places went to Jason Rodriques, riding for Lanterin Rouge, who finished with a time of 0:43:58; Terry Rice in second, with the Silver Spokes Inc rider rolling in sixteen seconds behind Rodrigues; and Shawn Reeder, an independent rider, who finished 21 seconds back. The Master Women’s race, on the other hand, saw riders roll acros the finish with decidedly larger gaps on one another. Maureen O’Hare of Coachchris.ca/Ted Velikonja/Trudel Medical crossed the finish first at 0:49:31, followed 1:46 later by teammate Amy White, and in third place, Alexa Pagel of Lantern Rouge finished almost a full minute behind White — clocking a time of 2:36.

The Elite 3 and Junior Men’s race, meanwhile, saw riders averaging a speed of 21.0 km/h despite the difficult, windy conditions, and it was independent Scott McDougall whose time of 0:47:59 put him across the line first. Twenty-eight seconds back, Paul McKeever of TOWheels/Epic Sports Performance/BCC finished second, while Bateman’s Bicycle Company rider Bret Waghorne, eleven seconds behind McKeever, finished 0:39 behind the lead.

More - http://cyclingmagazine.ca/sections/news/that-dam-cross-race-heats-up-a-chilly-ontario-afternoon-at-the-pittock-conservation-area-near-woodstock/

With an average race speed of 20.0 km/h, the Master 2 Men’s race was another competition that saw somewhat wider margins between finishers. In that race, Michael Macklem of Lamprey Systems finished first with a time of 0:50:24, with TOWheels/Epic Sports Peformance/BCC’s Marc Joanisse 1:08 behind. Joel Rose of Waterloo Cycling Club was that competition’s third place rider, finishing the course 2:39 after Macklem.

In the Elite Women’s case, Siobhan Kelly added a win on Ontario soil to her season with a finishing time of 0:44:35, followed more than three minutes behind by Kallisto-FCV p/b Toyo Tires’s Candice Vermeulen, clocking 3:41. Meg Siegel of Lantern Rouge, in third, finished a full lap behind. The Master 1 Men’s race, meanwhile — with an average speed of 21.2 km/h — saw Marc Brusso of Lapdogs Cycling Club seal the win with a time of 1:03:24. In second place, Stephane Marcotte of Truenorth Medical Road Corps was 3:12 behind.

The Elite 1&2 Men’s race, however, saw a roundly-represented podium with Marco Li, riding for TOWheels/Epic Sports Peformance/BCC, in first with a time of 1:01:53. Teammate Isaac Smith finished the 22.4 km course in second, 43 seconds behind Li, while Chris Barson of Coachchris.ca/Ted Velikonja/Trudel Medica was in third place, 1:56 back.

Single speed competition, finally, finished with Kevin Tearle of Team PBR p/b Racer Sportif’s time of 0:46:11.

2

04 Oct 2015

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2015, cycling, cyclocross, events, news, Ontario, Pittock Conservation Area, sports, That 'Dam Cross Race,Woodstock

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Todd Aalgaard

Todd Aalgaard is a Toronto-based writer, journalist and cyclist, and is an online editor at Canadian Cycling Magazine. Follow him on Twitter at @tcaalgaard

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