Board Minutes August 2023

These minutes are not yet approved. They are scheduled for review and approval at the upcoming board meeting.

Bike Edmonton Board Meeting Minutes for July 2023

Board meetings are open to Bike Edmonton members and the public.

• Location: Victoria Park Site 2
• Start Time: August 14, 2023 5:30pm

Please RSVP to board@bikeedmonton.ca if you plan on attending. Please include a brief summary of any agenda item you would like to table. Thank you!

Attendance

• Meeting Chair: Kelly
• Minute-taker: Stephen
• Board attendance: Alexandra, John, Kelly, Marcel, Maxine, Stephen
• Staff attendance: Greg
• Regrets:
• Absent:
• Guests:

Call to Order

• Meeting called to order at 7:04 PM

Logistics for Next Meeting

• Date: September 11, 2023 7pm
• Location: Google meet
• Chair: Kelly Granigan
• Minute-taker:

Brainstorming Session - (120 minutes)

Agenda

Using the ABCD brainstorming method

• Reference Video
• Guiding Questions

A: Awareness

What is going on around us today? What is the current reality in the world?

• We can see the increase in cycling
• 2021 Vision Zero Report
• Cycling crashes/injuries are up in absolute numbers
• City mode share stats and targets
• Mode share hasn't been updated since 2015
• Bike counter data
• Winter cycling congress in Edmonton in February
• Budget ebikes and personal scooters are increasing in popularity and seem to be having a large effect on how people get around
• Commercial rents are expensive
• Staff is dedicated and working hard, potentially burned out
• Charities and nonprofits are all struggling to find funding

Are there any terms that we need to further define?

• Community - Current membership, looking to expand to everyone in Edmonton and surrounding areas. We’re also part larger Edmonton community
• Cycling - Includes adaptive bikes, Ebikes, scooters, small mobility devices?
• Marginalized - Soci-economic status, race, gender, ability, may want to replace the word marginalized in the below to something more appropriate

OUR VISION

Everyday cycling in Edmonton is safe, widespread, and accessible to people of all comfort levels.

OUR MISSION

Bike Edmonton is a non-profit society dedicated to making everyday cycling in Edmonton safer and more widespread by providing bicycle services, education, and civic representation. We promote the bicycle as a healthy, economical, and ecologically sound mode of transportation.

OBJECTIVES (PURPOSE)

To provide, administer and maintain a multi-use facility for Edmonton and area dedicated to providing cost-effective, do-it-yourself bike repair facilities and access to an environmentally sustainable, economical means of transportation,

To educate the public by providing courses, seminars and workshops about bike mechanics and/or safe and effective riding,

To extend services to marginalized members of the community as well as new-comers,

To facilitate communication between cyclists and governments or others to improve bicycle infrastructure and policy, and

To assist the Edmonton community at large in the promotion, encouragement and understanding of cycling culture.

B: Baseline

What are we currently doing

• Bicycle services
  • Two shops with mechanics
  • Sell used bikes
  • Tune up events
  • Bike parking
  • We do not service hydraulic brakes, electric components, suspension systems

• Education
  • Courses
    • perpetually booked and overbooked
    • Great for community building
    • probably something to prioritize
  • Social Media
  • Blog
  • Newsletters

• Civic representation
  • Close relationship with City
    • Frequent consultation for upcoming projects
    • Approached directly for bike valet program
  • Direct relationships with two councillors
  • Aggressive advocacy would have ramifications with casino funding (AGLC would categorize us as a sporting group instead of charity.)
  • Current civic representation seems to be working well

Is what we're doing working?

• We’re not really sure, our ability to determine this is improving
• Having limitations sometimes seems like it’s an impediment but can be an opportunity

What are the impacts?

• Bike Edmonton 2022 annual report

What challenges do we face?

• Volunteer reliability for community tune up events, have switched to paid mech for tune up events
• Financial challenges
• Demands on staff
  • General stress of working with people, uncertainty of organization

What assets do we have?

• Dedicated and capable staff
  • Vaughn has done a great job with volunteer management and recruitment, course development
  • Alex does a fantastic job of space management
  • Coreen is a singularly excellent mechanic and excellent knowledge resource
• Excellent volunteers
• Name recognition
• Excellent relationship with the city and local organizations

Who are the stakeholders involved?

• Community leagues
• Councillors
• City staff and administration
• Residents
• Members
• Staff
• Landlord

C: compelling vision

What are we trying to accomplish?

• Our vision statement
• Financial stability and clarity
• Provide more effective support for President and Treasurer (split duties with vice, or co-chair roles)
• More volunteer events
• Effective volunteer engagement and management

What are we trying to achieve in the next 3-5 years?

• Move south shop to sustainable location
• Financial stability

What is our vision for the future?

• Remain a household name
• Build community
• Inflow of new volunteers and board members
• Capacity to respond to requests
• Focus on courses

Does our vision for the future still make sense?

Current & Completed Business

Casino (5 min)

• Volunteers for casino must be members as per AGLC requirements

MOTION

To offer 1 year memberships to all casino volunteers (except board members)
Moved:	Marcel
Seconded:	Stephen

Aye	No	Abstain