Submitted by yvonne on 15 April, 2010 - 11:12

Fellow Cyclists,

Public Bike Share is almost a reality – but we’re not there yet!

We still need to take action to make sure this public bikes program wins the support of the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee (PWIC) on Tues April 20th, and City Council on May 11-12.

The action you took via our very effective letter-writing campaign back in February is what made the new proposal of 1000 bikes at 80 stations possible. Were it not for the 300+ compelling letters you sent the program would have died completely – we made this happen by speaking up! We must now do so again.

Your URGENT 5-minute CALL TO ACTION:
Email your friendly support by Monday April 19th at Noon for the Public Bike Share
staff report & proposal that is being presented on April 20th at the PWIC meeting to the PWIC Clerk, your Councillor, and Mayor Miller.*-*

Subject: Item PW32.8 - Proposed Public Bicycle Program, Staff Report (you can change the subject just make sure to include the item number)
TO: PWIC Clerk - "Candy Davidovits" <cdavidov@toronto.ca>, “Mayor David Miller” <mayor_miller@toronto.ca>, and your local Councillor.
Check here to find your Councillor’s contact info - http://app.toronto.ca/wards. jsp/wards.jsp
CC:Toronto Cyclists Union <info@bikeunion.to>

This system would dramatically improve our city, allow more people to choose cycling as an option, and catalyze the long awaited bike infrastructure we've been requesting

More details about recent news on this issue, a link to the staff report, and some suggestions for email content can be found on the following sites:

• http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/city-to-launch-borrow-a-bike-program-next-year/article1533731/(April 13)
• PW32.8-Proposed Public Bicycle Program, Staff Report -
  http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2010/pw/bgrd/backgroundfile-28853.pdf
• http://www.ibiketo.ca/blog/2010/02/17/torontos-bixi-may-be-jeopardy
• http://www.theurbancountry.com/2010/02/toronto-set-to-axe-bike-sharing_17.html

**Please Note: I highly recommend personalizing your email and including some of your own thoughts on the issue - 500 unique and supportive emails are
all the more powerful than 500 cookie cutter letters.**

Thank you for taking the time to take action and show your support for this important green transportation initiative - adding your voice will make a difference!

If Montreal, Paris, Washington, London (this summer), Brussels, Milan, Stockholm, Chile, Barcelona, and others can do it - so can Toronto!

Cheers,
Yvonne & the bike union team