Corrected Date: Volunteer night is tonight, May 5!

The earlier post that went out yesterday incorrectly stated the date of volunteer night as 4/7.

It is tonight, May 5th, starting at 6:15 at the BCGP Office. So, please join us for a special Cinco de Mayo Outreach Training Volunteer night!

The incorrect message was written from a hotel lobby while on our way to the PA Bike Summit- I apologize for any confusion!

Volunteer Night Tomorrow: Outreach Training

Important Note: Early-bird registration for Bike Freedom Valley ends TOMORROW, May 5th. Sign up ASAP for discounts and a free t-shirt!

For volunteer night tomorrow evening, we will be hosting a second Outreach Training for those who missed last month's. With the start of summer (or, at least, the summer heat), we will need plenty of volunteers!

If you are interested in helping to educate and encourage Philadelphians about our mission to promote bicycling in the region, while also honing your own outreach skills, please join us for volunteer night on May 5th at 6:30pm (6:15 for refreshments)!

Former Bicycle Ambassadors will train you the basics of being an Outreach Volunteer. We will teach you how to engage people in conversation, talk about the Bicycle Coalition's mission and work, and encourage people to become members.

Please join us on May 5th:
Schedule: 6:15pm- Arrive for food and drink; 6:30pm- Introductions; 6:45pm- Outreach training and role playing; 8:15pm- Wrap-up.

Please RSVP by emailing events@bicyclecoalition.org.

Correction: This post earlier stated the volunteer night date as April 7th. It is tonight, Wednesday May 5th. Sorry for any confusion!

Moorestown Bike Plan Open House

The first Public Meeting for the Moorestown Bicycle Plan will be held on
Tuesday, May 11th at the:
Moorestown Public Library.
111 West 2nd Street
Moorestown, NJ 08057-2471


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The event will be conducted in an Open House format, from 3:30pm to 7:30pm, with information on display in the library's meeting room (meeting flyer). You can also comment online through the Community Walk website.

Alliance's Winning Campaigns Training Comes to New Jersey

For those that attended BCGP's Annual Meeting last night, guest speaker Jeff Miller Executive Director for the The Alliance for Biking & Walking mentioned that the next Winning Campaigns Training is to be hosted by the New Jersey Bicycle Coalition in Edison NJ at the Shelton Baptist Church Community Center. The center about a 5 minute walk of the Edison Train Station on the NE Corridor line (see map below).

The Winning Campaigns training will provide you with the tools to organize a successful campaigns (i.e. Scudder Falls Bridge, TIGER Grant) and focuses on seven essential elements:

• Issue Focus - Define the issue
  
• Campaign Goals - What are the social changes that you hope to achieve?
  
• Assess Your Resources - SWOT analysis, allies and opponents
  
• Strategy - Power Mapping targets and audiences
• Communications - Media outreach, stair speech, slogan
  
• Tactics and Timelines - effective and appropriate tactics
  
• Resource Management - budgeting the true cost of the campaign, volunteers

Finally, if attendees are members of the Alliance for Biking & Walking they can sign up for the discounted rate of $75 vs $125 (BCGP and NJBC are eligible for the $75).

For more information see the relevant links below.

New Jersey Bicycle Coalition Winning Campaigns Webpage
http://www.njbike.org/winning-campaigns.html

Alliance for Biking & WalkingWinning Campaigns Trainings Webpage for Edison.
http://www.peoplepoweredmovement.org/site/index.php/site/EventRegistration-Overview/2578/


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Comment on Philadelphia's Pedestrian/Bicycle Plan

The Philadelphia City Planning Commission has released for public comment its draft Pedestrian/Bicycle Plan.  This plan was developed by a steering committee of city agency staff and non-profit organizations, including the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia and Toole Design Group.  

Two Open Houses were held in late April.  The public is invited to read over the Vision and Goal Statement, a summary of new policy recommendations (or read the full set of recommendations), and review the proposed bikeway network in the study area (So. Phila, CC, parts of North Philadelphia, and NW Phila).  You can also see a zoomed in map of the proposed network in Center City. 

(Bikeway networks for other parts of the City -- West Phila, SW Phila and North Philadelphia -- will be developed during a second phase of the Plan in 2010 and 2011.)

Here is your opportunity to tell the City what you think about this plan.  When finalized, it will become the blueprint for how Philadelphia modifies its streets and sidewalks, and updates its code, laws and policies on bicycling and walking over the next decade. 

Comments are due on May 11th. You can email your comments to Debby Schaaf, or use this form. 

This plan is being funded by a Transportation Enhancement grant through the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission.

Bicyclists' Support Needed on May 5th for Cynwyd Trail

On Wednesday, May 5th at 6:15 pm, the  Lower Merion Township Commissioners will vote on the final design for the Cynwyd Heritage Trail.  The meeting will be at the Township Building, 75 East Lancaster Avenue in Ardmore in the second floor board room.

If you support the construction of the new 2.5 mile trail through Lower Merion that lays the foundation for an important offroad connection to the Schuylkill River Trail, please come to this meeting to help demonstrate to the Commissioners that the backing of the community for this project is broad and enthusiastic. The Friends of Cynwyd Trail are optimistic that the Commissioners' vote will be positive to approve the proposed design and the township's commitment of capital costs to supplement the state and federal grants and County Open Space funds that are paying for the vast majority of the trail construction costs. This commitment is necessary to start the bidding process.  But, the presence of many supporters is invaluable.  Please come and out and show the Commissioners that their yes vote is needed and appreciated.

Lower Merion Township has been an important partner of the Complete the Schuylkill River Trail Coalition and the Cynwyd Trail is an critical trail segment that will help set the foundation for linking together Lower Merion and Manayunk.