Toronto BikeShare program kaput
City says funds are unavailable to save program that lent bicycles to city dwellers
Apr 10, 2007 (The Star)
A local bike-sharing program is riding off into the sunset and the city won't be coming to its rescue.
Magosha Pyjor, who ran the bike-lending program recognizable for its yellow bikes, told city officials seven months ago that the program needed about $80,000 to keep operating.
The Community Bicycle Network's BikeShare program relied on grants from private companies and ran from April to December since its launch in 2001. "From the city's perspective, it looks like it's come to its end," said Glenn De Baeremaeker (Ward 38, Scarborough Centre). "We tried to shake the bushes and look under rocks and try every ... combination we could to assist that very worthwhile, small, non-profit group. "But the city just has nowhere it could fund it from," he said. He says the city, which already provided storage space for the fleet of about 150 bikes, is feeling its own financial crunch right now and didn't have the resources to take on its funding.
5 comments:
Since they're not using the funds for the Bike Plan to paint any new bike lanes, maybe they could funnel a few tens of thousands over to BikeShare instead?
What will become of the bicycles?
Will they languish in storage?
Will they be donated to charity?
Will they be sold to another city's bike sharing agency?
Matt K.
The city will study the issue. You can expect an answer sometime in 2011, or later if another study is required.
they sure have enough money lying around to give themselfs a big fat raise :-|
I don't know how they thought they would find money my shaking bushes and looking under rocks.. They should have been looking at the budget instead. No wonder those clowns didn't find any funds.
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