There has been much handwringing in the cycling community about the lack of bikeracks and bikelanes in the “revitalized” Bloor-Yorkville Business Improvement Area.
While there are no bikelanes, there are sharrows, and now that construction is reaching final stages, new sleek and modern bikeracks are making an appearance.
Photo from ChrisKayTO on Twitter
This past Saturday saw a big day at BikeSauce, the DIY space at Queen East and Broadview Avenue.
Between an Open House, a Family Ride to the Leslie Spit, Alley Cat Races and a Keg Party, the ‘Sauce “got their sauce on”, if ya know what I mean. They had fun doing it all day.
The newly renovated social hub has coffee, art and free wireless internet. The sustainable transportation advocacy centre and library boasts fully-stocked shelves with books and ‘zines on all sorts of cycling, civic engagement and Toronto history.
Here are a few photos from the day, courtesy of their facebook page:
You can also check out BikeSauce info right here on BikingToronto – they have a blog here too! 
Photos from last night’s Bixi Bash have started showing up on Flickr.
Here are the first ones, from LodoeLaura:
“Hello Toronto, my name is Bixi”
“I’m sturdy, I’m stylish… I’ll get you where you’re going”
“These are the Bixarians. Um.. Bixites? Bixies? Bixecutioners? They rock!”
“I love parties. Someone get me a beer, please … I have no hands.”
View more photos from the party in LodoeLaura’s set.
If you’ve been following our Jarvis Bikelane construction posts, you know we’ve had a Before post, a During post (which includes video) and another Video post. Now we have what you’ve been waiting for… painted bikelane photos… again courtesy of Neal Jennings:
What a tabloid-esque headline for a biking story!
Yesterday, the Executive Director of the Toronto Cyclists Union, Yvonne Bambrick (I think she’s also the Director of Communication and Events, but I don’t know if she’s made the switch yet) received two tickets for riding her bike down the middle of Jarvis. She now has two $110 tickets — one under the Highway Traffic Act for failing to drive in a marked lane and one under the municipal code for not keeping both hands on her handlebars.
Yvonne was nice enough to take photos of her tickets.
It should be noted though, that Yvonne was doing it for a good cause… trying to take photos of what NOT to do. Maybe next time she’ll park her bike and take photos while walking across a crosswalk. Stuff like this just provides fodder for the Sun and their readership.
Kudos to Yvonne for trying to get photos like this though:
Don't Do This. These Aren't Bikelanes
Remember the horrific gridlock that was supposed to bring Jarvis to a standstill when it went from 5 lanes to 4? Hasn’t happened. Neal Jennings shot this video at 5:01 pm yesterday (Tuesday).
We’re continuing our series of Jarvis Bikelane Photo Posts (see the “before” photos here) with a “During” post. Photos again by Neal Jennings… not only a cool accountant (we use his services) but a super nice guy too.
The parking is gone… the center lane has been lined off, and dashed lines are marking where new lane markers will go.
The process for installing bikelanes on Jarvis started on Friday, and not only those of us who like to bike Toronto are excited. People who live in the area are looking forward to having the street become a little more people-friendly. The new bikelanes will create a small “buffer” of road space between moving car traffic and pedestrians on the sidewalk.
Local resident Neal Jennings (who is an occasional cyclist as well as BikingToronto’s accountant) is documenting the installation of the bikelanes with his camera. He’s given us special permission to share his photos with you, so here for you are the “before” photos of the street:
Stay tuned for “During” and “After” photos.
Duncan broke the story (and had a photo) yesterday of the new bike parking corral on Spadina yesterday, even beating out the Toronto Cyclists Union and Spacing Magazine, who were instrumental in getting the new parking put in (their offices are in the adjacent building – 215 Spadina):
This new installation has created 16 much needed parking spaces in the same area that previously hosted 2 cars. Protected by bright bollards, cyclists now have a safe new place to lock their two-wheelers.
The rack is also a unique design. (Not exactly unique… this rack design is also found in the new St. Clair West TTC station bike shelter – Joe) The front wheel is wedged between two metal brackets that form an ‘anchor’ of sorts for each spot. The anchor spots, 8 in each of the two new racks, alternate with one near the ground, next to one that is raised in a ‘one up/one down’ pattern that allows bikes to fit better side by side.
City staff say that if this seasonal bike parking pilot proves successful, they will consider installing it in other high bike traffic areas as of next Spring.
from Duncan's City Ride
from Spacing
from Spacing
On Friday morning, I went over to the Bloor Viaduct to check out the new re-painted bikelanes, and while I was there fairly early decided to relax under some trees and count the people biking by on their way downtown to work.
The Bloor Viaduct is one of the perfect places in Toronto to do this, as it is what I like to call a “funnel point” over the Don Valley… it’s one of very few places that someone biking to work can cross the valley… and it’s a 3 km ride north (Millwood) or almost 2 km south (Gerrard) to get to the next bridge.
As you can see by the graph above, the 2 hours between 7:15 – 9:15 am sees a lot of cyclists heading over the Viaduct westbound towards downtown Toronto. A total of 582 cyclists passed me in those 120 minutes (an avg. of 4.85 per minute) with the highest number between approx. 8:20 to after 9:00 am.
Now some photos I took while I sat in my lovely tree-shaded spot, watching commuters go by:
I first sat on a round concrete bench close to the Bloor / Castle Frank intersection, but the trees and grass were calling me...
ahh, trees and shade, and me with a notepad.
Line-ups are common at the Bloor & Castle Frank intersection.
Recumbent riders join the fun too.
Okay, okay… you talked me into it. Here are a couple short videos of people biking through the intersection on their way to work.
What are other “funnel points” for bikers in Toronto? Popular ways under the 401? Over the Humber valley? Across railway crossings?
I stopped by the Dandyhorse Magazine Launch Party last night… had a great time talking to very nice people and drinking very nice beer.
Here are some pics I took to share with you:
Bike Posts were full…
But way more are needed in this area (King and Niagara)
Here’s the front of the Canadian Corps Club, which was packed full of bike-lovers.
The bar!
The awesome door people!
I helped out on the door for a while.
A bike was raffled off, and Dandyhorse subscriptions and shirts were sold
BikeSauce was there, with great shirts and info (unfortunately, they didn’t have my shirt size)
DJ Triple X spinning the tunes.
General crowd shots… doesn’t everyone look like they’re having a great time?
