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Smar
t Commute Week Grand Prize Winners!
Smart Commute Markham, Richmond Hill presents Jessica Yau, City of Markham (left) and
Kelsey Waugh, LEA Consulting with their prizes
We are pleased to announce that TWO of the four winners of the GTHA-wide Smart Commute Week contest are from SCMRH's network! Jessica Yau of the
City of Markham and Kelsey Waugh of
LEA Consulting logged their cycling, carpool and transit trips on the SC trip tool and were selected as the winners of two
$500 VIA Rail gift vouchers!
We asked each winner to tell us the benefits of their commutes,and what they like best about the
trip tool. Check out their answers on our
blog!
Congratulations to Jessica and Kelsey!
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AECOM Richmond Hill Step Challenge Winners
AECOM Richmond Hill Step Challenge participants receive prizes for logging the most steps (clockwise from top left: Brandon Hayes, Sarah Hanson, Kevin Phillips, Bonnie Sivakumar, Philip Kwan, Flo McLellan, Leslie Leaman, Jacky Ho, Paul Vincent, Liping Xie and James Jin)
From October 5th to 16th, 25 AECOM Richmond Hill employees participated in the Step Challenge. Equipped with pedometers, participants were encouraged to take walking breaks during the day, try walking meetings, take the stairs instead of the elevator, and walk to their colleagues' desks to speak to them instead of communicating via email. These are all helpful tips that can be incorporated into anyone's daily schedule to ensure they get more exercise!
Over the course of nine workdays (Thanksgiving Monday and weekends were not counted), AECOM Richmond Hill employees logged on to Smart Commute's
trip tool and recorded 1,265.1 kms, saved 0.3 tons of CO2 and $409.34, and burned 78,609 calories!
Congratulations to all, and l
et's keep walking!
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SCMRH celebrates Wellness Week with our employers
(Left) Emma Langham speaks to AMD employees about cycling in York Region. (Right) Sonya De Vellis explains the trip tool to Cole Engineering employees.
With colder weather and longer nights on the way, it's important to know how to beat those winter blues. Receiving adequate sunlight, eating foods rich in Vitamin C, and incorporating physical activity into your day can ensure that your mind and body are ready to face the winter.
SCMRH employers AMD and Cole Engineering hosted health and wellness fairs for their employees to distribute helpful information about keeping fit and healthy during the winter months. SCMRH was also on site to help employees sign up and log trips on the trip tool, and spin the prize wheel to win!
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Stepping out with David Zhu of AMD!
David Zhu of AMD takes in the Pan Am Games this summer, courtesy of SCMRH!
David Zhu of AMD incorporates walking into his daily schedule as often as he can - and he encourages others to try it, too! SCMRH spoke to David about his tips for walking in inclement weather, and how fitting in a walk is easier than you think! Below is a preview of the interview. Click
here to read the full conversation on our blog!
How often do you incorporate walking into your lifestyle or everyday commute?
About 3-4 days a week, at least part of my commute to and from work involves a good amount of walking.
What are your main destinations?
I mainly walk to transit stops on my way to and from work, and also to local stores when I need things around the house. .
What are the main factors which influence you to walk?
My biggest reason for walking is to save on transportation costs; it helps that I live just close enough to walk to most of the places I need to go, including major transit stops.
How do you adapt your walk commute for the weather or different seasons?
I find that no matter what the weather's like, even during the winter, sidewalk conditions are usually no worse than on the roads, so thankfully I often just need to make sure I wear appropriate clothes.
What are some helpful tips for people who would like to incorporate more walking into their day?
When going out for lunch or dinner from work, try walking if possible. It can also be interesting to look at a bike trail map, the Cycle Map view from OpenStreetMap of your local area, or the Smart Commute
trip tool; you may realize that for nearby places, there are lots of good walking routes to choose from!
Do you have any messages or advice for York Region drivers in regards to watching for pedestrians?
It's really important for drivers to know that pedestrians always have the right of way over turning cars; additionally, since drivers must always stop before turning right on red, they should use their time to observe the crosswalk.
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EcoFair at the Barns
Come out to the 7th Annual EcoFair at Artscape Wychwood Barns (601 Christie Street, Toronto) on Sunday, November 8th from 12 - 4 pm, and celebrate all things
green! This
FREE event features:
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News & Interesting Reads
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Should we use more effective signage to indicate that cyclists and drivers must "Share the Road"? A new study from North Carolina State University explores how various signage can elicit different bevhaviour from drivers.
Read here |
- London, UK's planned Crossrail transit project provides inspiration for Toronto Mayor John Tory's SmartTrack Read
- If you'd like to become certified as a bicycle-friendly business, participate in this FREE workshop in Georgina hosted by Ontario by Bike on November 17th Read
- York Region Transit announces service changes on several routes, beginning November 1st Read
- The days are getting shorter, but we're not going into hibernation! Come out to Richmond Hill's Santa Claus Parade on November 22nd to see SCMRH walk, cycle and ride down Yonge Street! See details here
- Reviewing the pros and cons of telecommuting Read
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| Congratulations to VivaNext, whose Highway 7 East rapidway project was listed as #2 on Roads and Bridges Magazine's "Top 10 Roads of 2015" list! Click on the image above to read the article. |
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What is Smart Commute Markham, Richmond Hill?
Smart Commute is a sustainable transportation program of the municipalities of Markham and Richmond Hill, York Region and Metrolinx. We help local employers and commuters, like you, explore different commute choices like carpooling, cycling and transit.
Our goal is to ease gridlock, improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions while making your commute less expensive and more enjoyable.
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