Even though there have been 24 years since the volunteer-run organization, Toronto’s Community Bicycle Network has been serving the cycling community of the city, it is now calling it quits.
When the community first started its activities, it took the first steps as a coalition of smaller cycling clubs. It was mostly popular for its initiatives to help the cycling community of Toronto to have a voice among others.
“When we started back up, Cycle Toronto had taken on a lot of that work. Since about 2008, they’ve been the main advocate for cycling in the city,” CBN board chair, Adrian Currie, said.
“Our focus was to continue our mission to offer a form of sustainable transportation for everyone in Toronto.”
This means working on supporting all kinds of bike repair shops, selling/buying used bikes and parts through the network with the help of funds created from such ventures that made it all possible.
An endless support
However, since most of its members were taking on roles at other cycling advocacy groups, the CBN found itself in a hard-pressed situation being unable to come up with a unique mandate.
“There was no need to keep it running if we’d become redundant,” Currie said.
No one can ever deny the part CBN played in Toronto’s cycling advocacy now that it has lost its powers.
The Community Bicycle Network was a pioneer and its bike share program was the first in Toronto. The organization also played a key part when it came in getting bike racks on TTC buses and bike lanes among others.
“The younger generation has a different general attitude toward cycling. Climate change is a big deal. That and cultural and demographic changes have led to more people cycling today,” Currie said.
“The most important change we’ve seen is that Cycle Toronto and the cycling community have figured out how to make city hall work for us,” he said. “The bike community is in good hands now.”