Patricia Grell

for me and for him to ride because we both need the exercise. I also want to be a good role model for him to show him that it is important to get daily exercise and also to be environmentally responsible.

2. Do you feel comfortable riding on the road with traffic?
Yes. I have felt much safer since I started wearing a very visible jacket. Prior to this, I almost got killed 4 times!

3. Do you feel that students are comfortable cycling (for at least part of their trip) to school? If not, why? What would you change to make cyclists feel more confident?
My son who is 8 1/2 feels comfortable cycling to school because he is wearing highly visible clothing and rides on the sidewalk (I ride on the road next to him). Having me there as an extra set of eyes to watch for traffic and blind alleys helps. As well, we cycle as a family a lot around Edmonton to go to other activities so going to school is just another destination. I think that to get students to feel more comfortable, it may require clinics at the schools to teach them how to dress to be visible to drivers and what to watch for while riding e.g. blind alleys.

4. Numerous studies have established the relationship between increased physical activity and better academic achievement. As trustee, what specific actions will you take to encourage active transportation among students and staff?
I would like to introduce a “Monday is ride day” for example, to help students and staff to consider riding to school at least one day a week. Once they experience it, perhaps they would consider riding more often. I think we have to educate people to realize that they can ride a bike a long distance and it really doesn’t take that much longer. One mother at my son’s school was astounded to hear that it took my son and I only 10 minutes longer by bike to get to the school than it did by car. People have so abandoned active forms of transportation such as cycling and walking that they don’t realize how far they can go by bike and walking in a short amount of time. I think as well that there could be more information in school newsletters to show the research that shows that increased physical activity improves academic achievement.

5. How will you engage parents, principals and administrators to make health a priority, especially in regards to active transportation?
I will be an example first of all by riding my bike as much as possible to meetings and other activities of the Board. I will bring up the issue of active transportation at Board meetings to discuss how we can promote this valuable form of exercise within our school system.

6. What policies and practices need to be changed or created to achieve this goal?
I will do all I can to keep schools open so that students can walk and cycle to schools in their community rather than being bused to schools outside of their community. I am also interested in making a motion to ban junk food in our schools.

a. Because of the open-boundary, program-based school system in Edmonton, many students travel long distances to school. How would you encourage active transportation given this fact?
As I said above, I think parents don’t realize how far a person can travel on a bike. At least part of the year, children can travel by bike to their school of choice and may actually get there quicker than by taking a long, circuitous bus ride. I know for a fact that children who reside in my neighbourhood and attend a school near my son’s school are on a bus for one hour. I think we have to educate the public that they are capable of going long distances by bike in a relatively short amount of time. My son and I travel 6.2 km to his school in 1/2 an hour — parents that see us riding to school are quite astounded that we “go all that way” in only 1/2 an hour.

b. School closures discourage active transportation by increasing travel distances. Would you encourage study of the student health (and correlated academic) consequences of school closures?
Yes.

An initiative in Nova Scotia, which included opening school gyms after hours for non-competitive sport activities, saw a 72% reduction in obesity rates. What innovative ways would you propose to increase school utilization and physical activity?
Many children need after school care and there is one available at our son’s school. The after school care program could be sports oriented allowing children to have fun and exercise while they wait for their parents to finish work. Such an after school care program would eliminate parents feeling they need to put their children in sports in the evening, to ensure their children get enough exercise.

Do the schools in your ward have adequate, secure bicycle parking?
I am not sure at this time. This is something I will have to look into.

What kind of education programs would you engage in to encourage effective cycling?
Education programs that would promote safe cycling and how to dress for cycling. I think as well that a mentoring program would be helpful. My husband who has always been an avid cyclist, mentored me who just got into cycling about 5 years ago. Having his experience and expertise helped me greatly.

What would you do to discourage students being dropped-off/picked-up in private vehicles?
I believe that our Catholic, Public, Francophone, etc. school boards could collaborate better to provide more efficient bus service. Could we not have one bus system that would pick up students going to both public and Catholic schools in a particular area instead of each board having its own busing? We also need to help parents organize bike to school programs where one parent takes turns bringing children from their neighbourhood to school.

Do you have a recent photo of yourself riding your bicycle? Please send it to us digitally!
I don’t have a recent photo but I have attached a nice one that I had taken for the campaign!

Sincerely,

Patricia Grell, Candidate for Ward 72 ECSD Trustee