KIDICAL MASS MEETING AGENDA

Hi all, I'd like a face to face planning meeting where we can discuss our goals and plans for Kidical Mass.

If you are interested in a meeting, please make suggestions for time and location.  Or state your times of availability.

Here are some potential agenda items:

How do we grow the rides?  Last year we trialed a monthly ride in Palmer square and a monthly ride in new locations.  It was hoped the new locations would increase exposure and find people to adopt and sustain new permanent rides.  I'd rather pick a single new location this year and commit to holding a monthly ride there with the hope that over the course of a year it will grow into a locally self sustained ride.   Any suggestions of locations with high probability for success?  Also what can we do grow the Palmer Square ride?

"Break The Gridlock" through the efforts of Gin Kilgore may secure some grant money specifically for Kidical Mass.  So far we have operated with no official structure or funds.  If we have funds how do we use them responsibly?

In planning routes for KM rides around the city I've repeatedly run into a major difficulty.  One way streets often go the wrong way.  In many neighborhoods one way streets are arranged to funnel traffic onto busy arteries.  Solo bicyclists often flout inconvenient one way streets and it contributes to the perception of 'lawless' cyclists.  It may contribute to the lawlessness of cyclists who feel the laws/system never took them into consideration when they were made.  Marked bicycle lanes that go in the opposite direction on one way streets can create through routes for cyclists.  At the north end of the lake front trail there is an example routing cyclists west on an east bound one way to allow cyclists to avoid Sheridan road.  I dream that Kidical Mass might lobby the ATA, CDOT and local aldermen to fix one or two problematic cases for us and in the process jump start a larger effort to address the issue city wide.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ash L. on April 1, 2011 at 6:27am
I'd be fine to host an evening planning meeting this week on Monday or Tuesday. I live on Palmer Square. I'm wrangling my kid right now so I can't post much. Let's discuss it tomorrow morning pre or post ride and I'll add it to the calendar once we figure out what works best for everyone.
Permalink Reply by Jason Greenberg on April 2, 2011 at 2:44am

 

I can attend a meeting if its on weekends and at a house without cats (I'm super allergic unfortunately). We can detail this at todays ride.

 

As for any funds we receive, best use might be for visibility (Like a color graphic sign to put on the side of Todd's "trike-mobile" and maybe orange safety flags with a KM logo & url that we could give out to kids/parents at rides for safe riding and to make our visual presence known outside of our Saturday rides.

 

But really the $ could (should?) be for the simple operational costs like snacks for kids at the rides and printing some posters to put up in neighborhoods for rides...(I think we should do that for posters that have longevity- that is, that promote our whole KM season (like spring rides & summer rides) That way they can stay up in bike shops and libraries, cafes etc. for months and we can keep posting them for months (its too much work to flyer the city just for one weekend's ride- we don't have the distribution system to do it extensively every month).

Permalink Reply by Ash L. on April 3, 2011 at 3:37am
Jason, I have three cats and a dog. :( Would you be up for hosting? It would be great to get this under our belts with a few weeks left before May's ride so we can do some real promotion.

I'd also like to send out an invite to Ald. Colon to join one of our rides since he just got back from an international cycling research trip to Seville, Spain. I know many of us would like to pick his brain about what he learned.
Permalink Reply by Jason Greenberg on April 3, 2011 at 5:30am

I'm happy to host a planning meeting at my house (no cats, and a very large dining room table is great for organizing meetings). Also have plenty of bike parking space in my back yard; Todd your trailer could park comfortably on the front lawn or the grass median by the curb).

 

Let me propose a KM planning/season organizing meeting for Sat 4/9. Since the Palmer Square ride happens at 10:30am-ish, let me propose meeting 9am on Sat the 9th and then organizers could bike the 6-8 blocks to Palmer Square for the ride.

 

On the agenda:

Planning the 2011 KM season- getting rides/dates on the calendar

Planning posters/flyers & other promotional items & opportunities for the season

Discussing current operational needs and possible uses for grant $ (if we have that?)

Discussing prime neighborhoods to develop a new KM regular ride

Discussing possible Rogers Park/end of school year ride for May or June

Is there interest to link to more Green/Biking events like Cycelogical? Similar events are coming up...

 

Anythig else you want on the agenda, respond here and we'll add it on...

 

Also KM members or new folks with an interest to get involved: PLEASE RSVP here if you can make the meeting so we know how many are coming.

 

I'll email my address to those who respond they are attending (I'm near St. Louis & Wrightwood in Logan Square)

 

Thanks!!!

Permalink Reply by Elizabeth on April 6, 2011 at 8:30am
We have a fair amount of trouble making it to Kidical Mass on time.  9 am on a Saturday would be almost impossible.  But maybe only one of us would come?  And maybe be a little late?  Does that time work for everyone else?
Permalink Reply by Ash L. on April 6, 2011 at 12:52pm
9 is hard to swing for me as well and I only live a mile from you. I'd be better able to attend directly following the Mass or better yet, having our discussion at the park we end at.
Permalink Reply by Todd Allen on April 6, 2011 at 1:57pm
I could meet before or after the ride.   Sounds like after the ride is going to work better?
Permalink Reply by Jason Greenberg on April 6, 2011 at 2:11pm

Having the meeting at the end of the ride on Sat. at the bunny park seems the best (kids can be occupied playing in the park while we meet). if weather is bad I can still host at my house (8 blocks away)after the ride. This maybe makes the meeting more accessible to other KM members who are there for the ride  (as of now seems we have 4 RSVPs. Anyone else?)

Permalink Reply by Ash L. on April 6, 2011 at 2:28pm
Jason, since many people tend to split after the ride for various destinations, it might be best to have the meeting at Holstein where we are ending the ride this month. There are picnic benches to sit on there as well and plenty to keep the kids entertained while we chat.

And don't even mention rain!

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