Saskatoon Cycles October 2023 Newsletter

Community Appreciation

As we approach the 2023 Annual General Meeting and the conclusion of another operational year, Saskatoon Cycles extends a heartfelt “thank you” to all of our wonderful volunteers and supporters.

The Bike Valet is our most visible and demanding program and it simply could not function without the enthusiasm and commitment of dozens of people. Through all kinds of conditions and unusual venues these amazing valets parked thousands of bikes, helped event-goers reduce pollution and congestion, and increased accessibility for many. We thank you!

Our many contests and events require the support and generosity of local businesses in order to be fun, super swaggy, and impactful. Whether with donated prizes, involvement in BYXE Weeks, sharing of promotions, or spreading the word when advocacy called, Saskatoon’s business community was stellar in 2023 (See Friends of Cycling, Bike Shops, and bottom of this page). We thank you, and encourage our membership to reciprocate your investment in community!

We also received support from the City of Saskatoon, ParticipACTION, SaskTel in 2023, along with specific sponsorship from The Bike Doctor, Meridian Surveys, and the Soccer Locker for this year’s Bike Valet volunteer shirts. We thank you!

Finally, we would not exist as an organization without the membership at large! Thank all of you who add your name to our mailing list or follow us on a social media platform. Your likes, shares, donations, letters to council, stories, comments, participation, and feedback are the lifeblood of Saskatoon Cycles. You all helped make 2023 a powerful year. We thank you! So much!

Meaghan Hackinen Book Launch

Join Meaghan Marie Hackinen on November 8, 2023 at 7:00 pm at McNally Robinson to celebrate the launch of her new book, Shifting Gears: Coast to Coast on the Trans Am Bike Race, with special guest, Sarah Robbins.

Meaghan is a past Saskatoon Cycles volunteer extraordinaire (spearheading some of the earliest versions of Bike to Work Day and more), and a highly accomplished international cyclist and writer. Stop by for readings, lively conversations, and to grab signed copies.

Publisher’s note: The event will be hosted live in the McNally Travel Alcove, and also available as a simultaneous YouTube stream. The video will remain available for viewing thereafter. Before arriving, please review details of how to attend physical events here at the store. Find more information by clicking this link.

2023 Annual General Meeting

If you are a member of Saskatoon Cycles you are invited to attend our AGM on November 15 at 7:00pm by Zoom. It should be the most entertaining Annual General Meeting you can find anywhere on that day! Join us for all the thrills and chills.

AGM Meeting Details

Wednesday, November 15, 2023
7:00pm (Zoom opens at 6:30pm)
You will receive the Zoom link once you’ve registered to attend using the form linked HERE.

AGM Documents

2023 Notice of Annual General Meeting
2023 AGM Agenda
2022 AGM Minutes
2022-23 Board of Directors Year-End Report
2023 Financials
2023 Nominations Report

November Slow Roll

Now’s the time to start planning for the November 25, 2023 “Snow Doubt” Slow Roll where you can roll the weather dice with us.

Will it be more reminiscent of November 6, 2016, when Saskatoon had a high of 19 degrees ABOVE zero, or will we be looking at something like 2020, when on November 8 we got 35 centimetres of snow?

Some people will probably play it by ear and decide closer to the date, but we’ll be at the usual spot regardless of the conditions*:

Saturday, November 25, 2023
2 PM departure time
River Landing Fire Vessel (between Remai Modern and Sugar Shack)

*some weather conditions may force us to postpone the ride; we’re only human.

A quick thank you to everyone who joined us for October’s Bike Safety and Awareness Slow Roll. It was a departure for us in terms of tone and route, but it went well thanks to the good spirits of all in attendance. Special thanks to board members James Arnold who spoke at the intersection where Darin Kinniewess died on his bike, and Rob Larson who sourced, painted, and delivered the ghost bike that now memorializes the site.

These are difficult events to experience, but we appreciate the community for coming together to acknowledge the grief and help press for change.

Nuit Blanche 2023

It was another successful Nuit Blanche Glow Roll this year!

Over 60 cyclists toured the annual nighttime art festival by bicycle, taking advantage of the excellent coordination of the NBYXE organizers and a team of experienced ride marshals from Saskatoon Cycles. Special thanks to board members Amber and Erin for taking the lead on this year’s execution.

Pedal Express: Join the Movement!

In April 2022, Saskatoon Cycles launched “ZenZED”, the city’s first non-profit delivery service by bicycle. Supported heavily by our major partner The Better Good, ZenZED was created to make the delivery process as low carbon-emitting as possible while also normalizing the concept of bicycle delivery in a prairie city. In July 2023, the project name and logo changed to Pedal Express.

Cold temperatures can put a crimp in some things, but Pedal Express goes all year round. If you’re within Circle Drive and your package can fit in a standard backpack, we’ll take care of it even if it’s too chilly for T-shirts.

You can currently get delivery free, by bike, from the following partner stores (some conditions apply):

If you want to be a part of the community effort to “green up” the “last mile” of the delivery process, either as a courier or a business, please visit our Pedal Express page and check out or FAQs.

Our Shop is Open!

It’s still maybe a little early to start thinking about holiday gifts, but we would be remiss to not remind you that we have some cool and stylish items for sale!

Help support our mission AND look good with a cycling cap or T-shirt from the Saskatoon Cycles shop.

Help Us Find More Gaps!

Last month we asked you to help us with “The Gap Finding Project”, our project to identify missing or broken links in existing active transportation infrastructure in Saskatoon. The response was encouraging, so we’re again seeking community input to better understand and identify:

what obstructions you currently see on your active travels
what infrastructure improvements would increase your likelihood or duration of active travel
where current infrastructure encourages active travel
where to prioritize improvements

Our end goal is to influence the city toward building, expanding, repairing, and/or better maintaining a fully interconnected active travel network for all citizens to enjoy, one that actually supports the city’s stated goals of:

MORE walking and cycling
SAFER walking and cycling
More PLACES for walking and cycling
Build a CULTURE for active transportation
ENCOURAGE other forms of active transportation

We’ve created a form for interested participants to submit their suggested “gaps”, which can be accessed by clicking on this GAP FINDING SURVEY.

We would love to have you, and any other interested contacts you might know, contribute to this database. Please provide as much information as possible for each submission, and please submit as many suggestions as you feel you can.

Donations

Our work relies heavily on financial donations from enthusiastic bike riders who want to see the cycling infrastructure and culture in Saskatoon continue to bloom and grow. Our programs make an important impact on the quality of life in Saskatoon.

Please support our efforts with your donations or with your time as a volunteer.

BYXE Winter 2022

Urgent!

Rate your ride with Can-BICS

9 Mile Legacy Brewing hosting this week’s Hot Drinks Outside meetup

Recent Posts