Please R.S.V.P. to Margaret Wilde by e-mailing
or calling 613-542-9626.
The holidays are coming! As usual, the KVC will have our annual holiday social, this time with an added attraction.
Join us for Skating at Market Square, gathering at the "Nog", and dinner. Celebrate the holidays (and, coincidentally, Beethoven's birthday) on Wednesday, December 16 (yes, that's his birthday), beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the rink. Gathering at the Tir Nan Og will commence at 6:30 p.m., with dinner seating at 7 p.m.
Note: Spouses and friends are welcome, but we do need to know the numbers in advance:
Please R.S.V.P. to Margaret Wilde by e-mailing or calling 613-542-9626.
— Paul Rappell
Upcoming Events November 24, 2009Cyclists in Kingston have had two occasions in recent weeks to gather and get (and give) ideas on cycling.
On Thursday, November 12, an enthusiastic and knowledgeable group showed up at Ongwanada for "Cycling in a Winter Wonderland", a presentation on cycling through the cold weather seasons. Topics included clothing, bicycle selection, accessories, and how to cycle safely in cold, wet, and icy conditions. As well, cyclists were advised on when not to cycle in winter and early spring.
Various types of lights were seen (yes, it gets dark earlier these days). Fenders were discussed. A few bicycles set up for winter operation were able to be inspected by the participants. The "audience" chimed in with winter cycling tips of their own, too.
The workshop-goers were rewarded for their attendance and attention. The KVC provided pizza and other treats. Thanks go to a number of KVC people for their efforts (setting up, providing the food and coffee) which made the workshop a success: Maureen Beamish, Hal Cain, Dorma Grant, Adrienne Leach, Joan MacLeod, Bob Tolley, Cary Weitzman, and Margaret Wild.
On Wednesday, November 18, Cycle Kingston hosted a "town hall" meeting which brought cyclists together with representatives from the City, Queen's, and, of course, Cycle Kingston. Last summer CK trained a City by-law enforcement officer who does quite a bit of work on bicycle. The City's by-law staff head gave insights into what can and cannot be done about enforcement, as well as the various jurisdictions in Kingston.
The evening included a number of comments and questions from the audience. It is hoped that this meeting will spur other such gatherings. Of equal value was the informal time at the end of the evening, when participants could simply converse in a relaxed manner and make new acquaintances.
— Paul Rappell
Club Business October 28, 2009Last Friday's Annual General Meeting saw much stay the same and a few things altered for the coming KVC year.
The club's structure is essentially unchanged, except for the minor constitutional revision which saw the word "board" replaced with the words "Board and/or Executive" in section 5:01. This allows the Board to not only fill vacancies on the Board, as allowed under the old system, but also to fill Executive positions (President, Secretary, Treasurer, Tour Director). It was last year's vacancy in the President's position that caused the constitutional amendment. The motion was passed unanimously.
The club's Executive remains unchanged: Margaret Wild (President), Joan MacLeod (Secretary), Linda Reid (Treasurer), and Hal Cain (Tour Director) were all returned by unanimous approval of the members.
Changes happened in the rest of the Board. Directors from last year, Steve Bonisteel, Brian Ferguson, and David Short, stepped down, and new directors Dorma Grant, Adrienne Leach, and Paul Rappell were elected in their stead.
Highlights of the past year were celebrated. The club continues to show steady (if incremental) growth — it has the biggest membership of the last seven years (at least). The KVC is in great shape financially, and various buget ideas were tossed around (but none implemented — that's for future planning).
The Dean Memorial Award, given annually to the member making a significant contribution to the activities of the KVC, was awarded to Rosemary Lysaght. Rosemary conceived of and coordinated the innovative "Ride 'n' Dine" programme, beginning in 2008. These rides raise the social profile of the KVC, and are a popular draw. Rosemary also coordinated the Wolfe Island rides this year, finding tour leaders for the summer series. She was also a significant participant in the multi-day tours.
The KVC's "Annual General Ride", this year also known as "The Morning After", became "The Morning After the Morning After" when weather pushed it back to Sunday. Members enjoyed a cool weather jaunt from City Park to Kingston Mills, Middle Road, and Abbey Dawn Road before heading back to town for "brunch and a race" — concluding with "front row seats" at the cyclocross race at Lake Ontario Park.
— Paul Rappell
Fundraising October 28, 2009Cycle Kingston is a non-profit registered charity whose mandate is to promote and encourage safe cycling through education and public outreach. To fill this mandate, Cycle Kingston carries out a variety of activities within Kingston and surrounding area. These activities include: courses on vehicular cycling for both adults and children; school visits for class presentations on cycling safety; summer Cycling Ambassadors program, and various promotional/awareness events, such as Cycling Week breakfasts and public information sessions. In addition, Cycle Kingston collaborates with the City, health unit, and other agencies on various initiatives, such as the Share the Road progeamme.
Cycle Kingston is volunteer-based and has been in operation since 2004. Operations and activities are funded through grants, membership fees, and donations. Presently, Cycle Kingston is launching a fall fundraising campaign. How can you help? Several ways come to mind. First, become a member. Membership fee is $5 per year. Second, make a donation. As a registered charity, Cycle Kingston issues tax receipts for contributions. And finally, please spread the word to others who may be interested in promoting cycling.
To become a member, make an online donation, or just to learn more about Cycle Kingston, please visit: www.cyclekingston.ca.
— Hal Cain, KVC Tour Director and President of Cycle Kingston
News March 24, 2009
KVC Tour Director Hal Cain announced March 23 that the 2009 Tour Schedule was available via this website.
"The details for most of the rides are not there and will be added as soon as available," Hal wrote in the club's email newsletter. "Please remember that the schedule is subject to change, so check back often!"
In addition, there's still room for more rides on the Calendar, and the club is asking members wishing to suggest and/or lead a ride to contact the Tour Director at
.
"Remember that there can be more than one ride on any date if they are different ratings," Hal wrote. "Also, there are very few MTB rides on the schedule and we would like those as well. Previous years' schedules can be viewed (for any ideas) on the KVC/Google Calendar."
RegistrationDownload, print and complete the application form and liability waiver found in the PDF document below. Mail with your payment (payable to the "Kingston Velo Club") to our Post Office address.
Note: You may need the freely available Adobe Reader software to view the above document.