Halifax Cycling Coalition

Bike Week Video Contest – Call for Submissions

lauralee — Thu, 17 May 2012 21:04:11 +0000

The Halifax Cycling Coalition would like to invite you to participate in the Bike Week Video Contest!

This contest gives local filmmakers of all skill levels a chance to exercise their creativity and talent by creating a short film of 35 seconds or less that highlights the benefits of cycling.

Participants may work in teams or as individuals; however, only one prize will be awarded for each of the winning videos. Individuals and at least one participant from teams must live within the Halifax Regional Municipality. The winning video will receive a prize of $250.00!

We’re looking for all types of videos: Action, comedy, tragedy, educational, inspirational, artistic, or a blend of genres.

Here are some suggested themes:

Health and Fitness
Environment and Sustainability
The Joy of Cycling
Cycling vs. Driving

What to do:

1) Make the video. Write it, direct it, film it. Add music, maybe some special effects. This part is up to you.
2) Upload your video to YouTube.
3) Send us a link at bikeweekvideo@gmail.com
4) Tell people to vote for your video by watching it on the HCC website ( cyclehalifax.ca ) and sending their votes by email to bikeweekvideo@gmail.com
5) Come out to Bike to the Movies on May 30^th for the Video Contest Awards Ceremony

Voting will start May 22^nd so get your video in by then to get as many votes as possible. Videos will not be accepted after May 28^th.

Here is a list of tips on uploading videos on YouTube.

GOOD LUCK!!!

What to do

Upload videos in their original resolution - Videos should be uploaded at the highest resolution available. Videos uploaded with a 16:9 aspect ratio will fit the player perfectly. Most 4:3 resolutions are supported, but the video will be pillarboxed in order to fit the player.
Upload videos with high bitrates - Higher bitrate content will look better on YouTube, simply put. View our recommended bitrates for high quality uploads.
Upload videos with a 1:1 pixel aspect ratio - Videos without a square (1:1) pixel aspect ratio may not fit properly in the player.
Upload videos with a supported file format - Supported file formats are consistently more reliable than alternatives.
Upload videos in original quality whenever possible - If you do not need to edit your video, simply upload the unaltered original recording for optimal quality.
Upload videos with an identical Audio/Video durations - Audio and Video tracks should begin and end at exactly the same time.

What NOT to do

No Project files - Project files are not real video files. Common unacceptable project files are .mswmm and .wlmp. Learn how to convert project files to an acceptable format.
No audio or images - YouTube does not accept audio and image files. However, you can easily convert these files to video.
No DVD files - Don’t upload files types such as .WOB, .IFO and .BUP, which are not actual video files.
Don’t alter videos from the original frame rate - Altering videos from their original frame rates prior to upload may result in an undesirable outcome. For example, videos captured at 24 fps should be uploaded at 24 fps.
No interlaced content - Your videos should be deinterlaced prior to upload. In your video encoder, you should select Deinterlace or Progressive scan if these options are available.

Bike Week Sneak Peek

lauralee — Sun, 13 May 2012 17:36:10 +0000

The HCC will be hosting several events…. Here is a sneak peek at what’s coming up

HCC Photo Exhibition
Friday, May 25, 4:30-6:30pm, Megan Leslie’s office 1-2207 Gottingen St, Halifax

Bikefest-Open Street Party
Sunday, May 27, 2-5pm, streets around the North Commons (Robie, Cunard, North Park, Cogswell)

HCC Movie Night
Wednesday, May 30
Refreshments and group ride: 6:30pm at Video Difference, Quinpool
Movie and presentation of video contest winners: 7:15pm at Potter Auditorium, McCain Building, Dalhousie University

HCC Commuter Maintenance Stations, in partnership with MEC
Tuesday, May 29 – 7:30-9am, Commons (Cogswell, at Pavillion)
Thursday, May 31 – 7:30-9am. Macdonald Bridge (Dartmouth side)

Also during Bike Week:

Halifax Cycling Awards
Bike Week Art Crawl

Remember to check out other Bike Week events too!

Bike Week Art Crawl

lauralee — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:58:21 +0000

Bike Week Art Crawl – Call for Submissions

May 25-June 3

Several gallery spaces and venues will hold bike-themed shows during Bike Week. All mediums are welcome.

This is a call for submissions from artists of all persuasions. If you would like to showcase some cycling related artwork, have a venue in mind, or have any questions, please email brendan.sutcliffe@gmail.com

2012 Halifax Cycling Awards

lauralee — Tue, 01 May 2012 20:31:57 +0000

2012 Halifax Cycling Awards

Do you know of a business, group or individual who deserves recognition for doing something special for the Halifax cycling community?

Then nominate them for a 2012 Halifax Cycling Award!

We want to know about people who are:

Advocating and promoting cycling;
Implementing new cycling encouragement projects;
Adding and supporting new cycling infrastructure (from bike racks to bike lanes); and
More!

The Second Annual Halifax Cycling Awards will be presented by the HCC on May 25, 2012, at the Bike Week Kickoff Party. In addition to recognition at the Kickoff Party, winners will receive an award that can be displayed, and will be recognized in media promotions.

Want to nominate someone? It’s easy:

Please describe in under 500 words why you think the nominee deserves to be recognized. Include information on specific initiatives, achievements and results. Explain how the individual or organization/business has made HRM a better place for cycling.

Email your submission to contact@cyclehalifax.ca by May 18, 2012.

All submissions will be reviewed by the HCC Board and winners will be announced at the Bike Week Kickoff Party on May 25, 2012.

CAN-BIKE 2 course: June 15-17

lauralee — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 18:25:57 +0000

Bob White will be conducting an Adult CAN-BIKE 11 course in Dartmouth – June 15, 16 & 17 (Friday night, Sat / Sun)

Friday - 6:30 to 9:30pm
Saturday - 9am to 5pm
Sunday – 9am to conclusion( 4ish)

The Friday evening session with be instruction only, i.e. no bike is required. You will need your bike / helmet for the Saturday & Sunday sessions. Full details will be forwarded to interested applicants.

CAN-BIKE is considered by many to be a defensive bicycling course, however it is much more. We review all aspects of urban / rural bicycling / traffic laws and dynamics / bike & helmet fit / basic repairs & servicing, hazards, route planning, cadence & gearing, touring & trails, group riding, nutrition, energy expenditures, adverse riding conditions and much more.

CAN-BIKE 11 is the advanced adult course and the pre-requisite to be a candidate for the CAN-BIKE Instructors course. It is very detailed and consists of three core areas: – Classroom instruction, parking lot skill drills (collision avoidance techniques) as well as on road tutorials. Even if you are a seasoned bicyclist, expect to learn new information and techniques.

The parking lot skills drills consists of straight line cycling, signaling / head turns, balance / posture and turns, rock dodge, threshold braking, emergency turns and so on.

The fee for this course is $95 per adult; payable 50% (in advance, the balance on day one). This includes all your material, CAN-BIKE Student Handbooks (sent to you 2 weeks in advance of the course), coffee breaks, treats, some prizes and lots of fun in a learning environment. There is usually a 95% completion rate for this course, which includes 3 exams (one written) and 70+% have grades sufficient to take the Instructors course.

You can check out this course and others on Bob’s website.

Or, visit the Canadian Cycling Association’s CAN-BIKE site.

To register or be provided with further information, do not hesitate to contact Bob. bikebob@eastlink.ca

MEC Club Night – May 10

lauralee — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 23:35:38 +0000

Mountain Equipment Co-op invites you to a Club Night!

Thursday, May 10, 2012
5-9pm
Halifax Mountain Equipment Co-op
1550 Granville St.
Halifax, NS

Event specifics
-10% on purchases in the store for anyone with a valid HCC membership card, presented to the cashier
-Must notify cashier of discount
-Friends and family welcome
-Must be a member of MEC
-Does NOT apply to clearance items
-Does NOT apply to purchases online or by phone

See you there!

2012 Cycling Summit

lauralee — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 17:25:10 +0000

Come out to the 2012 Nova Scotia Cycling Summit

Saturday, May 5th
Mahone Bay Centre, 45 School St.
Mahone Bay, NS
9am

The Cycling Summit is an annual event where people from across the province come together to share ideas about cycling achievements, challenges and new ideas for the future. Please check out this year’s agenda. Highlights include sessions on:

Champions of Change
Women in Cycling
Cycling Tourism
Land Use Agreements
and more…

Registration is $20 if you submit your form by April 30th – this also ensures that your lunch will be provided. $25 after May1st. Visit the 2012 Cycling Summit site for all the details.

See you there!

Bikefest-Open Street Party Volunteer Call-Out

lauralee — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 17:23:40 +0000

HRM Bike Week is just around the corner and the HCC is once again involved in one of the festival’s staple events – the Open Street Party!

For the first time this year, the HCC and Mountain Equipment Co-op decided to join forces and bring their annual Bikefest together with the HCC’s Open Street Party. This year’s event will take place:

Sunday, May 27th

2-5pm

The streets around the North Commons, Halifax

It’s a fun event for folks of all ages. In addition to opening the streets to cyclists, runners, skateboarders and others, we’ll have kids races and other kids’ activities, a variety of clinics, valet bike parking, music and lots more! In order to make the event happen though, we need volunteers like you! We’ll ask volunteers to:

help community groups find and set up their booths
ride the streets on a bike during the event to ensure the safety of participants even on the far side of the course
answer questions from participants
help set up and take down
and more…..

And of course, you’ll get a t-shirt and have access to some tasty snacks and refreshments:)

Come and be part of this great annual event: email openstreetparty@gmail.com if you’re interested!

Bike Cash Mob Agricola

lauralee — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 14:12:34 +0000

Thanks to everyone who came out to the recent public sessions about the Crosstown Connector. It was fantastic to see so much support for the Agricola route! Our next step is to try to work with businesses to show them how a bike lane will enhance the neighbourhood!

We encourage everyone to visit businesses on Agricola to demonstrate that cyclists shop on Agricola! Please come out to the Bike Cash Mob happening this Saturday at 2pm:

Meet at Humani-T – corner of Young and Agricola
We’ll head south along the Agricola/South Park route at 2pm.

http://www.facebook.com/events/378249675540711/

Bring your bike and a bit of cash. Invite your friends and spread the word!

What’s a Cash Mob? It’s basically an organized spending spree – come and spend what you can – just a little can mean a lot to a small business! Let’s show our support for Agricola businesses!

Thanks to Allison at Eye Candy for making this happen!

(photograph from Michelle Doucette)

What YOU can do to support the Crosstown Connector

lauralee — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 02:18:28 +0000

Want to see the Crosstown Connector become a reality? Here are three things the HCC asks YOU to do to show your support for the Agricola route:

1) Join us at the upcoming HRM public engagement sessions

Thurs, March 29, 7-9pm

Bloomfield Centre, 2786 Agricola St.

Tues, April 3, 7-9pm

Maritime Hall, Halifax Forum, 2901 Windsor St.

Click here to see all four proposed routes (Agricola, Connaught, Windsor, Gottingen).

Click here to read more about why the HCC believes that the Agricola route is the best choice.

2) Let Agricola businesses know you support the Crosstown Connector! Visit your favourite Agricola shop this week and remind them of the benefits the bike lane will bring! (And, for fun, get a coffee from Cafe Aroma Latino at Agricola and North because they have already publicly supported the project!)

3) Write or call your councillor (see list of councillor contacts below)

All councillors will have a vote on this so even if you live outside the downtown core, please let your councillor know that you support the proposed Agricola Crosstown Connector route because it goes the furthest to improve the connections between where people live, work and play and it already features urban characteristics that lend themselves to a bike-friendly and pedestrian-friendly corridor.

Who is my councillor?

Peninsula Councillors:

Jerry Blumenthal	Halifax North End	237-0720	blumenj@halifax.ca
Dawn Sloane	Halifax Downtown	488-4812	sloaned@halifax.ca
Sue Uteck	Northwest Arm-South End	221-7651	utecks@halifax.ca
Jennifer Watts	Connaught-Quinpool	497-4748	jennifer.watts@halifax.ca

Other Councillors:

Steve Streatch	Eastern Shore -Musquodoboit Valley	497-2995	streats@halifax.ca
Barry Dalrymple	Waverley-Fall River-Beaverbank	222-0740	barry.dalrymple@halifax.ca
David Hendsbee	Preston-Lawrencetown-Chezzetcook	483-0705	david.hendsbee@halifax.ca
Lorelei Nicoll	Cole Harbour	478-2705	lorelei.nicoll@halifax.ca
Gloria McCluskey	Dartmouth Centre	476-1667	mcclusg@halifax.ca
Darren Fisher	East Dartmouth- The Lakes	497-7166	fisherda@halifax.ca
Bill Karsten	Portland-East Woodlawn	476-1855	karsteb@halifax.ca
Jackie Barkhouse	Woodside-Eastern Passage	476-5601	barkhoj@halifax.ca
Jim Smith	Albro Lake-Harbourview	229-8887	smithj@halifax.ca
Mary Wile	Clayton Park West	476-2048	wilema@halifax.ca
Russell Walker	Fairview-Clayton Park	497-7215	walkerr@halifax.ca
Debbie Hum	Rockingham-Wentworth	476-7212	humd@halifax.ca
Linda Mosher	Purcell’s Cove-Armdale	476-4117	mosherl@halifax.ca
Steve Adams	Spryfield-Herring Cove	497-8818	adamss@halifax.ca
Brad Johns	Middle & Upper Sackville- Lucasville	476-1234	brad.johns@halifax.ca
Bob Harvey	Lower Sackville	488-4820	harveyb@halifax.ca
Tim Outhit	Bedford	229-6385	outhitt@halifax.ca
Reg Rankin	Timberlea-Prospect	499-3744	rankinr@halifax.ca
Peter Lund	Hammonds Plains-St. Margarets Bay	497-7508	peter.lund@halifax.ca