Minutes of CAMWEST Meeting — Sun 16 Dec 2007
- Present:
- Rob Kemp, John Holstein, Sandra Holstein, Mike Goard, Nick Urbanik, Michael Mulhearn, Mark Robson, Paul Leckie, Danny Hannan, Ian Macindoe.
- Chairperson:
- Ian Macindoe agreed to be chairperson of the meeting.
There being no previous meeting for some time there were no previous minutes so new business was started.
New Business:
Office bearers:
- Treasurer:
- Rob Kemp
- Secretary:
- Paul Leckie
- Public Relations:
- John Holstein
- President:
- For BNSW Liability contact purposes Mark Robson has agreed to be named. AGM needed to confirm or elect new president.
For insurance purposes ride leaders need to be part of the executive committee and/or have completed the ride leader training. Details explained by JH. Mandatory ride leader training may be coming in future.
Purpose and use of the ‘discuss list’ and ‘announce list’ explained to newcomers.
Western Sydney BUGs:
At it’s inception, CAMWEST was the only active BUG between Bike North and Blue Mountains. Fairfield now has WSCN, Liverpool Dept of Health is operating with LivBUG. Contact there is Carloyn New. MR is getting minutes from Chris Rissel’s Cycling Communities Connect project in that area. CAMWEST are invited to send one rep. to these meetings but during business hours. IM, MR have each attended. There are rumours of a Blacktown BUG starting as mayor has ‘discovered’ cycling. A person known to us only as Kevin is trying to start a BUG there. We should probably invite him to join us.
Council Cycling Committees:
- Blacktown:
- RK is on the committee as CAMWEST Rep.
- Baulkham Hills:
- no committee MM to contact council re committee
- Parramatta:
- very active committee
- Holroyd:
- MR on committee — annual meetings, low activity
- Nepean:
- Doug Bathersby on committee, no longer part of CAMWEST. Hawkesbury cyclists have become separate BUG over the years. Is this CAMWEST’s real mission, to spin-off BUG’s in each LGA?
- Riverstone/7 Hills area:
- Bike North have been including this area in their region as no-one else covering.
- Fairfield:
- Mayor onside, have road safety officer involved in cycling, plenty of existing paths. Council see no need for committee even though RTA promotes having one. Seem to get funding without committee.
In the past at height of CAMWEST:
- Doug Bathersby
- Richmond, Windsor
- Danny, Peter Gilbert
- Baulkam Hills
- Pam Kendrick
had some involvement with Baulkham Hills.
Ten to fifteen years ago a Mario and Andrew King were very supportive of cycling and the cycleways committee, putting in $100,000/year. A change to Liberal govt saw Sonia McMahon became Mayor and not much has happened since.
- Nepean
- other people
- Parramatta
- The Bay to Mountains proposal came about as part of links to Olympic Park.
- Mark Robson
- Holroyd Council
Penrith, Auburn: no contact — scope for involvement by CAMWEST members with these councils. NU agreed to contact Auburn council with view to establishing a cycling committee. CAMWEST need a member(s) in Penrith area. With new paths built through Kellyville there may be scope for a new BUG in that area, large population development in recent years.
MASBUG initiative
Marrickville and South Sydney BUG are running a BUG advocacy and training day. CAMWEST invited to attend. Contact is Brenda Baily. Issued covered will be:
- Insurance
- Bug Advocacy
BUG member Fiona Campbell who is a vigorous promoter of bicycling-runs Marrickville Bike BUG. Cost will be $40 / delegate, running in early 2008. CAMWEST not attending.
Cycling Promotion Fund:
Recently issued a sixty page survey result, identifies issues based on replies from BUGs. How to BUG’s get membership. Bike North operate ‘bread and butter’ easy rides. Why do people return - because the experience is a pleasurable one. CAMWEST ride leaders need to focus on that as success. They point out local government elections are in 11 months time and BUGs need to prepare for that and use to support council members that promote cycling. Bike North are running a bike carnival at Epping.
Senior's Week Bike Event:
JH has made a successful submission for a bike event in Senior's Week, date will be Tuesday 8 April 2008. Funding covers provision of food only. A senior is of age 60 or greater. Will cover road rules, basic setup, physio, stretching and injuries.
Supported by Parramatta Council.
Running for 25 people. Will need twelve volunteers. Event based on Bike Rodeos in USA, emphasising low speed and bike handling skills. The market for this event is people who have not ridden for about the last thirty years. To be held in the Dairy Precinct of Parramatta Park. Possibility of showcasing electric bikes on the day by IM. Publicity to gain participants needed early in 2008. JH to arrange, including photos in local paper if possible. MR has managed photo in Advertiser in past, always seem prepared to promote cycling in local paper. Potential to arrange a speaker system with Council. Hopefully JH can arrange 4 police riders to make some demonstrations on the day. Advertising in ‘Seniors week’ magazine with 40,000 copies distributed, and perhaps an ‘interview’ with Push-On magazine. Colin and Ian to aim to discuss at Parramatta Cycleways Committee.
On Australia Day Parramatta Council are running a ‘green’ event. CAMWEST invited to operate stall but no need for involvement.
CAMWEST finances:
RK has been treasurer for eight years but has not collected any fees since he started. $3000 in bank from grants, funds from events such as Senior's Week and previous rides. JH to check legal position with BNSW re not collecting membership dues.
Local Bicycle recycler:
Karen recycles bicycles and asked about the possibility of using some CAMWEST funds to give bike helmets to immigrant families. She barters, doesn’t buy or sell. However she is interested in bicycling, has link from BNSW and spends most of her time on bicycles. As a not for profit activity any donation is not in money. Illabunda community development has included some bicycle art based on old bikes on display and getting involved kids. Illabunda is near Catholic School at top of Oaks Road. CAMWEST agreed not to get involved at present in recycling bikes but could issue a cautious invitation for her to join us.
2008 Calendar:
MR discussed need have events arranged during 2008, and to have a long view of our ‘calender’ events already in March, June and Nov. Need someone to run events in April, May and Sept. to fill out calender. If someone new arrives it can be too long before they have an event to attend. JH and MR to arrange photo opportunity at Holroyd with Advertiser for possible article in paper re cycling.
MR would like to run Bay to Mountains ride over 2 or 3 possible ride lengths in May. RK has organised 2 events for early 2008, one in Feb and one in March. Paul Bowyer will be running the popular Heritage Rides again in 2008, possibly 3 times, he is listed as a ride leader in our BNSW registration, held by Andrew Dodds at BNSW, as organised in our annual BUG registration report done by MR and RK.
Domain name:
NU pointed out our domain name doesn’t reflect our real name, i.e. CAMWEST. We are hosted by pps. It’s possible than BNSW may cover cost of a ‘camwest.com’ domain name, NU suggested cost this is about $60 per year. Discussion about need for such name, if you google CAMWEST you find us easily. In fact if you google anything about cycling, cyclepaths or oil depletion you find the CAMWEST site quite quickly. No urgency, if needed at all.
Is this an AGM?
The meeting determined that this could not be an AGM as it was not ‘advertised’ as such beforehand. Members need prior advice of an AGM, CAMWEST need to have an AGM. MR agrees to act as President until then unless someone else would prefer the role.
Minutes taken by MR with notes from NU.
Next Meeting
CAMWEST should meet quarterly and next meeting should be prior to the Seniors Week event.
- Next meeting
- Thu March 13th, 7.00 to 9.00 PM.
- Location
- John’s house:
54 Pye Ave
Northmead.
Nearest Cross street, Thirlmere Ave.
Phone is 9686 2391.
Action List:
- MM to advise Rob Catford that MM is new secretary.
- MM to contact Baulkham Hills Council re status of cycling committee
- NU to contact Auburn council with view to establishing a cycling committee.
- JH to arrange publicity to gain participants for Bike Rodeo Event
- JH to check legal position with BNSW re not collecting membership dues.
