bells on bloor

Saturday brought good weather and a couple thousand cyclists to Bloor Street for another year of asking politicians to put in bike lanes. The Cyclops troupe of Clay and Paper Theatre led the multiple musical groups in chants and singing along the way.

A nice job by everyone, now the politicians just need to get their act together.

Ottawa celebrates a victory for cyclists today, as Council will finally vote on adapting the City's official Bike Plan.

Meanwhile, back in Hog-Town, Mayor Miller breaks the ground on the Bloor-Yorkville Transformation, a project that not only ignores the needs of cyclists, but has completely balked the required public consultations for a project of this size.
A half-dozen cyclists were shut out of the Bloor-Yorkville BIA “open house” meeting last night, and were faced with threats of arrest from a gang of over 20 assigned police officers. Councillor Kyle Rae flipped out upon seeing their petitions, and screamed at a member of the Toronto Cycling Committee to “Grow up and get informed!” as he pushed his way past.

Reportedly, once behind closed doors, Rae proudly announced that there will be no plan to accommodate bike lanes in this reconstruct, despite unprecedented public demand (for over 20 years), and despite outcomes of the in depth study of bike lane viability for Bloor Street currently underway at City Hall.

A new banner image: like it? We are likely going to be swapping banners now and then to keep things fresh.

2007 was a mixed year for cycling in Toronto. The Bells on Bloor event featured in our new banner image was one of the better things to happen. The photo was taken by Tanya Quinn during the ride from High Park to Yonge St. back in September. It was great weather, a great turnout and an awesome way to promote the idea of bike lanes on Bloor Street. Politicians showed up, bike cops helped us through the intersections.

It was one of the less cynical things to happen in a year punctuated by lots of promises by politicians, few new actual bike lanes, some dead cyclists, some ill-placed bollards (that just reek of the lack of consultation and lack of thinking from the point of view of cyclists that is going on), and cyclists being vilified in the media for the violent actions of one cyclist.

Hundreds of cyclists rode on Sunday to demand a Bike Lane on Bloor and safe passage across Toronto. Thank you to Albert Koehl, Hamish Wilson, Anglea Bischoff and many others who helped organize this impressive show of strength by cyclists of all ages. Bells on Bloor

On Sunday September 23rd 2007 help us bring out the Bells on Bloor

To get involved, please email info@bellsonbloor.ca

Join hundreds of cyclists of all ages in celebrating car-free day with a pedal powered parade, ringing our bells all the way from High Park to the ROM.

Cycling protects our environment. So let’s protect our cyclists with more bike lanes. Fighting global warming has never been so fun.

Come with bells on, ring a bell along the route, or get a free bike bell.

Great Events on Sunday, Sept. 23!

Bells on Bloor and The Toronto Smog Hike are working together. Our bike parade ends at the ROM and will encourage riders to join forces with smog hikers at 1pm on Yonge. (Or participate in their opening at 10am, and meet us at NOON at High Park).