GNCC year end review

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The Greater Nanaimo Cycling Coalition

Annual Report on our Activities 2003-2004

Prepared by John C Van Beek, Co-Chair

After last year`s AGM the Board of Directors consisted of Jim Jirby, Signy Parkin, Graham Shuttleworth, John Van Beek, Bob Goerzen, James Young and Jennifer Wong.

Bob Goerzen held the position of Secretary and Graham treasurer. Bob, James and Jennifer left the Board early in 2004.

During the summer Russ Thompson and Jeremy Stewart agreed to join the Board.

Also at the last AGM, due to our difficult financial situation, it was decided that the membership dues be raised to $12 – student/senior/low income, $24 – individual, $36 – household and $80 per corporate member.

In November and December the Board attempted to streamline our way of going about our business, through some workshops of the Business Plan Working Group organized by former president Jim Alix and Lyse Godbout. In the end we all learned from the exercise but for our small group it is just not feasible to follow the plan. It would be an ideal plan for a large group like the Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition who have 800 members as opposed to the GNCC with its 70 members.

Also it was not fully endorsed by some of those involved.

Data Base Manager Don Oliver resigned his post in March 04.

Keith Brown took on that task besides being our Web Master. Keith redesigned our Website just beautifully and I am sure most of you are familiar with it.

Debby Keith is now running the Chaingang Program, since Bob left.

Gay Cunningham, our Spokelore Publisher wants very much for somebody else to take on that task as she is just too busy with her business. The GVCC has 6 issues per year for its newsletter, maybe that might be the way to go for us in he future.

Early in the year Tom Hocking offered”spinning classes”. There were 9 participants and what also helped our membership drive was that anyone could participate provided he or she became a member. It culminated in everyone participating in either the Randonneurs or the Populaire Ride which took place in March. Following this Sunday ride the GNCC hosted the BCCC AGM in the “Clubhouse” at Bowen Park with many local members attending as well as delegates from Victoria and Vancouver.

Also early on in the year, we were fortunate to attain the services of Tony MacGregor who became our Bike Week Coordinator and a Bike Week Committee was struck soon afterwards. Bike Week ran from Monday, May 31 to Sunday June 6 and was fully reported on in Tony`s Report. It was through Tony`s background in PR work and Journalism that a lot of publicity was generated, his ability to collar and engage municipal and regional governing bodies as well numerous elected officials all contributed to the success that it turned out to be. City Councillar Ron Cantelon agreed to act as the Honorary Bike Week Chairman during this period.

Nanaimo took first place in the Canada-wide Commuter Challenge by a wide margin amongst cities of similar size. Forty-three schools took part in it.

At the General Meeting of May 19, the Coalition chose to honor 12 members of the Nanaimo Cycling Community for their varying contributions to the cause. They were:

Tom Hocking, Yvonne Macpherson, Jim Alix, Taryn Langford, Barbara Hourston, David Grey, Dorothy and Bob Simpson, Bill Monaghan, Nanaimo Mountain Biking Club, Keith Brown, Gay Cunningham and Don Oliver.

Another boost for cycling in this community was Taryn Langford passing her Can Bike 2 Instructor course and subsequently putting on her first class through the CB 2 Course two weeks before the start of Bike Week.

The coalition rented office space from the City at the Community Services Building downtown for over a year but had to give it up because it was just too costly and underused. We owe a debt of gratitude to Jim Kirby for his willingness to house all our stuff, which includes 3 bike trailers available for rent. The board meetings were held at the office, but are now being held at the Volunteer Bureau`s Boardroom.

We are fortunate in Nanaimo that we have such a good relationship with the City Parks and Recreation Department. Our trailsystem continues to be extended, just the other day a new branch to the E&N trail was opened. How to get cyclists from the E & N Trail into the town centre in a better way continues to be an area of concern.

New ownership of the E&N is imminent, will they now be willing to carry our bikes on a more logical schedule remains a big question and an area where we will have to make our wishes known when the time comes. How far into the future is the connection with theGalloping Goose Trail is also a very valid question., now that the Central Valley Greenway from Vancouver eastward is being constructed. What about reconstruction of the Kinsol Trestle south of Duncan. The Board recently wrote Premier Campbell about that very question. There are many challenges ahead for us.

Cycling in Canada is coming of age.

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Last updated: November 12, 2004.