Bike Edmonton Newsletter | December 2022

Happy holidays from Bike Edmonton. Thanks for your support in 2022. We're looking forward to making 2023 a year where cycling is safe, widespread, and accessible to people of all comfort levels.

Need a last-minute gift idea?

We've got posters! The Know Your Bike Poster (aka the Contrafactual Bike Poster) is an essential reference for any cycling enthusiast and should be hung in every garage and shop to help you remember what bike parts are NOT called! This amusing piece of bike art is printed on 18" x 13" glossy paper.

The poster was created locally by cheeky duo Tamarack and Juniper, who are Bike Edmonton bike builder/artist Jesse Cunningham (@tamarackcunningham) and graphic designer/cycling enthusiast Juniper Mitchell (@juniper.mitchell.art).

You can purchase the poster at either of our shops any time we're open, or at our downtown online store and south online store.

Map Wrap your presents!

Our Map Wrap packages contain all the wrapping paper and accessories you need to wrap your presents ... plus they give you a chance to share your bicycle joy, promote sustainability, and support Bike Edmonton. 

Map Wrap was born when our staff started using outdated Edmonton river valley trails and bike maps for gift wrap. We found the maps were better quality than most commercial wrapping paper ... and they're recyclable. Get your Map Wrap bundle and reduce waste and your carbon footprint when you wrap your presents!

Each Map Wrap package is $30 and contains:

• 20 maps

• 10 yards of bicycle print grosgrain ribbon

• 3 laser-cut wood ornaments/gift tags (1 Bike Edmonton and 2 blanks)

• 1 roll of bicycle print washi tape

• 4 small bicycle line bookmarks

• 3 small bicycle charms

• 1 small roll of scotch tape

• 1 small bike & animal postcard/gift tag

• Bike Edmonton stickers

Map Wrap packages are available at either of our workshops any time we're open, or through our downtown online store and south online store.

Discount-the-temperature sale!

This new promo means the colder the weather, the better the bike deal! For the month of December, we've been offering discounts on refurbished bikes equal to the temperature at the time of sale (Blatchford via Environment Canada). So if it's -5C, you get $5 off. If it's -30C, you get $30 off!

Bike Edmonton South currently has more refurbished bikes in stock than we have had all year. Visit our refurbished bikes page for the full selection and to book a shopping appointment.

Bike Plan funding approved! 

Edmonton City Council voted this month to approve $100M funding for the Bike Plan. A small amount of that funding is allocated for 2023, followed by three years of major spending. Most of the work in 2023 will be design and engagement, with some smaller, easier projects happening sooner. 

Building out the Bike Plan will help make cycling safe, widespread, and accessible to people of all comfort levels. The result is a city that is more alive and livable, more productive, and more inclusive. 

Send thanks to your city councillor!

For more information on the Bike Plan and what it means for Edmonton in the years ahead, see this Bike Edmonton blog post by Chris Chan.

Need help defending bike lanes at holiday dinners with your friends and families? Check out this comprehensive guide.

A note from our president(s) 

Kelly Granigan (president) and Andi Eng (former acting president).

As the torch of the presidency is passed from one to the next, we wanted to take a moment to address the members together.

Since we last met with members at the AGM in October, the board (both old and new) have met with staff regarding the direction of Bike Edmonton and held our board retreat (picture below). The board spent a day and a half getting to know each other, discussing the direction of the organization, set our committee members, and elected the executive. We offer our humble thanks to outgoing board members Byron Vass, Joe Kerr, Keith Heslinga, and Stephen Paskaluk for all of their work through 2022. 

The new board for 2023 is:

• Kelly Granigan, President

• Andi Eng, Vice President

• Marcel Huculak, Treasurer

• Jason Wang, Secretary

• Matt Hoyt, Executive Member at Large

• Alexandra Stout

• Ceileigh Cunningham

• Charlotte Thomasson

• Michelle Bourdon

• Maxine Myre

• John Fuller

One interesting note: this is the most diverse board by both gender and ethnicity that Bike Edmonton has ever had. We are very excited to see our board better reflect the communities that we serve.

We are looking forward to working together. Our top priorities, as agreed upon at our board retreat, are building relationships and trust, both with staff and the members, and financial sustainability of the society.

There is hard work ahead of us in 2023, and likely some difficult decisions. We are prepared to do the work, with the help of staff and members. We believe Bike Edmonton is turning a corner in a more positive direction with a full board and our new Executive Director, (Dr) Greg Glatz. We are optimistic for the future.

Executive director update

Greg Glatz.

A note of thanks. I'm grateful to the board, staff, volunteers, and members of Bike Edmonton for welcoming me onboard. I moved to Edmonton in April 2022, after seven years in Calgary. I was born and raised in Winnipeg, have studied in Canada and the U.S., and have 30+ years of experience in the non-profit leadership space, with a focus on helping organizations work through change and transition and maximize their social and community impact. I ride my bike year round and I've been an active member of cycling communities in Calgary and Edmonton. When I’m not on a bike, I enjoy spending time with my dog (Geddy Lee), running, strength training, boxing, playing guitar, and making coffee. I’m looking forward to working with our board, staff, volunteers, and membership to make everyday cycling in Edmonton safe, widespread, and accessible to people of all comfort levels.

The budget. Our 2023 budget will focus on sustainability. IMO, the first priority in budget work is revenue (shop sales/service/rentals/courses and society memberships) along with grants and donations. In the coming weeks, the finance committee and I will examine potential revenue growth and I'll be forming a fundraising working group (ad hoc committee) to focus on grants and donations. If you have grant writing or donor campaign experience and are interested in joining our fundraising working group, please contact me.

City Hall. In November, I met with Councillor Michael Janz to discuss funding for the Bike Plan. At that time, the plan was unfunded even though various other City of Edmonton plans and policies depend on its execution. A few weeks later, I made a (virtual) presentation in support of funding the Bike Plan at City Hall during a hearing on the 2023-2026 Capital Budget. I followed up that presentation with emails to every city councillor and received responses of support and non-support from several councillors. During the week of budget debates, Councillor Janz sent out an urgent message stating that several councillors had proposed amendments to the mayor's budget that reduced Bike Plan funding from $100M to $50M or $30M. On Friday, December 9, I joined representatives from Bike Edmonton, Coffee Outside, and Paths 4 People at City Hall as councillors voted on Bike Plan funding. We were grateful to see $100M approved.

Communications. I've done three interviews for CBC Radio this past month, our website is undergoing changes that make it easier to find what you need, and this newsletter inaugurates a series of upcoming monthly newsletters to keep our members up to date on how Bike Edmonton is adapting and growing in the year ahead.

Community workshops. Our workshop staff and volunteers are the core of Bike Edmonton. They build bikes, help people find a bike to ride or find parts, and teach people to fix their bikes. Their excellent work generates significant revenue for Bike Edmonton. I’ll be increasing the time I spend in the community workshops so I can grow my understanding of what the staff and volunteers need to help Bike Edmonton succeed.

A big change. Chris Chan informed me on December 1 that he was beginning a full-time position at the University of Alberta on December 12. I'm currently working on a contract for Chris to provide IT, policy, and transition support to Bike Edmonton at 5 hours per week. Chris has been part of Bike Edmonton for as long as most people can remember and the organization is what it is today in no small part because of Chris’ contributions over the years. If you’ve worked with Chris or otherwise benefitted from his leadership at Bike Edmonton, please send him a note of thanks and congratulations. 

Happy holidays! I'd like to wish everyone very happy holidays and many great riding adventures in 2023. I look forward to connecting with you in the coming year. 

The above info is an excerpt from my December report to the board. If you’d like to read my complete report, or have any questions, suggestions, or comments, please contact me.

It's winter at our workshops

Our winter hours are now in effect at our community bike workshops (see below). It might be cold outside, but the days are already getting LONGER and spring will be here before we know it. This is the perfect time of year to get your bike ready to ride. Shop traffic is low and there are lots of openings for DIY/full service work on your bike or a parts consultation. 

Please note: masks are optional at our downtown location, but we ask that you wear a mask at our south location (provided at the counter).  

Bike Edmonton Downtown drop-in hours 
Thursday 5pm-8pm
Saturday 1pm-5pm
Sunday 1pm-5pm

Bike Edmonton South drop-in hours
Sunday 1pm-5pm
Tuesday 6pm-9pm
Wednesday 6pm-9pm

Bike Edmonton South appointment-only hours
Monday 5pm-9pm
Wednesday 5pm-6pm
Saturday 1pm-5pm

Although we have drop-in hours at both community workshop locations, we encourage you to book an appointment anyway to help us anticipate space and staffing needs.

Holiday Break

We will be closing for a holiday break from December 23, 2022 to January 2, 2023 before resuming regular winter hours.

Your membership makes a difference

Your membership provides Bike Edmonton with stable, predictable funding to run and expand our services, including bike building, bike sales, parts sales, DIY and full bike service, and repair courses.

Your membership also adds your strength to the collective voice of bike riders everywhere, as Edmonton and other cities face the challenge of building infrastructure that is cost-effective, accesible, good for the environment, and good for our health and safety.

Other membership benefits include:

• Discounts at businesses and events across the city.

• Discounts on shop fees at both of our community bike workshops.

• Discounts on bike repair courses and other workshops.
   

Check the status of your membership and renew today!

Have a bike to donate?

Refurbished bike sales generate significant revenue for Bike Edmonton, which is key to our sustainability. If you have a nice bike that you’re no longer using, please consider donating it to us. Send us a note describing your bike (pictures are great too, if you have them).

Financial support

The past three years have been exceptionally challenging for Bike Edmonton. We've faced COVID-19, changes in funding, and significant staff and board turnover. In 2023, our main focus is making Bike Edmonton a sustainable non-profit organization. Growing shop sales and service in the year ahead is key. Acquiring major grants is also important.

Our members play a role too. We are grateful this month for a major donation of $15,000 from one of our members. Want to make a matching donation? Interested in underwriting a staff position or program/service we offer? Please contact our executive director or contact our board president.

Every donation counts and donating online is easy. Press the button below to support Bike Edmonton.

All the best in 2023!

Thank you for connecting with Bike Edmonton this past year. You make Bike Edmonton the creative and transformative organization it is has been since 1980. Your continued support is appreciated as we take on the challenges that lie ahead in 2023.

Happy holidays!

This newsletter is edited by Greg Glatz, executive director of Bike Edmonton. Questions, suggestions, concerns? Contact him.