Cycling working group named

Robert Couvrette, Associate Vice-Principal (University Services) has made public the membership of the working group being formed to study how the University should accommodate cycling on the downtown campus.
The swinging gates on the sidewalks at the Milton Gates were removed earlier this week. / Photo: Neale McDevitt
The swinging gates on the sidewalks at the Milton Gates were removed earlier this week. / Photo: Neale McDevitt

By McGill Reporter Staff

Robert Couvrette, Associate Vice-Principal (University Services) has made public the membership of the working group being formed to study how the University should accommodate cycling on the downtown campus.

“It’s a good group,” he said. “I think we’ve managed to pull together people from various corners of the University, who have an interest in cycling, in keeping the campus safe for pedestrians and in finding solutions to an issue we’ve been discussing for a long time.”

• Martin Krayer von Krauss, Manager of McGill’s Office of Sustainability, will chair the group, which will include five students among its 13 members. Members include:

• Kevin Byers, Operations Administrator, Security Services;

• Dorothe Erickkson, Access Services Advisor in the Office for Students with Disabilities;

• Paul Guenther, Physical Planner with Campus and Space Planning;

• Harald Kliems of The Flat Bike Collective;

• Kevin Manaugh, Professor of Geography;

• Lorraine Mercier, Director of Facilities, Operations and Development;

• Mitch Miller, Student Life Coordinator in the office of Campus Life and Engagement;

• Joey Shea, SSMU Vice-President (University Affairs);

• Dea van Lierop, a Graduate Research Assistant with Transportation Research at McGill in the School of Urban Planning;

• Amanda Winegardner, PGSS Environment Commissioner;

• Wayne Wood, Associate Director of University Safety;

• and a second, as yet unnamed, representative from SSMU.

Julia Solomon, a Senior Communications Specialist, who works mainly with University Services, and Doug Sweet, Director of Internal Communications at McGill, will join the working group as ex officio observers.

Couvrette said he hopes the working group can begin meeting by the end of November and deliver recommendations for dealing with cycling on campus in time for the resurgence of bike use in the spring.

The swinging gates were removed earlier this week as anticipated, Couvrette said.

The working group will itself determine how it will consult with the community as it moves forward, but an email address (cycling@mcgill.ca) has been established to facilitate communication in the interim. Questions and comments can be directed to this address.

“A number of people volunteered to serve on the working group, and I would like to thank them for their interest and their willingness to help us,” Couvrette said. “We had to keep the group to a manageable size and to make sure a number of key constituencies were represented. I think we have a well-balanced group and I look forward to their recommendations.

“Of course, I also want to thank those who have agreed to serve on the working group, bringing their interest, expertise and desire to find solutions to a complex issue.”