Smart Commute MRH
 
July 2016
Markham Office
Markham Board of Trade
7271 Warden Avenue
Markham, ON L3R 5X5

Richmond Hill Office
Richmond Hill Chamber of Commerce
376 Church Street South
Richmond Hill, ON L4C 9V8

[email protected]
289-844-3026
Here's what we were up to during Bike Month!

CoM Pedalpalooza
Mill pond
Safe Cycling Workshop - J_J
Safe Cycling Workshop LEA
Clockwise from top left: City of Markham Pedalpalooza, Mill Pond Splash Eco Festival, 
Safe Cycling Workshop at LEA Consulting, and Safe Cycling Workshop at J&J Medical.

Smart Commute MRH had a busy Bike Month (May 30 to June 30) at our Markham and Richmond Hill workplaces, as we celebrated and promoted
cycling to work 
with events, campaigns and workshops:
  • City of Markham Pedalpalooza, June 2 - City staff tested the latest bicycles courtesy of Station Ski and Ride, took advantage of discounted Presto card sales from York Region Transit, and received information about cycling from Smart Commute MRH. 
  • Mill Pond Splash Eco Festival, June 5 - Smart Commute MRH assisted the Town of Richmond Hill in providing bike valet service at this celebration of conservation and natural heritage at Mill Pond Park. 
  • Safe Cycling Workshops at J&J Medical and LEA Consulting, June 28 - in partnership with York Region, Cycle Toronto delivered workshops that focused on safe cycling techniques, bike safety checks and the importance of cycling as a sustainable commute. 
  • Bike Month Contest, May 16 to June 30 - during Bike Month, we logged over 860 cycling trips, which is a total distance of 10,100 km! Click here to see the full results of the contest and the top cycling leaders within the Smart Commute MRH network.

    The winners of the grand prize of one of three $500 VIA Rail gift vouchers will be announced in mid-July.
    Good luck to everyone who logged their cycling trips! 
Advisory Committee Meeting
Honda Canada AC meeting
On June 23, Smart Commute MRH held our second Advisory Committee meeting of the year at Honda Canada's Markham office.

Highlights of the meeting included a review of this year's successful Bike to Work Day event, results of the AECOM Inter-Office Step Challenge presented by Sarah Hanson of AECOM Richmond Hill, and a tour of Honda Canada's LEED Gold certified campus! Click here to learn about Honda Canada's sustainable initiatives.
Cycling Superstar Series
Robert and Krysten bike to work
Krysten, Town of Richmond Hill, and Robert, City of Markham
Katherine bike to work
Katherine,
Markham Board 
of Trade
The latest edition of our Cycling Superstar series is now online! Click on the images above to read about these Smart Commute MRH workplace employees' cycling commutes.

In case you missed them, click here to read about our previous Cycling Superstars in May. 

Thanks to everyone who contributed to our Cycling Superstar blog! We'll continue to feature cyclists from our Markham and Richmond Hill workplaces throughout the summer.

AECOM Inter-Office Step Challenge
AECOM RH
AECOM M
AECOM Step Challenge participants from
Richmond Hill (left) and Markham (right)
Congratulations to all who participated in the AECOM Inter-Office Step Challenge from June 6 to 19!

Participants logged a total of approximately 9,748 km of steps - that's larger than the distance across Russia! AECOM Richmond Hill logged an impressive 3,795 km of steps, while AECOM Markham was right at their heels with 3,785.7 km of steps. 

Here are some ways to add 
more steps to your day:
  • Park your car further from your building entrance, or exit the bus or subway at an earlier stop; 
  • Conduct walking meetings rather than sitting at your desk or in a boardroom;
  • Walk to pick up lunch or coffee  rather than driving, and 
  • Take the stairs instead of the elevator, when possible!
Markham Board of Trade Events
Mayor_s Lunch
MBT AGM
Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti certainly saw a lot of the Smart Commute MRH team this past month! 

One day after welcoming the Mayor as a speaker at the 9th Annual Bike to Work Day on May 30, we joined over 450 guests at the Mayor's Lunch hosted by the Markham Board of Trade. In his annual address, Mayor Scarpitti highlighted several exciting initiatives that showcase Markham as a thriving business community. 

On June 15, Smart Commute MRH attended the Markham Board of Trade's Annual General Meeting, where we presented Mayor Scarpitti with a token of our appreciation for his role in making Bike to Work Day a success, and for his support of cycling infrastructure in York Region. 

Check out more photos from the Mayor's Lunch and the Annual General Meeting at the Markham Board of Trade's Facebook page!
News and Interesting Reads
York Region Cycling
York Region has launched three new cycling initiatives!
1. Discovery Bike Rides, July and August - explore trails and communities throughout York Region on four FREE family-friendly rides (registration required).
2. York Region Cycling Photo Contest, June 13 to October 31- share your cycling photos of York Region's natural beauty, diversity and infrastructure for a chance to win a bike shop gift card and be featured in the 2017 York Region Cycling Calendar.
3. York Region Cycling Story Contest, June 13 to October 31 - do you have a great story about how cycling has changed your life? Share it through words or video for a chance to win a bike shop gift card and be featured in York Region's print and online publications.
  • Bike Share Toronto will add 120 new stations and 1,000 new bikes by July 11. PRESTO card users will receive 50% off the cost of their first year of membership! Read
  • Beginning on September 15, single-occupancy vehicle drivers may use the carpool lanes on the QEW for $60 per month (or find a carpool buddy using the Smart Commute Trip Tool and use them for free!) Read
     
  • TTC ridership has not met projected targets. Is choosing to use other modes of travel, such as Uber and cycling, a factor for this? Read
  • Meet Olli, the driver-less electric bus of the future! Read
  • Check out July's Character Community attribute here!
Happy Summer_

Have a safe and happy summer,
from your friends at Smart Commute MRH! 

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What is Smart Commute Markham, Richmond Hill?
 
Smart Commute is a sustainable transportation program of the municipalities of Markham and Richmond Hill, York Region and Metrolinx. We help local employers and commuters, like you, explore different commute choices like carpooling, cycling and transit. 
 
Our goal is to ease gridlock, improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions while making your commute less expensive and more enjoyable.
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