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Toronto Cyclists Union Rescues Public Bike Program

imageBack in February, Toronto’s public bike share program was headed towards extinction.

That is, until the Toronto Cyclists Union jumped in to preserve it.

When Yvonne Bambrick (pictured), TCU’s executive director learned the program was an endangered initiative, she alerted the union’s membership. Scores of supporters answered the call to action, ringing the phones and buzzing the inboxes of important decision-makers, like the mayor and key city council members.

“Because of our collective effort and the power of the arguments in favour of this exciting and important extension of the public transit system, public bikes were put back on the table,” Bambrick wrote in the union’s most recent newsletter.

The union’s members didn’t just put the issue back on the table; they pushed it to passage. Earlier this month, the city council voted 33-8 in favor of the public bikes program.

Bambrick gives the credit to local advocates and bike-riding residents. “Toronto’s Public Bike Share Program was near death and the bike union rescued it with behind the scenes work and action alerts to our members and supporters, which motivated approximately 500 unique e-mails over two alerts,” she says. “We’re very excited to see this come together and know the role of our collective efforts!”

Read more about TCU’s recent victories in their newsletter, Ring & Post.

Posted by Carolyn S on May 25, 2010
Tags: toronto cyclists union, toronto, public bike share program, canada
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