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RECOMMENDED BY EVERYONE. SNA NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR 2010 ontario's top newspaper - 2005-2008 Taste of gold Sports 905-845-9923 Call now to receive a free, no obligation estimate www.MAIDS.COM A member of Metroland Media Group Ltd. Vol. 50 No. 49 "Using Communication To Build Better Communities" WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2012 60 pages $1.00 (plus tax) Picking up By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Cycling good for business eric riehl / oakville beaver / @halton_photog for earth day: Kavya Sony, front, and Ali Waters pick up litter as students from Captain R. Wilson Public School cleaned up their schoolyard to mark Earth Day. Ward 3 Councillor Dave Gittings came by to help with the effort while cleanups were held by people all across town last weekend. For more, see pages 5 and 8. Most people know riding a bike is good for their health and the environment, but few are aware it may also be good for business. The economic benefits of the bike were discussed at length Monday by April Economides of Green Octopus Consulting at the Oakville Chamber of Commerce office on Kerr Street. Economides was meeting with representatives of the April Economides Town of Oakville, Oakville Chamber of Commerce, Oakvillegreen, GO Local Oakville and the town's three BIAs (Business Improvement Areas). The expert also spoke at the Ontario Bike Summit in Toronto this week, and is renowned for creating America's first Bike Friendly Business District (BFBD) program for the city of Long Beach, California. Economides is currently creating BFBD plans for cities around North America in which she champions the bike as an everyday mode of transport. "A lot of people don't realize bicycling is great from an economic standpoint both from a prevention aspect, in terms of the high economic cost of car crashes, building roads and car parking; and also from the economic benefits bicycling brings our business districts," said Economides. "For example, with a parallel parking space you See A family page 10 400 Speers Road Oakville 905-844-0712 INSPIRATION CELEBRATION SALE APRIL 1-MAY 11 www.speersroadbroadloom.com