Recently, the BEST team had the privilege of organizing - in collaboration with UBC’s Centre for Community Engaged Learning - a thought-provoking workshop that delved into the rich tapestry of Indigenous practices and their potential applications within modern organizations, thanks to the generous funding of the British Columbia Multiculturalism Grant.
The Living Streets team is happy to share that this year’s Walktober and Autumn Strolls walks have concluded! Over 50 attendees had the opportunity to connect with their environment and each other across four hours of walking. We’d like to thank SFU's Graduate Student Society, DiwaliFest, and Translink for all the support!
Our program, The Bike Valet, has a great group of staff and volunteers to help make our work possible. Whether someone has volunteered for one summer or has been with the program for several years, we value all the time people have dedicated to helping us offer a great service to our community. A love for biking is something many of the people on our team share, and Peter MacMartin is one of those people. As someone with years of involvement with The Bike Valet (BV), we wanted to highlight his cycling story.
A universal pass, otherwise known as U-Pass, is a transit pass offered to students in post-secondary schools in BC. By offering this pass at a reduced cost for students, included in their tuition, Translink provides students with an affordable and sustainable method of transportation while attending school. While some students employ their U-Pass more than others, there are still ways for all students to take advantage of theirs; Which they should.
One of our key initiatives, Seniors on the Move (SOTM), focuses on expanding transportation options for older adults in BC, enabling them to continue leading fulfilling lives even after they stop driving. We understand the emotional and practical challenges of ceasing to drive, and we aim to facilitate a smooth transition to a new chapter of mobility.
Recently, the BEST team had the privilege of organizing - in collaboration with UBC’s Centre for Community Engaged Learning - a thought-provoking workshop that delved into the rich tapestry of Indigenous practices and their potential applications within modern organizations, thanks to the generous funding of the British Columbia Multiculturalism Grant.
BEST (Better Environmental Sound Transportation) needs your help!
Walk30 Ambassador Volunteers
Living Streets is looking for passionate volunteers to join our WALK30 promotional team as part of our Ambassador Program to advance the benefits and importance of active transportation.
WALK30 is an annual challenge between Burnaby, New Westminster, North Vancouver, Vancouver and Vancouver Coastal Health that inspires people to walk more, increase overall wellness, make community connections, and rethink how we get around. Each week of the Challenge has a specific theme (the 15 minute city, physical and mental health, community connections, inclusion and accessibility, and climate action) which highlights the importance of walking and encourages participants to think critically about their transportation habits. We are currently looking for both high school and community volunteers to help with outreach and recruiting people to sign up and participate in the Challenge.
Registration opens on March 10th, 2023. The Challenge runs from April 10th - May 14th, 2023.
Why should you get involved with WALK30?
Become part of a larger movement to bring better active transportation habits to our towns and cities
Support the environment and take action against climate change by walking
Walking fosters better physical and mental health, which can lead to better performance at school
Opportunities to engage with your community
Meet like-minded people and make new friends
Why should you help WALK30 get registrations?
To help positively impact the community and encourage a lifestyle change in both yourself and others
Get practice in community engagement, speaking to others, and working with a team
Promote the values you stand for (sustainability and environmental action, physical and mental health awareness, etc)
Gain volunteer credits (high school students)
What do you have to do?
Volunteer shifts are 2 hours long. Dates TBD. We have a variety of roles and tasks available:
QR code holder: You will be stationed at a specific location in Burnaby or New West (a transit stop or station, a park, etc) and given a sign with a QR code to the registration link for people to sign up with their phones.
Manual registration: Using paper and pen, get people without phones or who cannot access QR codes to sign up manually.
Engager: You will have the chance to explain the WALK30 Challenge to passersby and encourage them to sign up! Tell people why you are there, what we’re all about, why you’re taking part, etc. You’ll have a chance to chat with people, be friendly, and be passionate! You would need to explain that:
WALK30 is a free program, Only one email address is needed from registrants (name optional), It is a challenge organized by the City of New Westminster and the City of Burnaby.
What do I get for volunteering?
Community pride
A fun token of our appreciation
Snacks are on us on your volunteer day!
Contact us at walk30@best.bc.ca to sign up to be a volunteer.
Bicycle Valet Paid staff and Volunteer positions
Hey there fellow bike enthusiasts! Are you ready to join the BEST team and make a positive impact on our environment? We're currently looking for Bicycle Valet Paid Staff and Volunteers to join us on this exciting journey, and we're thrilled to welcome anyone with any background and level of expertise to our team.
As a Bicycle Valet Staff or Volunteer, you'll get to interact with event attendees and provide them with top-notch customer service. You'll be responsible for parking and securing their bikes in a safe and efficient manner. And let's not forget the best part - you'll be promoting biking as a sustainable mode of transportation and helping to create a better environment for our community.
We're proud to have collaborated with PosAbilities, an employment service for people with disabilities, up until now. It's been an amazing experience working with them, and we're grateful for the opportunity to provide a welcoming and inclusive work environment for everyone. Moving forward, we're excited to continue promoting diversity and inclusion in our team by welcoming anyone who shares our passion for sustainable transportation.
At BEST, we believe that everyone has something valuable to bring to the table, and we're committed to providing a supportive and inclusive work environment. So, if you're ready to join our team, head over to https://thebicyclevalet.ca/were-hiring to apply for a paid position or https://thebicyclevalet.ca/volunteer to apply for a volunteer position. And if you want to learn more about the Bicycle Valet and our organization, check out our website at https://thebicyclevalet.ca/. Let's bike our way to a better future together, and show Vancouver how amazing sustainable transportation can be!
Our free downtown bike parking service Bicycle Valet is now open. It is a convenient and secure parking option for people riding and rolling. operating seven days a week until December 23 with expanded operating hours during summer months, including on Friday and Saturday nights.
The free bike valet accommodates all active transportation devices including adaptive bikes, cargo bikes, bike trailers, jogging strollers and other personal mobility devices.
For more information, visit
https://www.victoria.ca/EN/main/news-events/news/news-archives/2023-archive/free-downtown-bike-valet-returns.html
Thank you for supporting our initiative!
The annual WALK30 is back! This competition is getting more exciting year after year. In an oath of a community effort, BEST is coordinating with partners from four different municipalities and two Health Authorities in a five-week campaign. The goal is for participants to walk every day for 5 weeks and track their progress, to see which municipality can walk the most total minutes and win awesome prizes from local businesses too!
