Cycle Transitions, a project of Go Green Together and Sustainable Cobourg’s Bicycle Action Committee, will open its doors to the public for the first time on Saturday, September 8 at 10:30 a.m. You are invited to attend!

At our grand opening, we’ll do the “ribbon-cutting” to officially open the doors, share our project goals with you, and give you a tour of our new facilities. See our classroom (shared with Go Green Together) and our spacious, well-equipped workshop. Learn how you can sign up for courses and how you can become a member of Cycle Transitions.

Target Opening Date:
Saturday, September 8, 2012 at 10:30 a.m.

Start-up Teams:

Can-Bike Instruction
Lead: Paul Mills. Instructors: Bruce Bellaire, Maria Garrett, Rich Tyssen, Lee Shooter, Jen Poole and Rick Nonnekes. Six volunteers have already taken the required courses to be certified as Can-Bike instructors. These six will teach the courses. Others are needed to assist with events such as bicycle festivals (used to be known as bicycle rodeos) in schools.

Work Station
Lead: Dave Singfield. Assisted by Mike McLelland, George Hussey, Bruce Bellaire, Luke deSadeleer
This crew will be setting up the work stations. Determine what equipment is needed, how much work space, what procedures for use. At present we plan to set up two stations.

Parts storage
Lead: Roy Martin. Assisted by Mike McLelland, Anthony Bassutti, Jake Torrie, Brendan Brown
This crew will be setting up the storage system for new/used parts and bicycles awaiting rebuilding and/or for sale. Determine what materials are needed, where and what system for access.

Administration
Lead: Rick Nonnekes. Assisted by Sharon Weese, Jenica Nonnekes, Sue Throop, Mike McLelland, Jen Poole, Maria Garrett
This crew will be setting up the admin area, the procedures for record-keeping, sales, membership, etc.

Other Notes

Dave Singfield is determining what equipment is needed for the 2 work stations we are setting up. Once funds are in hand (2 or 3 weeks yet), he will order/purchase/acquire these.
Roy Martin is determining what is needed to construct basic storage units for the bikes and parts. Several work days will be set for folks to come in and help with this. One will be to construct bike hanging frames from 2×4’s.
Paul Mills is already working at determining what Can-Bike courses will be delivered this fall and their locations.

A crew that is already working at setting up the admin side of things. Jenica Nonnekes is setting up accounting, Sharon Lynn-Weese is working on the database, and I will be meeting with Anita Macklin as soon as possible to get website design going. Jen, Sue and Mike have indicated an interest in helping out with the admin side. Rick will be arranging a meeting for the admin folks sometime the second week of August to review what’s being done and still needs to be done.

A “wish list” is being put together to include: computer, filing cabinets, storage bins, etc. Once this is ready we’ll put that out to the community to see if we can get donations.

A number of folks indicated they are interested in volunteering on a regular weekly basis. We’ll look to train them to be scheduled for one of the times we’ll be open weekly – once we’ve started up. An admin person and a mechanic instructor will be scheduled for all opening hours. Discussion still needs to take place to determine number of times and number of hours we’ll be open each week.

We’ve got a number of bicycles (in various states of repair already committed for donation, but we’ll wait with the public call for donations until after start-up.

Cycle Transitions (CT) is a youth-focused initiative that improve cycling safety in Northumberland County. We will deliver safe cycling education programs through a program called CAN-BIKE Instruction. As well, we will set up a workshop where youth will learn to repair and maintain bicycles. The workshop will be open to all cyclists, but have a focus on youth and people who don’t have the skills to repair the bike themselves, the funds to repair the bike, or access to equipment or facilities to do this.

CT will deliver Can Bike courses, one of which will certify Junior Instructors – high school aged youth who, in return for free certification, will assist in the instruction of elementary school aged children – either in after-school programs or as part of community summer camps. The youth instructors will be able to use these hours towards their high school graduation requirements.

Initial start-up funds have been provided through an Ontario Government’s Healthy Communities Funding Grant.

Click here to download a full description of the Project.