Winnipeg to host second annual Winter Cycling Congress
Winnipeg is hosting the second annual International Winter Cycling Congress. The Manitoba Theatre for Young People at The Forks National Historic Park will serve as the venue for the six-day conference beginning on February 11. The Winter Cycling Congress gives leading advocates for cycling in cold climates from around the globe an audience to present ideas that address prevalent issues for winter cyclists. “We have a lineup of more than 60 expert speakers with nearly 200 people attending and guests arriving from Norway, Holland, Finland, the Yukon, Japan, and all over North America,” said Anders Swanson, conference director. New urban designs, campaigns and case studies will all be presented during the event with the hopes of improving the cycling climate for the estimated 3.45 billion people world-wide who live through cold winters.
Northern Scandinavian cities, such as Stockholm, Sweden and Copenhagen, Denmark have both integrated winter cycling into their winter maintenance structures. Winnipeg is considered a leading example in a North American context. “Winnipeg is a winter city with a rapidly growing number of year-round cyclists, significant recent investments in bicycle network and a culture of people who love getting out into a beautiful snowy landscape,” said Swanson. Farther north, Whitehorse has the highest number of urban commuters per capita of anywhere in Canada. This fact highlights that winter cycling can remain a key means of transportation in the winter for Canadian cities. It’s a question of planning and infrastructure.
The schedule for the week includes several informational conferences that will present new ideas from around the globe. There’ll be case studies that analyze current Canadian cities and other global cities. Additionally, there will be other cultural and entertainment-based events, such as an afternoon skate and outdoor hockey game. The event overall is part festival and part conference.
More information can be found at the Winter Cycling Conference.
