Kolb and Keesmaat present 2014 Toronto Bike Awards

This past week, Cycle Toronto played host for the 2014 Toronto Bike Awards. Over 250 people crammed into the 918 Bathurst venue to celebrate the best in Toronto cycling.

The evening was hosted by Cycle Toronto’s executive director, Jared Kolb. The evening started with Kolb introducing the keynote speaker, Jennifer Keesmaat, chief planner for the City of Toronto.

Keesmaat spoke about the experience of reading her grandmother’s diary. After growing up in the Netherlands, Keesmaat’s grandmother emigrated to Canada, and a change became apparent in the way she wrote about her travels.

“When my grandmother told stories in the context of her life in Holland, she measured distance in bicycle rides,” said Keesmaat.

“What happened… when she came to Canada [was that] she started to measure everything in terms of a drive.”

Keesmaat went on to describe how such observations reinforce the idea that infrastructure shapes how we live our lives. Keesmaat has been working hard to help Toronto move towards a city that offers better transportation choices as a result of improved and diversified infrastructure.

“Providing proper infrastructure shows that cycling is a legitimate form of transportation in the city,” said Keesmaat. “When the infrastructure is incomplete and looks like an afterthought, it takes away the legitimacy of cycling. The best thing we can do is build the infrastructure that makes it very clear that cycling is a real choice.

“Part of this from my perspective is about building choice, so that on any given day of the week, you can choose the mode [of travel] that makes the most sense.”

Much of the shift in cycling advocacy in Toronto has been a shift away from thinking about bikes, and instead thinking about people.

“In Toronto, most people are multimodal ultimately,” said Kolb. “If you’ve got to get down to your local shop, you maybe walk. If you have to get to work, and it’s maybe 5km away, maybe you ride your bike. If it’s 10km or more, you take the subway. For longer distance, you go by car.

“In 2009’s cycling study, 54% of Torontonians said they had ridden a bike in the last year. That’s Ford country, that’s North York, that’s downtown, that is this whole city. I think we are moving towards a different kind of framing,. which is that cycling is being embraced as a transportation option in Toronto.”

Kolb went on to explain the important role of partnerships to achieving Cycle Toronto’s goals of expanding opportunities to ride. Working with groups and individuals not already steeped in cycling has meant a change in who views cycling as an alternative, and why. By illustrating the wider benefits of cycling and cycling infrastructure, Kolb and the rest of Cycle Toronto have found new allies in their work for better facilities.

“We haven’t focussed on cyclists speaking up for us – we knew they’d do that anyway,” said Kolb. “Schools, Principals, BIAs, Resident’s associations. It’s those partnerships that are really important and really valuable, and they’re built on trust. I could ream off a number of streets or projects, but really that’s the core founding principle.”

The evening included the Bicycle Friendly Business Awards, presented by the City of Toronto, as well as Community Awards, given by a selection of groups in recognition of the achievements made in cycling advocacy over the last year.

Guests cheered the award winners and toasted with beer from Steam Whistle brewing, and Propeller Coffee, both helping to cater the event, along with Dufflet’s pastries.  Cycle Toronto was selling “Minimum Grid” t-shirts and many silent auction items were up for grabs, including a custom City of Toronto Timbuk2 courier bag.

Five Bicycle Friendly Business Awards were presented by the City of Toronto and supported by MMM Group. Each organzation chose one of three available prizes.

•    Featherstone Two Wheels Green Delivery
◦    Presenter: 2013 winner Intelliware Development
◦    Prize: Bike Share Toronto membership

•    Timbuk2 Toronto Designs
◦    Presenter: 2013 winner Stone Canoe
◦    Prize: Cycle Toronto workshop

•    Bike Sauce
◦    Presenter: 2013 winner Tangerine
◦    Prize: Urban Repair Stand donated by Steam Whistle Brewing

•    St. Michael’s Hospital
◦    Presenter: 2013 winner McLeish Orlando
◦    Prize: Cycle Toronto workshop

•    Steam Whistle Brewing
◦    Presenter: 2013 winner Energy@Work
◦    Prize: Cycle Toronto workshop

Community Awards were given to:

•    Eleanor McMahon, MPP (Burlington), winner of the Toronto Centre for Active Transportation’s Active Transportation Champion of the Year Award
•    Toronto District School Board’s Richard Christie, winner of the Bike to School Project’s Champion of the Year Award
•    Jerry Lee Miller, winner of the Community Bicycle Network’s CBNer of the Year Award
•    Toronto Island Bicycle Rental, winner of the Ontario By Bike Best Toronto-Based Cycle Tourism Partner Award
•    Eglinton Way BIA’s Monique Drepaul, winner of the Toronto Cycling Think & Do Tank Bikes Mean Business Award
•    University of Toronto Facilities and Services Department, winner of the Bikechain Builders Award
•    Downtown Yonge BIA, winner of the Cycle Toronto Supporter of the Year Award
•    John Taranu, winner of the Cycle Toronto Volunteer of the Year Award