Do you ever dream of a not-so-distant future where Winnipeg is full of eco-friendly buildings intertwined by parks and streets filled with cyclists and pedestrians instead of cars? While this urban utopia might seem impossible, most modern-day cities are already working toward this type of sustainability. Specifically, the City of Winnipeg has developed CentrePlan 2050 to guide strategic investment and development in parks, open spaces, streets and buildings for the next 30 years (see the editorial on page 3 for details).
A sustainable city is one that promotes economic growth while meeting the basic needs of all of its inhabitants and creating sustainable living conditions for the future. Many sustainable initiatives are achieved by building eco-friendly alternatives directly into infrastructure, like adding walking paths and cycling lanes along existing travel routes. So instead of driving, you’re helping to create an environmentally sustainable future by using modes of transportation that don’t add to your city’s carbon footprint.
The City of Winnipeg’s Pedestrian and Cycling strategies, both of which came into effect in 2015, provide a long-term vision meant to guide the development of the city’s walking and cycling networks over a 20-year span. Along with a poll conducted by Probe Research, Inc. for CAA Manitoba and Bike Winnipeg, revealing that a solid 21 per cent of Winnipeggers said they’re already cycling daily or at least a few times a week for transportation, it’s clear that cycling has gone mainstream!
There’s no better way to show your support for a greener tomorrow than participating in Bike Week. The annual event, now in its 11th year, kicks off this Sunday, June 9 and runs to June 15. If you celebrated World Bicycle Day on June 3, this week is for you!
Bike Week is an event that grew out of Winnipeg’s Bike to Work Day way back in 2007 when a group of bicycle commuting enthusiasts hosted an event to encourage people to try cycling to work while advocating for improved cycling infrastructure. Similar events are held in cities throughout North America. In 2011, this successful event was reformatted to invite multiple organizations to host pit stops all over the city, making it more accessible. When participation boomed, Bike to Work Day expanded their programming, leading to the first full Bike Week in 2014.
Many fantastic events are planned for this year’s Bike Week that you don’t want to miss. The unofficial kick-off could be considered the Academy Street Party on Saturday, June 8 from 11 am-4 pm. It’s a fun day of family activities including face painting, bouncy castle, slide, dunk tank, free food, but most importantly, the Bike Week Winnipeg table! Bike Week Ambassadors will be providing bike tune-ups and a bike decorating station to help get you ready for the week.
The official launch on Sunday, June 9, is the the second Bike for the Future ride of the season that starts and ends at The Forks at the WRENCH satellite location at 11 am. Touring through West Broadway and Wolseley, the rides are family-friendly. At 1 pm is the Bezhig Miigwan, One Feather with Momenta. This 2-hour ride will allow participants to learn truth, reflect on place and history, ethically engage with land, and consider the next actions toward Reconciliation. Adrian Alphonso, a Band and Community Member of Waywayseecappo First Nation, will guide the experience. Pre-register for the ride at momenta.campbrainregistration.com.
Up next is the ever-popular Bike to Work Day on Tuesday, June 11, from 6:30 am-2 pm all across Winnipeg. Whether you’re riding to work as usual, taking a test ride to try the experience for the first time, or just heading out for a leisurely cruise, this is a fantastic event for young and old. Enjoy free refreshments and camaraderie at the many pit stops across the city from 6:30-9:00 am. Or visit the All Day Pit Stop at The Forks Market. And don’t forget to enter the Scavenger Hunt running from June 12-15 with daily prizes!
Finally, to wrap up the week with music and activities for the whole family, don’t miss the Annual Kidical Mass on Saturday, June 15 from 10:30 am to 1 pm at Vimy Ridge Park. After that, head over to the southwest corner of the Legislative Grounds for the Bike Week Bash “That’s a Wrap” event from 1-3 pm, with even more music and activities for the whole family! For more event information and a map of the routes and pit stops, visit bikeweekwinnipeg.com
Did you know?
There are many great self-directed rides that you can enjoy not only during Bike Week but all year long.
• Pedal into History Learn this province’s rich history with these bike tours presented by Bike Winnipeg: Birth of a Province Tour; Across the Assiniboine; Ride the Red; and, Beyond la Barriere St. Norbert Tour. Visit bikewinnipeg.ca for more info.
• Garden Tours Are you a gardening enthusiast? There are also a couple of local community garden tours that you can ride: Spence Neighbourhood/Wolseley Community Garden Tour, and the Riverview/Lord Roberts Community Garden Tour. Please visit bikewinnipeg.ca for more info.
• Central Winnipeg Bike Loop This fantastic 10 km bike-friendly path connects and highlights bike routes in seven central Winnipeg neighbourhoods via clearly-marked, easy-to-navigate signs. The Loop is designed for easy navigation and optimized for local discovery and exploration. The entire loop can be completed in about 45 minutes at a leisurely pace, but it’s designed to encourage people to stop and discover the many urban parks, landmarks and other attractions along the way while supporting local businesses. Visit centralwpgloop.com for a map of the route.
• School Loops Winnipeg Trails has created school loops across Winnipeg to help kids and their families get to school by walking and biking on the best route available. Each loop is marked by a unique animal and colour, and trailhead signs near schools are translated into local Indigenous languages. There’s a very useful app to help if you get lost, but you can easily spot the signs along the route. To find the Loop nearest you and to download the app, check out SchoolLoops.org for more information.
• First Fridays Bike-In If you’re feeling unsure about biking alone and want a more experienced cyclist to show you the way, take part in a group bike ride into the Exchange District where you’ll discover the safest and most convenient routes from many different neighbourhoods. This group ride, with pick-up points along the route, will give you the confidence to feel comfortable riding throughout the city. Visit ExchangeDistrict.org for more info on this and other exciting First Fridays events.
Bonus Tip: Winnipeg has a Bicycle Mayor! Patty Wiens joins a growing global network of volunteers representing more than 120 cities in over 30 countries. They’re selected for a period of two years during which they focus on addressing the main barriers to increasing cycling in their cities by working with government, industry, activists and residents. You can visit her YouTube channel to learn how to cycle all year long in every kind of Winnipeg weather, or sign up for the weekly newsletter at bikewinnipeg.ca
And remember — all neighbourhoods are better by bike! Have fun!