Village of Pemberton CAO Daniel Sailland, Communications Coordinator Jill Brooksbank & Mayor Jordan Sturdy.
Last week, I had the privilege of delivering an award to the Mayor of Pemberton, British Columbia. Here’s the story behind the award:
Since I first posted about Drivers for Jarvis, I continue to receive new requests from across TO from those who want to join the campaign!
I’ve pasted some recent photos below, and the full list can be found on the Cycle Toronto website.
Wanna add your name to the list? Get in touch: dave@pigeonhat.ca
Nick Cluley (a great guy, in my opinion) has written a long blog post explaining why he supports changing the name of the Toronto Cyclists Union to ‘Cycle Toronto’. As I’ve already written, I’m a fan of keeping the name as it is. But more importantly, I’m a fan of democracy and debate, and I’m glad Nick has contributed to the online debate, and I think it’s great that this choice is being carried out in a democratic way, with all members having a say.
I encourage members to take the time to read Nick’s post, and then vote however you wish. The main thing is that after the vote, we all get back to work and focus on our shared goal: more bikes on the streets, and safer roads for everyone. Continue reading
On May 2nd, members of the Toronto Cyclists Union will vote on a proposal to re-brand the organization and change the name to Cycle Toronto. I’m encouraging members to vote ‘no’, and this blog post explains why.
First, let me say that I think the discussion is a healthy one to have, and I think it’s great that the Board of Directors has put this proposal forward. Re-evaluating a brand, and exploring re-branding is a positive exercise for any non-profit or corporation.
In the end, there will always be benefits and drawbacks to a name-change. So, the question is simply: do the benefits outweigh the drawbacks? So, let’s explore both. Continue reading
A couple of months ago, I was thinking about how difficult it can be to explain the ways in which our voting system is a total scam. When given 15 or 20 minutes, it’s easy to break down the mathematical insanity that we call “first past the post”. But if you’ve only got 2 or 3 minutes, it’s hard to describe the polarising, divisive and unfair characteristics of ‘vote-splitting’ and ‘strategic-voting’.
So I designed an “Election Quilt” that would allow someone to easily facilitate an interactive presentation, in mere minutes, that clearly shows why our voting system is a national disgrace.
Last week, while playing Angry Birds, I had the most absurd vision: A Toronto City Council meeting where all the Councillors spoke with Angry Birds sounds – instead of words.
It seemed so hilarious to me, that I couldn’t help myself from editing a short video – just to see what it might actually look like.
For your, enjoyment:
Posted in I Have Too Much Time on my Hands
In 2010, forty Torontonians ran for mayor. The media selected six candidates as frontrunners, and only one of them was a woman. By election day, Sarah Thomson had dropped out of the race, along with Rocco Rossi and Giorgio Mammoliti. The remaining frontrunners were all men.
Sadly, this isn’t surprising in a political world where the last three leaders of our three levels of governments have the following names: Stephen, Paul, Jean, Dalton, Ernie, Mike, Rob, David & Mel.
Last year, Toronto City Council voted to remove the bike lanes on Jarvis Street. This was done without any public consultation, without the support of the local Councillor and against the advice of City Staff. It was a political move that puts the safety of hundreds of cyclists at risk. Luckily, the bike lanes have not yet been removed.
I’m working on a project, with Cycle Toronto, called ‘Drivers for Jarvis‘. We want to show that the debate about Jarvis Street isn’t about cyclists vs drivers. It’s about safety vs rhetoric. It’s about sharing the road vs hogging the road. It’s about common sense. Continue reading
As I wrote on January 24th, the recommendations from the Fourth Wall exhibit are already making waves at City Hall. With strong support from both City staff and City Councillors, individual items are being brought forward one by one. The ball is now rolling, and this blog post will serve as a ‘living document’, tracing the progress of all 36 proposals.
I’ll list them in two formats: By status & by item (1 – 36)
This is my last blog post of 2011, and I’m going to finish off the year with an inspiring Good News story. I just heard about the ‘Art Train’ project last week, and I think it’s such an amazing example of what is possible in Toronto when creative minds come together.
Remember the Art Bike project last summer? A couple of artists from OCAD painted an abandoned bicycle hot pink, and then stirred up a storm of controversy when the City asked them to remove the bike.
Two weeks later, City Council voted in favour of supporting the artists and allowing them to install seventy neon ‘art bikes’ all across Toronto.
Now, inspired by the success of the Art Bike project, the TTC has announced the Art Train project. The idea is simple: abandoned LRT trains will be placed across the City, painted in bright neon colours. The sites will be located along the cancelled routes of Transit City.
Art Train at Jane & Finch
