'Let's get these bikes under the butts of those in need"

On Tuesday afternoon I had the pleasure of speaking with Amanda Factor - a Torontoist contributor. Amanda found me while Googling stories related to Igor Kenk's stolen bikes. I'm glad Amanda has pushed this story back into the public realm.

The article "What to do with Igor's loot?" was published yesterday at Torontoist.

1) I believe that the stolen bikes should (via an established organization) be given to those Toronto residents in need, that could benefit most from having the bikes.
2) I don't believe these particular bikes should be auctioned off to the highest bidder.
3) I believe this issue needs to stay in the media for the above idea to gain any traction.

If you are interested in any of my other posts on Igor Kenk's stolen bikes please click here.

Thanks for visiting and thanks again to Amanda and Torontoist.

C

Labels: bikes, igor kenk, stolen bikes, toronto, torontoist

I sent the following e-mail to Dylan Reid @ Spacing on July 31st re: Igor Kenk's stolen bikes.

Dylan,

I've been trying to work through an idea in my head for a while ...
getting bikes into the hands of those who need them most. After last
weeks announcement of Toronto Police finding all those stolen bikes
... I think I may have thought of a starting point. What if we just
gave the bikes away? Conventional practice is for Police to auction
the bikes as "proceeds of crime" but I think 2000 more bikes on the
road could be good for the city and it citizens.

I'm aware of a British initiative in which a small town in the
midlands gave all residence in their public housing complexes
bicycles. Obviously Toronto has more than 2000 people living in
subsidizing housing - but perhaps an offer to those folks first would
work. I'm wondering what your thoughts are on the idea ... you have a
lot more experience and far more ties to the cycling advocacy
community.

Thanks,

C

Dylan suggested I connect with Yvonne Bambrick, Assistant Coordinator at the Toronto Cyclists Union. Yvonne seemed very positive ... she had actually already started to connect with some folks about just such an idea. She forwarded me e-mail to Rick Conroy, Coordinator of the Toronto Cyclists Union.

I was starting to get excited. Perhaps we really could get these bikes into the hands of some folks that needed them most. Certainly my hope was to keep the bike's downtown.

Unfortunately Rick got the following message from Mark Pugash at the Toronto Police Service.

Date: Thu, Aug 7, 2008 at 3:51 PM

Rick

We have also received messages like the one below. Unfortunately our legal
advice says the Police Services Act precludes us from doing that.

Mark Pugash
Director of Public Information
Toronto Police Service
416 808 7088
mark.pugash@torontopolice.on.ca

Mark played the legal trump card. It's always so hard to negotiate with legal advice. After reading the message I thought ... is this it? a dead end?

Matt Blackett also of Spacing thought maybe we could set it up so that only 1 charity showed up at the auction. He suggested the United Way. Who would bid against the United Way?

I'm wondering if this idea can get some traction in the media and the community we may be able to influence what ultimately happens to these bikes. I would love to see these bikes not go to auction, stay downtown and get into the hands of those who could use them to ride to work and school.

So now my challenge is to the media - I've sent e-mail to folks at the Toronto Star, Sun, Globe&Mail and the National Post as well as some Toronto Blogs. I've handed you a story - provided you with key informants ... it would be wonderful if this idea could make it into the media and into public opinion.

A special thanks to the names I mentioned above for already being so helpful!
Thanks for reading!

C
(fingers crossed)



Update: Toronto Mike has responded with "Give the Igor Kenk Bikes Away"
Thanks Mike!

Update August 9: Dylan Reid from Spacing just wrote a new piece on the idea "What should be done with Igor's bikes?"


C

Labels: bikes, igor kenk, spacing, stolen bikes, toronto, toronto police

Ryerson University announced the much rumoured purchase of Sam the record Man property (picturee above) on Yonge Street in downtown Toronto. The old Sam's location will be the new Student Learning Centre (artist concept right).

I'm writing in speculation. How long before rumours of corporate naming rights on the auction block? I just felt you shudder ... you are thinking about Wal-Mart U already. There are examples of U.S. institutions selling naming rights to corporations - particularly stadiums at institutions that no-doubt pack their stadiums. I heard rumours that there is legislation restricting corporate naming of public buildings in Ontario. I have been unable to verify this.

A downtown, urban university like Ryerson has no stadium (yet). However it is positioned at the centre of Toronto. Ryerson's Business school is on Bay Street (see Wall St), the campus is a block from Yonge & Dundas Square (see Times Square) and around the corner to one of the largest malls in Canada the Eaton Centre. Should naming rights be worth more in a neighbourhood like this?

Ryerson University has fairly recent experience with high profile naming rights with the Rogers Communications Centre (pictured bottom) and the Ted Rogers School of Management (picture above). Both were named after Rogers' family members rather than the coroporate trademark - apprently to skirt the legislation.

So the new Learning Centre? The Thomson Learning Centre? The Weston Learning Centre? The Eaton Learning Centre? Oooo ... the Trump Learning Centre? We will see.

Related Blog Posts:
For Sale: Lindenwood U Naming Rights
Everton Searches for Sponsor to Acquire Naming Rights to New Stadium
Gift to School Forces Debate Over Naming Rights Sales
Metro Naming Rights in Dubai

Labels: corporate sponsorship, naming rights, ryerson, toronto

In Housing ... more specifically Residence Life there is a particular season when most institutions advertise job postings. You can count on it ... actually I did. I was a December '04 graduate and worked a food service job and played lots of gigs in my old band until "the first round" of Residence Life postings in April.

For someone new attempting to enter the field there are few things you should know about finding a Housing / Residence Life job in Ontario.

• 1) the community is quite small, everyone knows everyone. Fail to use your contacts - fail to get a job.
• 2) Many of the April postings will be snapped up by candidates already in professional positions at other Universities
• 3) Once they settle at a new University - their old position will be posted. The "second round" usually happens a little later in the summer
• 4) It's not a rule - but generally competition is more intense for positions closer to Toronto. (For the brave and adventurous check out the St FX posting below.)
• 5) I am using absolutely no statistics in this Top 5. Simply the anecdotal observations of my colleagues and I.

April seems to be very heavy month for postings. Below I have captured a fair number of live postings. These links will likely only be valid for a short time. Some institutions have already posted while others will likely post closer to the OACUHO Spring Conference.

In order by distance from Toronto (Yonge & Dundas Square):

McMaster University
Distance to Toronto: 69.6 km - about 52 mins
Manager, Training and Development, Residence Life

University of Guelph
Distance to Toronto: 91.6 km - about 1 hour 9 mins

Residence Life Manager

Residence Programme Coordinator

Wilfrid Laurier University
Distance to Toronto: 114 km - about 1 hour 21 mins

Residence Life Area Coordinator


Waterloo University
Distance to Toronto: 115 km - about 1 hour 23 mins

Residence Life Coordinator

Marketing Assistant - Housing and Residences


Brock University
Distance to Toronto: 117 km - about 1 hour 23 mins

Residence Life Coordinator

University of Western Ontario
Distance to Toronto: 196 km - about 2 hours 18 mins

recently closed.

Queen's University
Distance to Toronto: 265 km - about 2 hours 53 mins

Residence Life Coordinator


Saint Francis Xavier University
Distance to Toronto: 1,809 km - about 18 hours 13 mins

Residence Life Coordinator

Please add your comments! For those searching for jobs - good luck!

Labels: housing, jobs, oacuho, residence, residence life, top5, toronto