Change of local HUB Committee meeting place + time

Like other groups, unfortunately we are no longer able to use a Maple Ridge library meeting room for free for our monthly meetings, and this has resulted in a change of dates and meeting venue. Starting in January 2014 we are meeting in the Alouette Room (upstairs) in the library, on the 3rd Thursday of the month, instead of the 2nd Thursday. Our meeting schedule and place has changed as follows:

Jan. 16
Feb. 20
Mar 20 (note: this meeting will take place in the Preschool Room at the Leisure Centre!
Apr. 17
May 15
Jun. 19
Jul. 17
Aug. 21

The meeting time has not changed and is still 6:45 - 8:45 pm.

These are the dates that have been booked so far. As soon as the schedule for the rest of the year becomes available, I will post it on the blog, and as usual I will request the local papers to advertise our meetings in their community calendars.

My hope for the New Year: it would be wonderful to see new (as well as familiar!) faces and lots of ideas and enthusiasm to help make cycling better in our communities. We welcome all who like to bike: young and old, novice and experienced, long-distance and short-distance alike. Cycling benefits all residents, even those who do not cycle. So why not make attending our meetings one of your New Year resolutions!

If you're not able to attend our meetings, but would still like to support HUB in our efforts to make cycling safer, more convenient and pleasant for all ages and abilities, please consider becoming a member.

You can also join our listserv. We send out e-mails about anything of interest to local cyclists, such as open houses by the District of Maple Ridge or the City of Pitt Meadows, group rides that we organize, etc. You can expect on average about 2 e-mails per month, perhaps a bit more in the summer, and less in the winter months. If you would like to receive our e-mails, please send me an e-mail at jchow23708@yahoo.ca. Of course you can always send me an e-mail with any suggestions or comments.

Column The News: Which do you prefer, car or bike culture?

My latest column in the Maple Ridge News: is it possible to create a cycling culture in a car dominated city?

posted Dec 18

Pitt Meadows is already a nice place to live if you like biking, but the city continues to look for ways to make it safer, more convenient and better. Pitt Meadows is still looking for more applicants for several volunteer positions on its new active transportation advisory committee.

Sometimes people tell me investment in cycling infrastructure is a waste of money; it’s no use trying to convince more people to use their bikes to get around. They feel that most Canadians will never adopt a cycling culture; they love their cars, and that’s just the way things are.

I beg to differ. 

Read more...

My brother Emiel at the handlebar of the family bakfiets, with my sister-in-law Nuria and nephews Fabian and Marten cozy inside.