Yarra Bicycle Users Group: advocacy & awareness in Melb’s inner northern suburbs

Last YarraBUG Meeting for 2005

Gipps St Steps Campaign + bike path extension

Glass on Brunswick Street

Amys Ride

Last YarraBUG Meeting for 2005
Our last meeting for 2005 is next Tuesday 20th Dec, 7.30pm at Suede Bar, 284 Smith Street, Collingwood. So come along, enjoy a meal, a quiet drink and celebrate our achievements over the past year! Our first meeting for 2006 will be Tuesday Feb 21.

Gipps St Steps Campaign + bike path extension
Yesterday, as many of you would know, a local event was held celebrating Yarra Council and State Government funding for the Gipps Street Steps and proposed bike path extension. (see photo above) So those damn steps will be replaced, but more support is needed to get State Government funding, more here from Yarra Council and Bicycle Victoria. YarraBUG information & background

Glass on Brunswick Street
It’s still happening, unfortunately on a regular basis. Read this response on BV forums. Is the glass as bad as reported? As the festive season is upon us, unfortunately there’s going to be more ‘bogan droppings’ around. It’s also a issue how CoY cleaning contractors clean the streets, so YarraBUG will be following this up as well.

We should ALL monitor and report any problems as we see them, so as a suggestion:
- make a note of time & location of glass/debris on road,
- report it to Yarra Council ASAP
- contact Yarra Council with details
- also you can report Roads & Footpath problems online. Please cc. any correspondence onto BV and YarraBUG. email: campaigns@bv.com.au and yarrabug-owner@yahoogroups.com

Amys Ride, 7th January 2006
Further updates from the website: The high level of interest in this ride has forced us to take entries right up to the day of Amy’s Ride (7 January 2006) and all entries will still receive the entire Amy’s Ride Pack (jersey etc) So you can enter online and put either YarraBUG or Wheels of Justice (your choice) in the additional information area. Contact the organisers or yarrabug-owner@yahoogroups.com if you have questions about a team ride.

Hi all,
We are holding a small event on the Gipps St steps next Wednesday. Bicycle Victoria and Richard Wynne, Member for Richmond will be handing out juices to morning commuters climbing the steps. The aim is to:

· thank Richard for his lobbying within government (for recent design funding) and to show support for him to lobby for funds to build the alternative trail,
· provide the opportunity for cyclists to chat with Richard about the steps and alternatives.

A celebration of new funds for the removal of the Gipps Street Steps – Wed 14th December 2005: 7.30 to 8.30 am.

It will be a chance to thank Richard for his recent work in securing funds for the design of an alternative trail. It will also be a great opportunity to let the state government know that without more funding the project cannot go ahead. Show your support for the project by coming along on Wednesday morning, for details visit our Yarra Trail website.

Hope to see you there.

Cheers,

Mark Dixon
Cycling Development - Trails
Bicycle Victoria, Ph 03 8636 8820

Before we start - the December Wednesday night wind down ride & Ha Long Bay dinner was fantastic - and since we had “two” rides, who wants to post a Ride Report? There was discussion about having a YarraBUG ‘progressive’ dinner in January. Or even a ‘retrogressive’ dinner where we commence with dessert & finish with a entrée….?!? So look forward to that event in the New Year!

YarraBUG folk enjoying dinner later at Ha Long Bay

Who’s up for helping to organising a Combined BUG / Wheels of Justice team, or volunteering to help with Amys Ride in Geelong, 7th January 2006? Refer to further details at Amys Ride. A quick reminder, Wheels of Justice is a cyclist advocacy group that formed earlier this year in response to the Eugene McGee case in South Australia.

Details from Amys Ride website
Start 9:30 am to 11:00 am – Geelong Botanic Gardens
* 120 km around the Bellarine Peninsula (for adventurous riders)
* 45 km from Geelong - Drysdale and return (get the blood flowing and the heart pumping)
* 5 km ( loops of the Geelong Botanic Gardens) for mum, dad and the kids on closed roads.

* 70 km along the Bellarine Peninsula Rail Trail to Queenscliff and return (for MTB and Hybrid riders)
* 40 km along the Bellarine Peninsula Rail Trail to Drysdale and return (for MTB and Hybrid riders)

We can explore further options for cheaper accommodation if required - and we are approaching potential sponsors. *Time is short*, so please let us know what you can organise in the next few weeks.