York University received a City of Toronto’s Bicycle Friendly Business Award on Oct. 9 in a ceremony at Toronto City Hall.
Of the seven awards the city presents each year, York won the Bicycle-Friendliest Suburban Award. The city presents the awards to businesses and other organizations in Toronto that demonstrate leadership in encouraging employees, clients and customers to cycle.
“We’re ecstatic we’ve won it,” said Nicole Arsenault, manager of York’s transportation and student services. She accepted the award on behalf of York University and Black Creek Region Transportation Management Association, which work together to promote greener, safer transportation options. “We’re very honoured they’ve recognized us and recognized that we’re looking for alternatives to single-occupant vehicles,” said Arsenault.
York was nominated for a Bicycle Friendly Business Award for its commitment to reducing single-occupant vehicle traffic, for promoting cycling, increasing bicycle racks on campus, making change 
and shower facilities accessible to cyclists, having security officers patrol campus on bikes and creating an e-mail listserv for more than 100 York cyclists.
Left: Rod McPhail, Toronto’s transportation director, presents the Bicycle-Friendliest Suburban Business Award to York’s Nicole Arsenault.
Judges for the seven awards included five city councillors (among them Olivia Chow and mayoralty candidate David Miller), a landscape architect, a transportation planner and a retailer. They chose seven winners from 33 nominees, of which York was the only university.
For more information on the awards, visit the City of Toronto’s Bicycle Friendly Business Awards. For more transportation information, visit York’s Transportation Services Web site or Black Creek Region Transportation Management Association.