April 16, 2014 Print-friendly version City of Toronto removing abandoned bikes from streets, sidewalks

The City of Toronto will be removing abandoned bicycles from city streets over the next few weeks to free up space for those who wish to park their bicycles.



"Cleaning up these bicycles is an important part of the Clean Toronto Together program and will help to improve the look of our neighbourhoods," said Mayor Rob Ford.



"Abandoned bicycles are an eyesore in our community. Removing them will go a long way to maintaining much needed bike parking," said Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong (Ward 34 Don Valley East), Chair of the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee.



The City removed 813 derelict bikes last year.



Residents can assist with this cleanup by calling 311 to report any bike that appears abandoned in the public right-of-way. To help the City identify the abandoned bikes correctly, callers are asked to identify the bike with as much information as possible, including the colour of the bike frame, the type of bike and the location.



Usually an abandoned bicycle has missing or damaged parts, flat or missing tires, and is in unusable condition. If the bike has been locked to the same location for more than a month, it is likely abandoned and should be removed.



Bikes that are clearly derelict will be removed immediately. Where there is some question about whether a bike is abandoned, the City will place a notification on the bike that identifies the bike as abandoned. If a bike has been tagged in error and the owner does not want it to be removed, he or she should simply remove the tag and park the bike at a different location. After 14 days, the City will remove any bicycles that remain tagged in the original locations.



The abandoned bike cleanup, part of the City's spring cleanup program, is a component of the Clean Toronto Together program. The program also includes the removal of graffiti vandalism, cleanup days at schools and workplaces, and community cleanup days.



Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities. Toronto is proud to be the Host City for the 2015 Pan American and Parapan American Games. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us @TorontoComms.



Media Contact Steve Johnston Strategic Communications 416-392-4391 sjohnsto@toronto.ca



