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TORONTO, April, 2005. Halsall employees in
Toronto can now "bike easier" to work. Halsall has
created
a secure room where employees can store their
bikes and access shower facilities. It's part of a program
to encourage staff to "green their commute" -- a key tenet
of the firm's commitment to sustainability.
To date about 20 employees have joined the
Pedalheads. Group coordinator Joanne McCran says "The bike room
is a great way to remove perceived obstacles people have about
riding to work. People were worried about their bikes being
stolen, and not being able to shower after a long, hot commute.
This removes both of those obstacles and provides a sense of
community as well!"
Commutes range from the brisk -- company
president Peter Halsall's ride is about 10 minutes -- to the
more grueling ride undertaken each day by structural
engineer Mike Jelicic who lives in the Beaches area.
"Employees who have to drive to project
sites during the day can sign out cars by the hour using
Halsall's corporate Autoshare account. It's a one-two punch!"
says McCran.
At the bike room ribbon cutting ceremony,
people helped each other plan the best bike routes using the
cycling path map of Toronto posted in the room. "It's a
great reflection of our core values - to have fun and work as a
team." says McCran.
These Pedalheads have also started a BUG
(Bicycle User Group).
BUGS are a City of Toronto initiative, offering cycle
commuters resources such as bike maps, safety tips and training
seminars. An ambassador from this program helped kick off the
cycling season by holding a seminar on cycle commuting at the
Halsall office.
To celebrate bike week this year, Halsall
hosted an event called
"Tweak my Ride". City of Toronto bike week staff and mechanics from
Cyclepath were on hand to teach the basics of cycle
maintenance and give free minor adjustments. See photos
from the day.
Halsall's core focus in 2005 is
sustainability. Read about our one-tonne challenge
here or
email us for more information.
Return to our website.
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