Midwinter News from Bike Edmonton
February 27, 2023
We’re making it through winter and spring is in sight! Check out how Bike Edmonton has been connecting with our community this winter. Plus, an update from our president, budget news, an important upcoming general meeting, a free bike fitness workshop, and more.
A Note from Our President
Hello Bike Edmonton members! Here’s an update on what the board has been up to since the last newsletter.
Financial Sustainability
The board is initiating an audit of 2021/2022 financials. Due to the reporting delays through the year, we want to provide members with confidence in the financials. I have personally donated the money to fund this audit as it is difficult at this time for Bike Edmonton to fund the audit in light of the current funds available.
Multiple generous donations were received following the last newsletter. We are deeply appreciative of these donations. These donations help Bike Edmonton stay operational through the winter months when revenue is down. If you are able, any donation you can give would also be greatly appreciated. I have personally contributed to Bike Edmonton because I see how important the organization is to the community.
We realize the budget has taken longer than anticipated to prepare, and we apologize for the delay. We want to make sure this budget is done right, with input from the entire board, and the staff, with complete financial statements to base it on. We will bring the budget to the membership at a General Meeting on March 22 (details below).
Relationship Building
The board has been meeting with the staff about multiple topics including the budget, increasing revenue, the Executive Director probationary review, and the outcomes of the board retreat. We’re pleased that Dr. Greg Glatz has passed the probationary period. A complete 360 degree review was completed as we wanted to make sure all voices were heard. We’re glad he is part of Bike Edmonton.
Governance
There is a board vacancy we hope to fill at the General Meeting on March 22 (details below). If you’re interested in being nominated, please review the job description and recent board meeting minutes. Please email [email protected] if you have any questions about serving on the board. After careful consideration, you can nominate yourself by filling out this form.
Thank you for your continued support of Bike Edmonton. Please contact me at the email address below if you have any concerns or questions I can help with.
Kelly Granigan, President
[email protected]
2023 Studded Tire Challenge
Bike Edmonton and the City of Edmonton have teamed up again to make winter cycling safe and lots of fun. This year’s Studded Tire Challenge opened up on February 1 and was oversubscribed in a few days.
The Studded Tire Challenge supports the City of Edmonton’s WinterCity Strategy by giving a free set of studded tires to qualified participants who agree to do three winter cycling challenges by December 31, 2023 (and agree to fill out a follow up questionnaire by January 15, 2024).
Check out the City of Edmonton’s WinterCity Winter Cycling page for great info and inspiring examples of people who ride in winter.
Flying Canoe Volant
Bike Edmonton was an exhibitor at this year's Flying Canoe Volant. This midwinter festival was a great opportunity to promote our WinterCity Studded Tire Challenge and let people know that Bike Edmonton is a great place to donate a bike, buy a bike, and learn to ride and fix a bike.
Thanks to our volunteers who greeted visitors at the Bike Edmonton table!
Pictured below: Corina Dootjes (volunteer), Kelly Granigan (Bike Edmonton’s board president), Jesse Cunningham (Bike Edmonton staff), and various scenes from Canoe Volant.
Alberta at Noon
Greg Glatz, our executive director, joined guest host Andrew Brown on CBC’s Alberta@Noon to talk about winter cycling. The show is broadcast in Calgary and Edmonton and there were calls from enthusiastic winter riders in both cities.
Check out the online recording of Greg’s visit to the show.
Alberta@Noon is weekday radio show where listeners share a “table” with experts and news makers of the day. In 2021, the Alberta@Noon team won an award for their ongoing coverage of COVID-19.
Pictured below: Andrew Brown, guest host of Alberta@Noon; Greg’s fatbike parked inside CBC Edmonton’s downtown studio.
Visit Our Community Bike Workshops
Does your winter bike need some TLC? Our community bike workshops are here to keep your winter workhorse rolling reliably! Make an appointment online to work on your bike (or have us work on it), or stop by one of our shops during drop-in hours.
We have bike parts! You can buy new parts online or over the counter at our downtown shop and south shop. Looking for used parts? Book a parts consultation and we’ll help you find what you need.
Buy a refurbished bike. Are you looking for a new-to-you-bike? Avoid the crowds when the snow melts: shop online now for a refurbished bike.
Spring tune ups. Spring is just around the corner. Make sure your bike is ready to ride by bringing it in for a tune-up. When spring arrives and you’re enjoying sunny days from the saddle of your bike, you'll be glad your bike isn’t waiting for service at a busy bike shop. Email us for details on our new tune up packages.
Find our current selection of refurbished bikes for sale on bikeedmonton.ca.
We love Old Bikes!
Do you have old, unused bikes sitting in your garage, basement, or storage locker? You can donate your old bike to Bike Edmonton! We’ll refurbish it and resell it, with all proceeds supporting our work of making cycling safe, widespread, and accessible to people of all comfort levels. We accept bike parts too! Please see our bike donations page for more info.
Please note: due to space constraints, not all donations can be accepted. Donations should be in good, near-complete condition (or, if incomplete, then high-quality). Items needing minor repair are generally accepted. Please email/text a photo of your item(s) to [email protected] or 780-433-2453 and we’ll let you know if we can put what you have to good use.
We are also grateful to receive the following donations:
rags, and unwanted cotton clothing/sheets/towels, etc. for rags
a new printer (must be laser, and in good working condition)
lumber (2x4s, 2x6s, 2x8s)
large garbage, recycle bags, etc.
masks
Transit Camp 2023
Save the date and RSVP for Transit Camp 2023 on Saturday, March 18 at the University of Alberta. Public transit is a critical component of transportation mode shift and greenhouse gas emission reduction targets set out in The City Plan. Transit Camp is community conversation about better public transit that includes employers, business leaders, academics, community advocates, seniors, parents, students, and a cross-section of the Edmonton Community.
There have been major changes over the past year to public transit. How is it going?
Has the Bus Network Redesign proved successful?
Are people returning to public transit post-covid?
How are safety concerns on the LRT being addressed?
How can we grow public transit ridership, reduce traffic, and meet our climate goals?
What investments were made in the 2023 municipal budget?
Is there a future for public transit in the age of Uber, Google and Elon Musk?
Tentative Schedule
9:00: Arrival, networking
9:20: Welcome
9:30: The State of Edmonton Transit 2023: (Carrie Hotton-MacDonald, ETS)
10:45: National trends in Public Transit (David Cooper, Leading Mobility)
12:00: Lunch
1:00: Keynote & Book talk—James Wilt, Do Androids Dream of Electric Cars? Public Transit in the Age of Google, Uber, and Elon Musk.
2:00: Breakout rooms suggested themes (frequency, LRT, affordability, frequency, etc)
3:00: Reconvene and report
4:00: Next steps, depart to refreshments
Transit Camp 2023 is convened by Ward papastew City Councillor Michael Janz, in partnership with many others including ATU 569, University of Alberta Sustainability Council, Climate Justice Edmonton, Migrante, and the Parkland Institute.
Financial Update
Audit. Bike Edmonton has secured the services of Bergeron & Co. to conduct an audit of our 2021/2022 fiscal year. This audit will help us produce an accurate report for the year and put in place accounting practices that improve how we track and report our finances in the future. We’re grateful for a generous donation to support the cost of this audit.
Budget. Our board and staff have reviewed a draft budget for the 2022/2023 fiscal year. See below for notice of a General Meeting to approve the budget.
Grants. This winter, we’ve received a grant from the City of Edmonton to support our Studded Tire Challenge. We’ve also applied for a ParticipACTION Community Challenge grant to support our partnership with Boyle Street Community Services and a grant from the Community Services Recovery Fund to upgrade our POS (point of sale) system to improve how we track our inventory, labour costs, service scheduling, and parts sales. We have also reactivated a City of Edmonton Waste Reduction Grant to establish mobile bike repair stations in five community leagues across the city. The total value of these grants is over $35,000. A portion of all of these grants contribute to the wages we pay our valued staff.
Fundraisers. We are in the beginning stages of planning a movie night fundraiser at Metro Cinema. A city councillor has offered his support in organizing and promoting the event. We hope to raise $5,000-$10,000. If you have movie suggestions, email them to us!
Upcoming Fee Changes
Our membership fees have not increased significantly for two decades and our shop fees are very low. Our Executive Director and shop staff have discussed increasing fees on April 1, 2023 to provide sustainable financial support for our operations. We hope these increases will be seen as an opportunity for our valued members to support Bike Edmonton. (Info on planned increases will be published in March.)
In the meantime, we encourage members to renew their memberships or book shop time before increases take place!
General Meeting COMING UP!
Bike Edmonton is holding a General Meeting on Wednesday, March 22 at 7:00PM. Please RSVP to attend the meeting. The main focus of the meeting is to review and approve our 2022/2023 budget. We will also elect a new member to the Board of Directors. All Bike Edmonton members are invited to attend. Members in good standing who are present at the meeting (no proxies) may vote.
Members in good standing are regular members who have been members for at least one calendar month and any honorary members. A regular member who has lapsed for no more than six months shall also be considered a member in good standing immediately upon payment of their dues.
Thank You for Your Support
Bike Edmonton members have donated or pledged over $26,000 since December 2022. (One household even donated their carbon tax rebates for two quarters: $539.50!)
2022/2023 will be a transitional year for Bike Edmonton as we focus on governance and team building, making our operations sustainable, and increasing our reach in the community.
Please consider making a donation to Bike Edmonton as we get through the last weeks of winter and prepare for the busy spring/summer season. You can donate via PayPal or visit our donations page.
Bike Fitness WORKSHOP
Coming April 1 … F.R.E.E. Fitness is partnering with Bike Edmonton to offer a strength, mobility and injury prevention workshop for Edmonton bike riders. This free 90-minute workshop will teach you fundamental exercises that help you build strength and reduce wear and tear from cycling (suitable for all fitness levels). Sign up ASAP. The workshop is open to 30 participants.
Bike Fitness Workshop
April 1, 2023 at 3:00PM
F.R.E.E. Fitness
11507 120 St NW
F.R.E.E. Fitness is a locally owned indoor fitness facility that houses a team of 15 coaches that specialize in 1-on-1 personal training, and small group training. Their 7,800 square foot facility is located in central Edmonton near Kingsway Mall. F.R.E.E. Fitness has earned the YEG Fitness Magazine “Best Community Supporter” award three times in the last five years (2018, 2020 & 2022). The gym has also earned Edmonton’s “Best Single Gym” location in 2020 and 2022.
Alberta Bike Swap
This year’s Alberta Bike Swap is Saturday, May 13, 2023 at MacEwan University, NORTH SIDE underground parking lot (10803 105 Ave NW).
Consign your bike: 8:00 am to 2:00 pm
Buy a bike: 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm
Donate your bike: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Ride Together!
One of the best ways to enjoy your bike is to ride with someone else. Get a few friends together for a ride, or check out one of Edmonton’s riding groups (see below).
The Peace Avenue Bike Club has been publishing short bios of their club members and recently featured our executive director, Greg Glatz.
How many years have you been riding a bike regularly?
I’ve been riding regularly since 2016, when I started bike commuting in Calgary.
How many kilometers did you ride in 2022?
I’ve ridden over 31,000 km since 2016. I’ve ridden less in 2021/2022 than in previous years because I took up running 5Ks, weight training, and boxing.
What style of bike riding do you prefer?
I enjoy riding the pathways and river trails in Edmonton. My favorite rides are bikepacking trips in the Rockies and the Kootenays.
What was your favourite ride or club moment of 2022?
Favourite ride of 2022 was the ride with club members to Fort Saskatchewan in August. 131 km. Coldest day of the month and it rained all the way there. I’m still cleaning mud off my bike.
What’s one thing you want more people to know about you?
I’m bad at doing new things … but I don’t give up. I was so bad at guitar my mom (secretly) thought I should quit. Five years later I was teaching guitar at a local music studio. I’ve had a similar experience this past year with boxing—a really bad start, but I’ve since earned the most-improved student award.
What's one thing you want more people to know about the world?
You’ll always feel better if you ride your bike.
Greg and his dog, Geddy Lee
Edmonton has a variety of ride groups that cater to different kinds of riders and rides styles.
Check out our "sister" ride club in Edmonton, North London, England: Edmonton Cycle Club.
This newsletter was edited by Greg Glatz, Executive Director of Bike Edmonton. Questions, concerns, comments? Contact Greg at [email protected] or 825-777-7345. Want to meet with Greg? Use Calendly to set up an appointment.