Tag: event

Countdown to Velo-city 2012 – Presenter List and Themes Released!

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Bicycle Counter in Copenhagen.

The presenter list and themes for the upcoming Velo-city Global 2012 have been approved and Momentum Magazine is bringing them to you first.

Conference headliners include Technical and Environmental Mayor of Copenhagen Ayfer Baykal, City of Portland Mayor Sam Adams, City of Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, City of Copenhagen Director of Traffic Niels Torslov and University of British Columbia professor and J. Armand Bombardier Chair in Sustainable Urban Transportation Systems, Dr. Larry Frank.

Speakers will cover topics related to the overarching theme of Cities in Motion – Sharing Cities’ Success Stories at this premier international cycling planning conference, to be held from June 26-29, 2012 in the picturesque city of Vancouver, BC.

Previous Velo-city conferences have been held in Paris, Copenhagen, Dublin, Brussels, Barcelona and Perth. This will be the first time that Velo-city Global makes its mark in North America, and up to 1,500 delegates – from politicians, to engineers, planners, architects, social marketers, academics, researchers, environmentalists and activists – are expected to attend.

The path to creating vibrant, healthy, sustainable communities through leadership will be the topic of several presentations under the theme of leadership and the politics of change. Presenters, such as Michael Kloth, the acting secretary-general of the International Transport Forum, will share insights from past experiences, discuss how they overcame challenges and outline solutions and success stories.

Cycling plays a critical role at the local and global levels. How cycling can be viewed as a means of achieving community aspirations and addressing global problems, such as climate change, is a hot topic that many attendees at the conference won’t want to miss. Presenter Dr. Larry Frank will draw from his work at the University of British Columbia’s School of Population and Public Health and his research into the intersection between land use, travel behavior, air quality and health. As the director of traffic for the City of Copenhagen, presenter Niels Torslov has valuable experience working with one of the most bike-friendly roadway systems in the world. Torslov’s presence at the conference is sure to attract attention.

Keep on tuning into the Bike Advocacy Blog for more up-to-date conference information in the Countdown to Velo-city 2012. And check out our first blog post here for more information about the conference and Momentum‘s involvement.

Originally published on momentummag.com.

Countdown to Velo-city 2012 – Momentum Magazine is an Official Media Partner

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Momentum Magazine is excited to be an official media partner of Velo-city Global 2012. The lifestyle cycling magazine, which recently launched its new web URL: momentummag.com, will be spreading the word about North America’s first Velo-city Global through its online, print and social media platforms.

Velo-city 2012 Cities in Motion

The Countdown to Velo-city 2012 blog that you are reading right now will feature speaker profiles, highlight conference themes and introduce you to some of the delegates who will be in attendance.

Velo-city Global, scheduled to take place June 26 to 29, 2012, in beautiful Vancouver, BC, is the world’s premier international cycling planning conference. The four-day event offers delegates from around the world a chance to share best practices for creating and sustaining cycling-friendly cities where bicycles are valued as part of daily transport and recreation.

The Velo-city Global conference unites politicians, engineers, planners, architects, social marketers, academics, researchers, environmentalists, advocates, educators and industry representatives. Delegates join forces and foster transnational collaboration. The event also draws experts from related areas, such as health, economics and the environment.

Published five times a year, Momentum Magazine focuses on cycling as transportation, providing a perfect complement for one of the key themes of Velo-city Global 2012: growing cycling transportation mode share globally. Momentum also highlights bike culture in North America while providing positive and solutions-based editorial coverage, including arts & culture, city and people profiles, style, food, current events and gear.

Velo-city Global 2012 is expected to host over 1,000 delegates from around the world. The conference will be held June 26 -29 at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Center Hotel, accessible by the new Hornby Street separated bike lane.

Conference registration has begun! Visit velo-city2012.com/registration to secure your spot now. Early bird registration rates end March 31.

Originally published on momentummag.com.

Tour of Montreal 2011

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By Sarah Ripplinger

During my trip to the Montreal Bike Fest this June, I was pleasantly surprised to see just how many bicyclists there were on the streets. I had heard that Montreal’s cycling culture was alive and well, but what I witnessed was far beyond my expectations.

Montreal has over 300 miles (500 kilometers) of bikeways, 22 miles (35 kilometers) of which are plowed in the winter to enable year-round city riding. And, if a pilot project launched this year proves successful, city buses may soon be equipped with bike racks.

The design of the bikeway network makes it even easier to travel around this relatively flat city. Drivers were courteous, perhaps because about 94 percent of Quebecers aged 18-74 say they have cycled in the past, about 54 percent of them cycled at least once in 2010, according to a Velo Quebec report. “In 2010, 2.0 million adults aged 18 to 74 biked at least once a week,” the report states, up from 1.8 million in 2005 and 1.6 million in 2000.

The popularity of cycling was exemplified on the streets of Montreal. Bike lanes were full of cyclists and the bike share system, BIXI, was almost too popular for its own good. Locals use BIXI for short trips around the city – the first 45 minutes of use are free and there are presently over 5,000 bikes at over 400 stations spread out across the city. Visitors also take advantage of the mobility and ease of use that BIXI offers its patrons.

Trips of five kilometers or less on the island of Montreal are reportedly faster by bike than by car. And traveling along Montreal’s separated bike lanes, including Maisonneuve Boulevard and the Saint Laurent River, you do feel like you’re on bicycle superhighways. Even off of these routes, there is a sense that you’re surrounded by allies. I was almost always near another cyclist or two, if not waiting in a long lineup of bikers at a traffic light, and drivers were cautious when passing and often yielded to me at unmarked intersections.

I had a chance to see the enthusiasm for cycling first-hand at the two central staples of city cycling in Montreal: Un Tour la Nuit and Tour de l’Ile. These two rides bring together thousands of cyclists who travel through the city on roads closed off to motor vehicle traffic in a mass display of velo enthusiasm. They also both ended at a fair ground this year where there was a large Ferris wheel, live music, free food and lots of opportunities to mingle with like-minded individuals and enjoy the nice weather, which we were lucky enough to have this year.

The pace of life is a bit slower in Montreal than it is in other parts of eastern Canada. Here you won’t see people walking down the street with coffee cups or food in their hands. Meals and beverages are savored and locals take the time to enjoy the experience – ideally on a sunny patio in a stylish outfit accented by a relaxed smile.

Cycling is part of the Montreal lifestyle. As far as I could tell, it’s a pursuit undertaken by those who want to get around the city while enjoying the fresh air and company of other cyclists. It’s also something that seems to make life in this culturally rich city even sweeter.

Originally published on momentummag.com.