Rolling! Hunt for Vancouver Film & TV Locations By Bike!

Mountain views, picturesque neighbourhoods, cool urban haunts, waterfront gems and diverse architecture are a huge draw for location film production in Vancouver. These versatile sites, coupled with an extensive sound-stage / studio infrastructure, have continued to support robust financial and cultural health for the region. According to the Vancouver Economic Commission’s 2020 Impact Report the city has regained the title of “Hollywood North” (over Toronto!) by once again becoming the 3rd largest film & tv production centre in North America. The sector employed over 25,000 local workers, and tabled 3.4 billion dollars on industry production spending in that year alone.

Marquee film productions in the region include Deadpool & Deadpool 2, Okja, Twilight Saga - Breaking Dawn, and War of the Planet of the Apes.  

And tv hits like The Flash, The Good Doctor, Riverdale, Supernatural,  and X-Files.

The features which attract film production are also appealing for bike-commuters, pleasure cyclists and tourists alike. Why not combine the two with a bike tour of memorable on-screen locales. You choose your faves - - as many as you and your friends are able to find! If you trek via ebike, you will be able to access more challenging terrain and further destinations. 

We have a few handy resources to start you on your hunt. First up: Giggster has assembled their Ten Iconic Filming Locations in B.C., with exact location addresses and descriptions for places like: Juno’s House in “Juno”, The Assignment Bridge in “Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol”, and Pier 94 in “I Robot” & “Fantastic Four.

The truly amazing tool, however, is this interactive map (created by Fangirl Quest) which allows you to link to movies and television shows filmed in Vancouver and then hone in on the exact spot, specific scene shot there, with images and more info.

“Car Free Vancouver” throughout September is the perfect opportunity to get out exploring via bike and ebike. Zygg is here to help you on your quest. Come try our fleet of e-bikes, especially the fashionable Model A - with a range (battery charge) up to 150 km - at various events throughout the month. Happy Cycling! #carfreedays #carfreeyvr @FacultyBrewing #cyclevancouver #vancitybike #gobybikebc #ridevancouver #vancouvercycling #vancouvercyclist

Spin Your Own Adventure - Take A Toronto Book Tour By Bike!

Toronto has a rich history of diverse authors, whose celebrated works - both fiction & nonfiction -  are showcased in an array of bookstores throughout the city. What better way to explore new neighbourhoods via bike or ebike than to trace the locales of some stellar reads at an independent bookshop. Cycling from west to east:

ANOTHER STORY BOOKSHOP - 315 Roncesvalles Ave

Open for over 25 years, Another Story is always up for the cause, promoting social justice, politically charged voices with a different view-point.

  • Roncey Pick: André Alexis's “Fifteen Dogs” (Winner of the prestigious Giller Prize and Canada Reads) is set in the environs around High Park featuring a pack of dogs who are given the “gift” of human consciousness as a philosophical experiment.

MONKEY’S PAW - 1067 Bloor Street West

Monkey’s Paw is an enchanting place for uncommon books, unusual finds and paper artifacts.

Bibliomat

It is also home to the Bibliomat: “the first device of its kind, allowing curious bibliophiles to sample the excitement and mystery of antiquarian book hunting with a single $5 token.” The Biblio-Mat was designed and constructed for the Monkey's Paw by animator Craig Small. Watch a video on how it works.

  • Bloorcourt Pick: “Christie Pits” created by Jamie Michaels & Doug Fedrau is a bold retelling of the true story of young Jewish & Italian immigrants who faced hate head on during the historic riots at the baseball diamond in Christie Pits.

TYPE BOOKS - 883 Queen Street St. West, 427 Spadina Road, 2887 Dundas St West

Although the flagship store is on Queen West, with whimsical window-displays & a small art gallery, Type Books has two other locations in The Junction & Forest Hill. Type also operates a non-profit literacy outreach program, called Word-Play, which encourages a love of reading among children. 

  • Roving Toronto Pick: Catherine Bush’s “Minus Time” traces the complicated explorations of a young student, anxious to find her own identity & home in the city’s margins, away from the toney North Toronto streets of her privileged childhood.

A DIFFERENT BOOKLIST - 779 Bathurst Street

Not just a bookstore, A Different Booklist is a community hub dedicated to emerging & established writers from Canada’s cultural mosaic. It is a perfect spot for special talks, readings & book launches.

SWIPE - 401 Richmond Street West (B04)

Swipe spotlights contemporary books on graphic design, advertising, architecture & urbanism, in tandem with well-curated objects & gifts for adults and children.

  • Entertainment District Pick: The Architecture of Kuwabara, Payne, McKenna, Bloomberg is a gorgeous coffee-table book about KPMB, the internationally recognised architecture firm, whose Toronto offices are a block away from Swipe. The National Ballet School, Koerner Hall, and The Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art are just a few of their TO marquee projects.

SPACING STORE -  401 Richmond Street West (B02)

This super-cool meeting place - an extension of Spacing Urbanism Magazine - houses Toronto-centric products, including books, housewares, clothing, and accessories.

  • Cycling Pick: Yvonne Bambrick’s must-have bestseller,  Urban Cycling Survival Guide, is full of tips & insider info for fun / safe cycling in every season.

MABEL’S FABLES - 662 Mount Pleasant Road

Source: instagram.com/mabelsfablesbookstore/

One of the most-beloved children’s bookstores in the city, Mabel’s Fables is a midtown gem. They host book clubs for teens and kids throughout the year.

BEN MCNALLY BOOKSTORE - 400 King East

Ben McNally’s BooKstore, once labeled Toronto’s most beautiful, has recently scaled down into more modest digs at King Street East in Corktown. Ben and his children, who run the joint, are some of the most knowledgeable in the city.

  • Corktown Pick:  Commonwealth Writers’ Prize & Giller Award-winning novelist Austin Clarke’s “More” is a challenging, yet beautifully woven novel of a mother in search of her lost son, set in the juxtaposed worlds of Moss Park and Rosedale.

BOOK CITY - 1950 Queen East, 348 Danforth Avenue, 2354 Bloor West, 1430 Yonge Street

Leading the charge for indie bookshops in Toronto, this family-owned & operated business opened its first store in the Annex in 1976. Now, with four locations spread around the city - including The Beach - you are never too far a bike ride to browse through their eclectic collection. Or, make it a real cycling tour and visit all four!

  • East Toronto Pick: David Chariandy’s Brother is the complex story of two brothers from Scarborough in the 1990s that ventures deep into Rouge Park. This epic is perfect to retrace via ebike. Watch for the filmic adaptation of “Brother”, directed by Clement Virgo, set to premiere at TIFF in September, 2022. 

This is only the beginning!

Here are some more Toronto-based books to inspire you to create your own book biking  tour. 

Post your favourites at #TorontoBooksByBike #TorontoReads

E-Cargo Bikes - In For The Long Haul

Source: Momentum Magazine

Although ubiquitous throughout European cities for decades, cargo bikes & e-cargo bikes are only now becoming more common-place in North America. Cargo Bikes (or the Dutch “ Bakfiets” - Bike Box or Bin Box) historically emerged in Denmark & The Netherlands in the early 1900s. They have a reinforced frame - good for bearing extra weight on either two or three wheels - and have bins or buckets attached to extended racks in the front or back. It may be surprising, however, to learn that the first known cargo bikes were invented by James Starley in England in 1888. They became widely used for various freight needs throughout Europe until after World War II, when more citizens owned private cars and businesses & farmers began using pick-up trucks.  In the late nineties they resurfaced into popular use, and, through the last decade, the addition of electric pedal assist  to cargo bikes has been the real game-changer. 

Momentum Magazine’s recent feature boasts that a cargo bike / e-cargo bike “bests the minivan”. Here are their ten reasons why it is the perfect family vehicle:

  1. It’s cheaper (less than $10,000 USD), MUCH cheaper than owning and operating a car

  2. No worry of gas prices rising with high maintenance costs; only about $100 USD for a tune up per year

  3. Take kids to school and get exercise

  4. Simplify life, take what you need, scale down

  5. Easy / cheap parking

  6. Fun

  7. Great to communicate with other riders, especially with kids

  8. Fights climate change

  9. Puts kids to sleep. Naps are a dream

  10. Fantastic mode to explore, learn, discover and teach together

Earlier this spring, Bloomberg News profiled the growing shift to e-bikes and e-cargo bikes as car replacements for commuting, shopping & ferrying around children, in an era of soaring gas prices coupled with a desire to choose a more environmentally friendly mode of transportation. The piece, however, points to the need for government incentives & tax credits to help trigger a major rethink for North Americans to choose this option.This process is in motion.

Presently, there are incentives in the US & Canada, with California, Colorado, Michigan, Oregon, Texas, Vermont, New York, as the first adopters. The list is expanding weekly!

Alberta - Using the provincial “Scrap-It” scheme Alberta residents can receive a $300 rebate when they scrap their car and purchase an ebike, with a minimum ebike price of $1000.

British Columbia - Utilizing the “Scrap-It” scheme residents of British Columbia can receive $750 towards the purchase of a new ebike when the retail price is over $1200, pre-tax, and it is purchased from a participating retailer.

Business owners in B.C. can get up to $1,700 when they buy a cargo e-bike. The rebate covers one third the cost of a cargo e-bike.

Nova Scotia - Supported by EV Assist Nova Scotia, a $500 rebate is available for Nova Scotia residents on ebikes costing more than $1200.

The US Postal Service has just embraced custom cargo eBikes for efficient delivery.

Electric Bike Review has an insightful forum about ebike rebates for businesses.

Earlier in August, “Not Just Bikes” (a mobility & urban sustainability advocate) returned home to Toronto from Europe to showcase this emerging shift in North American cargo bike culture. The video (as always) is an informative & spirited POV as witnessed by bike. They used a cargo bike & carshare programmes like Enterprise Carshare to do everything, citing the many uses: groceries, musical equipment, landscaping supplies, furniture, companions, kids, pets, work-deliveries / food carts….Cool cargo-bike commercial delivery company Nrbi gets a cameo with their carlacargo e-cargo-bike.

Other fantastic e-cargo pals in Toronto include: the independent e-cargo bike rental startup

Happy Fiets Canada and Curbside Cycle, with their 3 Assist Bullitts and their partnership with FedEX.

From Zygg’s second Canadian city, Vancouver, HUB Cycling has assembled a terrific group of resources & knowledge for the cargo biking enthusiast, and those thinking about making the leap, including links to all stores in Vancouver that sell cargo / e-cargo bikes.

Moving Goods and Services by Bike in Vancouver has specific regulations and guidelines.

Upcoming Events to Consider:

The Canadian Cargo Cycle Conference: “Opening The Mobility Toolbox” has an online event happening on September 20th, 2022.

The Inaugural Montreal Cargo Bike Crit: a fun, racing rally takes place on Aug 21, 2022.

You can always find great info at cargobike.ca !

Let’s get moving!