Letter to the Hamilton Spectator

To the editor:

I was excited to learn over two years ago that the World Cycling Championships will be held on the
North American continent this October. I'm looking forward to visiting, along with many friends from
here in the American midwest, the city of Hamilton in support of my favorite cyclists from around
the world and from the States.

As a traveler and fan of cycling, I've been impressed by the ability of communities around the world
to join in support of large civic and national events, from huge undertakings like the Tour de
France to various national cycling championships in the U.S. and Europe, to simple block parties and
city celebrations around the world. I must commmend the Steenkists (Letters, Feb. 19), who "walk to
the farmers' market, the library and other shopping," and so recognize that they will simply "have
to plan in advance for the week of the races." Their suggestions for the car dealership and other
store owners are on the mark (even for those businesses which have only one entrance). The Worlds
will be an opportunity for creative entrepreneurs who recognize them as such and plan accordingly.

The concerns about the closure of roads and streets to motorized traffic are predictable. I
understand that the urge to cater to every perceived "need" of motorists (often alone in cars with
4-8 empty seats) is a strong one. It's also true that the real considerations of moving people from
A to B are frequently confused with the desire to move cars from A to B. I submit that if the fine
city of Hamilton focuses on the former, the latter will cease to be such a pressing problem. Having
participated in, promoted, and witnessed many large-scale cycling events, I know that the task of
ensuring movement of traffic--especially emergency vehicles--is a daunting one. It is not, however,
beyond the capabilities of well-planned logistics and supportive participants and citizens.

Access to roads is just one of the many obstacles faced by the competitive racing community in the
U.S. and elsewhere, and promoters and racers alike must contend with issues of liability, course
enclosure, police protection, rider and spectator safety and traffic control in addition to
accomodating normal local and regional traffic flow. However, bike racing is one of the few
world-class events that has no admission fee for spectators, requires no special venue (or massive
subsidies to private owners for same!), and brings together people from around the world to mingle
freely along the course in an atmosphere of friendly competition, celebration and civic pride. This
October, Hamilton will have the opportunity to meet this challenge on the world stage. I look
forward to seeing in person your spectacular success!

Best regards,

Eric Struckhoff Lawrence, KS USA
785.841.8879

 

[email protected] (Eric Strokehoff) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> To the editor:
>
> I was excited to learn over two years ago that the World Cycling Championships will be held on the
> North American continent this October. I'm looking forward to visiting, along with many friends
> from here in the American midwest, the city of Hamilton in support of my favorite cyclists from
> around the world and from the States.
>
> As a traveler and fan of cycling, I've been impressed by the ability of communities around the
> world to join in support of large civic and national events, from huge undertakings like the Tour
> de France to various national cycling championships in the U.S. and Europe, to simple block
> parties and city celebrations around the world. I must commmend the Steenkists (Letters, Feb. 19),
> who "walk to the farmers' market, the library and other shopping," and so recognize that they will
> simply "have to plan in advance for the week of the races." Their suggestions for the car
> dealership and other store owners are on the mark (even for those businesses which have only one
> entrance). The Worlds will be an opportunity for creative entrepreneurs who recognize them as such
> and plan accordingly.
>
> The concerns about the closure of roads and streets to motorized traffic are predictable. I
> understand that the urge to cater to every perceived "need" of motorists (often alone in cars with
> 4-8 empty seats) is a strong one. It's also true that the real considerations of moving people
> from A to B are frequently confused with the desire to move cars from A to B. I submit that if the
> fine city of Hamilton focuses on the former, the latter will cease to be such a pressing problem.
> Having participated in, promoted, and witnessed many large-scale cycling events, I know that the
> task of ensuring movement of traffic--especially emergency vehicles--is a daunting one. It is not,
> however, beyond the capabilities of well-planned logistics and supportive participants and
> citizens.
>
> Access to roads is just one of the many obstacles faced by the competitive racing community in the
> U.S. and elsewhere, and promoters and racers alike must contend with issues of liability, course
> enclosure, police protection, rider and spectator safety and traffic control in addition to
> accomodating normal local and regional traffic flow. However, bike racing is one of the few
> world-class events that has no admission fee for spectators, requires no special venue (or massive
> subsidies to private owners for same!), and brings together people from around the world to mingle
> freely along the course in an atmosphere of friendly competition, celebration and civic pride.
> This October, Hamilton will have the opportunity to meet this challenge on the world stage. I look
> forward to seeing in person your spectacular success!
>
> Best regards,
>
> Eric Strokehoff Lawrence, KS USA
> 785.841.8879

Stroker,

That was way too many words to read. Trim it down and someone might care.

Deez

 

>That was way too many words to read. Trim it down and someone might care.

Agreed, brevity is the soul of wit, etc. Greg

 

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Greeznuts,

Should be in the paper today. Check out the letters in the Spectator : public comment on Worlds has
been almost non-stop. Click on "news" on the left bar, then on "letters to the editor."

I can use fewer words, and smaller ones, too. It was a letter to the editor, fer chrissake. OK, OK,
how about this:

Dear sirs,

Bikes good. Race fun. Please have race. I be there to watch race and buy snacks and beers with pals.

Yer friend,

E

You're right, I should have edited. This is much better.

--------------3B474F73AAD391F887D97D6B Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii
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<!doctype html public "-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en"> <html> Greeznuts,
<p>Should be in the paper today. Check out the letters in the <a
href="www.hamiltonspectator.com">Spectator</a>
: public comment on Worlds has been almost non-stop. Click on "news"
on the left bar, then on "letters to the editor."
<q>I can use fewer words, and smaller ones, too. It was a letter to the editor, fer
chrissake. OK, OK, how about this:
<r>Dear sirs,
<s>Bikes good. Race fun. Please have race. I be there to watch race and buy snacks
and beers with pals.
<t>Yer friend,
<u>E
<v>You're right, I should have edited. This is much better. <br> <br> </html>

--------------3B474F73AAD391F887D97D6B--

 

Bikerecker wrote:

> You letter is that of a self-important blow-hard

That's why I thought it would fit in well here.

Cheers,

Eric

 

"Bikerecker" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> >You're right, I should have edited. This is much better.
>
> You letter is that of a self-important blow-hard, and it is hardly doing
the
> situation justice, nor is it representing us cyclists well. Hopeully the editor will do his job,
> since you saw no reason for concision. Greg

I have the print copy right in front of me, and aside from assigning paragraph breaks to where they
belong, and minor editing (replacing "Worlds" jargon with "cycling championships"), the letter made
it through remarkably intact. Comes with a 4.5"x7" photo of a frontal view of a Canadian team member
out of the saddle during a time trial. Doesn't look like anyone I recognise, but it's really hard to
tell with the visor. Overall, the piece commands a lot of attention, and I think it does do the
situation justice. It's important to show outsider enthusiasm, it might help to spark some local
enthusiasm.

 

I'm not sure if this is what you are looking for but here is the email address for the President of
"Hamilton Motor Products" (a Cadillac, Pontiac dealership) he is the person who is leading the
naysayers against this race. At the last Town Hall meeting he was the one who plans on spearheading
the class action suit against the city for lost business.

Mike Dubois [email protected]

Zyggy

"TritonRider" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> >From: "Kyle Legate" [email protected]
>
> > Overall, the piece commands a lot of attention, and I think it does
do
> >the situation justice. It's important to show outsider enthusiasm, it
might
> >help to spark some local enthusiasm.
> >
> Kyle, I think your on the right track who would it be effective for us to e-mail? Got addresses?
> Bill C.
>

 

"TritonRider" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> >From: "Kyle Legate" [email protected]
>
> > Overall, the piece commands a lot of attention, and I think it does
do
> >the situation justice. It's important to show outsider enthusiasm, it
might
> >help to spark some local enthusiasm.
> >
> Kyle, I think your on the right track who would it be effective for us to e-mail? Got addresses?
>
The official website provides the following contacts.
http://www.hamilton2003.com/Hamilton2003/contact_us.html

Unfortunately the guy who is usually in the press over this doesn't have an email contact listed
there, or at his place of work. Right now there are negotiations with the city to increase their
financial burden, which _will not_ go well since the city is already looking at a large tax hike to
fix our aged infrastructure. An ultimatum has been handed down that this Friday, things have to be
ironed out. Or else, I don't know. Members of city council can be reached from here:
http://www.city.hamilton.on.ca/clerk/council/default.asp I can't remember who has been most vocally
opposed, but zones affected by the races, and therefore councillors handling the bulk of the
complaints are Wards 2,7 and 8

The city manager will be meeting with the organizing committee this week:
http://www.city.hamilton.on.ca/City-Manager/default.asp Unfortunately, the site does not provide an
email, only phone.

And, of course, [email protected]