Cycling Program 2019

Attendees at the March 6, 2019 Halton Hills Community Cycling Summit

Halton Hills Cycling Summit - March 6, 2019

The Town of Halton Hills Bike It Committee held its first Cycling Summit on Wednesday March 6, 2019 at 6:30 pm at MoldMasters Sportsplex – Alcott Hall. The purpose of the Summit was to present to the community the Town’s progress on cycling initiatives, to discuss a vision for cycling in Halton Hills and strategies for achieving the vision.

Bike it Halton Hills was formed in 2012 to advocate for improvements in cycling infrastructure and to promote cycling by hosting a series of cycling events. The Committee’s goal is to be recognized as a Gold Bicycle Friendly Community as part of Share the Road’s program. Halton Hills has currently attained Bronze recognition.

The Cycling Summit was an opportunity for community members and others whose work touches on cycling to come together for discussion, to share stories and strategize about opportunities to grow and promote cycling in Halton Hills.

“Our Halton Hills Bike It Committee has been very successful over the past 6 years advocating for improved cycling infrastructure and has offered a robust series of bike events to encourage cycling. Now we want to take it to the next level. To do that we need more community input and support. It would be helpful to know if the main issue is safety or education or facilities for mountain biking or something else entirely,” said Councillor Jane Fogal, Chair of Bike it Halton Hills.

 

Used Bike Buy and Sell Event – April 27 from 10 am - 12 noon

Do you have bicycles in your garage that are too small or no longer used but are in working condition and you would like to find a good home for them? Or are you looking for a good deal on a used bike?

The Bike It Committee is hosting a bicycle buy and sell event at the R.C. Austin Operations Centre at Trafalgar Road in conjunction with the Town’s Earth Day Event. This event is all about putting buyers and sellers in the same place at the same time.

Those who are bringing bikes for sale must stay with their bikes and if a bike is not sold, it is your responsibility to take the bike away.

You may price your bike to any reasonable amount and may choose to make your bike free to a good home. Tricycles and other cycling equipment are also welcome. The intent of this event is to recycle bicycles, put bikes in the hands of those who need an inexpensive way to get a bike and to help you clear out your garage in an environmentally friendly way.

There is no fee to participate in this bike recycling opportunity.

Please contact hhcycling@haltonhills.ca for more information.

 

 

All local employees are encouraged to ride their bikes to work on Monday, May 27. Please let us know if you are participating by email below. We would like to know how many people are cycling to work on National Bike to Work Day.
hhcycling@haltonhills.ca

 

Noon Hour Group Ride and Picnic

Noon Hour Group Ride and Picnic – Monday, May 27, 2019
The Halton Hills Bike It Committee, Smart Commute Halton and the Office of Sustainability are hosting their seventh annual Noon Hour Bike Ride event in recognition of the globally celebrated Bike to Work Day. Join Town staff, residents, local commuters and cycle enthusiasts on Monday May 27 for a leisurely noon hour bike ride. Cyclists of all levels of experience will ride together through scenic trails and quiet residential streets. Bring your own picnic lunch and enjoy it when we stop for a lunch break part way through the ride at the Georgetown Fairgrounds.

The Noon Hour Bike Ride event will begin at 11:45 am at the main entrance of our Town Hall located at 1 Halton Hills Drive in Georgetown. We will depart together at 12:00 pm. If you are planning on joining the ride please notify the organizers in advance by emailing hhcycling@haltonhills.ca.

 

 

 

Our seventh annual Bike It to The Market will be held on Saturday June 15, 2019 from 8 am until 12 pm. Once again participants will be trpeated to a free pancake breakfast hosted by the Georgetown Rotary Club. (Donations towards Rotary projects are always welcome)

This is a free event with riders of all ages, from all parts of the town, making their way to the Georgetown Farmers Market by whatever route they choose. To ensure safety and enjoyment for all ages, Main Street from the Farmer’s Market to Maple Avenue will be closed to vehicular traffic.

Free valet bike parking, will be available in the Main Street Parking Lot. The breakfast is free to all who arrive by bicycle but can be purchased by non-cyclists.

Participants can leave their bikes parked while they enjoy the Georgetown Farmer’s Market and fun activities for children.

The closure of Main Street has provided the opportunity to add more free fun activities for all ages courtesy of the Halton Hills Active Easy Alliance. New activities include a children’s cycling skills course, plus hula hooping, skipping, Zumba, ball hockey and more.

The Georgetown Farmer’s Market is joy to attend and will make for a great Saturday morning outing.

Many volunteers are required for this event including bike parking attendants, ticket takers, greeters, and road closure attendants. If you would like to volunteer or would like more information please email below or call Councillor Jane Fogal 905 877 5806. Volunteer shifts are typically 2 hours in duration. We have many jobs suitable for students.

For more information on our cycling events please email us at hhcycling@haltonhills.ca.

Partners include

 

 

 

This is our seventh year our Bicycle Friendly Community Committee is offering group cycling experiences at Bike it to Leathertown Festival with routes and distances for every type of rider.
We are staging our three group rides from the Acton GO Station at the Leathertown Festival.

We invite you to ride or bring your bike to the Acton Go Station parking lot where you will find our free valet bike parking.  The three bike rides are planned to finish approximately when the Festival gets fully underway. After your ride, leave your bike in our parking area and enjoy the food, the bands, the vintage cars and vendors. For more information on the festival please check out leathertownfestival.com.

Leathertown Highlights Spin – 12.4 kms - 1hour

This is an entry level ride suitable for families and could be of interest to anyone regardless of cycling skill. The route takes us on bike lanes, along a forest trail and residential quiet streets within Acton. Please note that it is possible to skip the forest and meet us where the trail exits the forest.

We have created a ride that will show people the wonderful amenities and heritage neighbourhoods of Acton. There will be brief stops at several of the interesting locations in order to provide a bit of historical information.

Whether you are an Acton resident or someone with a curiosity about Acton’s highlights you will find this an interesting group tour.

There is no charge for but we request that you pre-register your intent to join us via hhcycling@haltonhills.ca.

Check out the route

 

Leathertown Rural Loop – 23 km route – 1 ½ Hours Approx.

The Rural Loop is a new ride geared to the intermediate cyclist. This route leaves town passing by views of Fairy Lake as we make our way to Dublin Line. Turning south we will immediately be into the beautiful rolling countryside of rural Halton Hills.

Remember that this is a group ride, not a race.

Please register your intention to join us by email hhcycling@haltonhills.ca

Check out the route

 

Rural Vistas – 53km route -2 to 2 1/2 hours approx.

This tour is an advanced level bike ride through the rolling hills of rural Halton Hills and Milton. (Yes, technically Milton really does come this far north). The terrain is easy but the 53 kilometre distance will provide a challenge.

The ride begins by heading west out of Acton and is quickly into the wonderful rural countryside. We will be riding the rural roads of what was formerly known as the Townships of Esquesing and Nassagawaya that feature lovely farmlands and cool forests. This year the route dips down to the 10th Side Road to take advantage of quieter roads which has in turn added 3 kms to the route.

Check out our route

 

Please register your intention to join us by email hhcycling@haltonhills.ca. Please indicate if you are an intermediate or advanced cyclist.

Bike it to Leathertown Festival Event Schedule

• 9:00 Registration begins – signing waivers, getting instructions
• 9:30 Rural Vistas 50 km group (those needing 2 ½ hours leave first)
• 10:00 Rural Vistas 50 km group (those needing 2 hours) depart
• 10:30 Leathertown Highlights Spin and Leathertown Rural Loop registration begins
• 11:00 LRL tour departs
• 11:15 LHS tour departs
• 12:00 Valet Bike Parking opens
• 12:00 Cyclists begin returning from their tours. Participants can park their bikes and enjoy the Festival
• 2:00 Valet Bike Parking closes

 

Participants in the 2018 Dust Off Your Bike Rides

Dust Off Your Bike Rides

We are hosting 2 leisurely rides aimed at people who haven’t been on a bike for a while and who need a nudge to get back on the saddle again. This will be fun and casual. We will start with a quick look at your bike and will have tools on hand to tighten the odd fitting and pump the tires.

Then we will talk about safety tips, proper equipment, how we are going to safely ride and will review the rules of the road. When we are all ready to go we will set off at a leisurely pace. This group ride will be led by our experienced volunteers.

• Ride #1  Thursday May 23 6:30pm  Gellert trails
• Ride #2  Tuesday May 28 6:30pm Acton Sports Park

Please remember to wear your helmet

If you plan to attend please let us know by emailing hhcycling@haltonhills.ca It will be fun!

 

 

 

In 2016 the Town offered its first Bicycle Rodeo as a pilot project in cooperation with Halton Regional Police and the staff at Joseph Gibbons School in Georgetown. This was a great success with the students learning basic cycling and safety skills.

Bicycle Rodeos will be offered in 2019. If your school is interested in hosting a Bicycle Rodeo please contact Rob Stribbell

 

 

The Greenbelt Route is a 475 kilometre on-road signed cycling route that travels from Niagara Falls in the south west to Northumberland in the east. This amazing route travels through Halton Hills and follows rural roads through the scenic villages of Limehouse, Glen Williams and Terra Cotta.

For more information on the main route or the loop routes please check out http://www.greenbelt.ca/route-loops

 

 

Cycling maps of Halton Region.

 

Did you know that Ontario has updated the Highway Traffic Act and it is now the law that drivers must give cyclists at least 1 metre when passing? Likewise cyclists have a responsibility to steer a predictable path and not weave in and out of parked cars. We have many more adults and children riding bikes and we want them all to arrive home safely.

Q1: What is the penalty to drivers for not leaving a minimum of one-metre distance when passing a cyclist?
The penalty for not leaving a minimum one-metre passing distance is a set fine of $85.00 plus a $5 court fee plus a $20 victim surcharge fine for a total payable of $110.00. 

Drivers who contest their ticket by going to court may face a fine of up to $500 if found guilty (fine range is $60 to $500). Upon conviction, two demerit points will also be assigned against the individual’s driver record.

Q2: Will cyclists also be required to leave a minimum one-metre distance when passing a vehicle?
Cyclists are not required to leave a specific one-metre space; however, they are required to obey all the rules of the road.   Cyclists who are being overtaken should turn out to the right to allow the vehicle to pass.

Q3: What if there isn’t enough room to allow for a one-metre passing distance?  Can a vehicle cross the centre median line to pass the cyclist?
A motorist may, if done safely, and in compliance with the rules of the road, cross the centre line of a roadway in order to pass a cyclist. If this cannot be done, he or she must wait behind the cyclist until it is safe to pass.

Other changes to the Ontario Highway Act

Dooring

Q1. What are the new increased penalties for “dooring” offenses?
The new penalties for improper opening of a vehicle door (for driver or passenger) are a set fine of $300.00 upon conviction and 3 demerit points. The total payable fine is $365.00 ($set fine plus $60 victim fine surcharge and $5 court costs).

The current HTA set fine for “dooring” offence is $85.00 upon conviction and the total payable fine is $110 ($set fine plus $20 victim fine surcharge and $5 court fees). Additionally a conviction results in 2 demerit points being added to the individual’s driver record.

Q2. Does the “dooring” law only apply to cyclists?
Although cyclists may be the most commonly perceived road user affected by this behaviour, the “dooring” law applies to all road users and is not specific to cyclists.
The government is committed to helping ensure the safety of not only cyclists but all road users.

Increasing the Fine for Cyclists for Non-Compliance with Light, Reflector and Reflective Material Requirements

Q1. Why is the government increasing the fines for cyclists with improper light, reflector and reflective tape?
Currently, the fine for non-compliance with bicycle light, reflector and reflective requirements, carries a maximum fine of $20 which is less than the majority of set fines for motorists and cyclists.

Increasing this fine will put this violation in line with all other cycling violations.

Allowing Cyclists to use Intermittent Flashing Red Lights

Q1. Why is the government allowing cyclists to use a red flashing light? Won’t this be distracting to other road users?
Red flashing lights were previously not allowed under the Highway Traffic Act even though the majority of cyclists were already using rear lamps that produce intermittent flashes of red light to make themselves more visible to others.

Considering the safety benefits from the use of these lights, and to prevent cyclists from potentially being charged, the Highway Traffic Act was amended to allow bicycles to use lamps that produce intermittent flashes of red lights.

 A motorist may, if done safely, and in compliance with the rules of the road, cross the centre line of a roadway in order to pass a cyclist. If this cannot be done, he or she must wait behind the cyclist until it is safe to pass. 

Bicycle Helmets

Q1: What is the fine for not wearing a bicycle helmet?
All bicycle riders under the age of 18 need to wear an approved bicycle helmet when travelling on any public road. The total fine is $75.

Q2: How do I know which bicycle helmet to buy?
Look for a helmet that fits comfortably and meets safety standards. Check the inside of the helmet for stickers from one or more of the following organizations:

• Snell Memorial Foundation: Snell B90, Snell B95, Snell B90S, or Snell N94
• American National Standard Institute: ANSI Z90.4-1984
• American Society For Testing and Materials: ASTMF1447-94
• British Standards Institute: BS6863:1989
• Standards Association of Australia: AS2063.2-1990
• United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) 16 CFR Part 1203

DRIVER’S GUIDE TO SHARING THE ROAD WITH CYCLISTS

The Ontario Ministry of Transportation provides a guide for drivers sharing the road with cyclists including diagrams to illustrate different scenarios. It is good advice for everyone. Take a look at the Ministry’s website https://www.ontario.ca/