News Release
HRM Residents Urged to Participate in "Car Free" Day
Register for Car Free Day!!(Wednesday, April 11/2001)- - Mayor Peter Kelly, on behalf of Regional Council, issued a challenge today to residents the Halifax Regional Municipality to participate in the first ever Earth "Car Free" Day next week on April 19th.
Individuals, neighbourhoods, service clubs, citizens groups and others are being urged to leave their vehicles at home and use an alternative means to get to work or go about their regular duties on that day, such as walking, cycling, using public transit, etc.
HRM has issued a challenge to other major communities in the Atlantic Region to encourage citizen participation in "Car Free" Day. Those centres include Sydney, Moncton, Fredericton,. Saint John, Charlottetown, Summerside and St. John's, Newfoundland.
To tabulate the number of those participating in HRM, residents are asked to contact
the HRM Corporate Call Center at 490-4000, from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday to Friday, up until 10 a.m. on April 19th). Callers are asked to advise the call taker what means of alternate transportation they plan to use that day, e/g walking, cycling, public transit, car pooling, etc.
Councillor Sheila Fougere, chair of the HRM Bikeways Task Force, said a number of events and photo opportunities involving Mayor Kelly and other Members of Halifax Regional Council are planned for "Car Free" Day. For example, Councillor Fougere will be cycling to City Hall that day; another will be taking the ferry; another with be travelling by bus; and another will be walking to City Hall.(Details next week). Mayor Kelly will be using a special, environmentally friendly means of transportation.
Mayor Kelly and Councillor Fougere said "Car Free" Day will help create greater awareness of the need to protect the environment for future generations and encourage citizens of HRM to consider means other than the regular combustion-engine vehicle as a mode of transportation.
The goal of "Car Free" Day is to spark interest in, and create support for, the thousands of celebratory events being planned around the world that day.
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Mayor Peter Kelly
(902) 490-4010
Councillor Sheila Fougere
Chair, HRM Bikeways Task Force
(902) 490-4050
