Friday, August 24, 2007

THE job we've been fighting for...

Job Description

Job Title: Proj Mgr Alternative Transportation

Job ID: 4738

Location: Traffic


Full/Part Time: Full-Time

Regular/Temporary: Temporary
Org Marketing Statement

CITY OF HAMILTON

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
(OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE – TRAFFIC ENGINEERING & OPERATIONS - LOCATION – 77 JAMES ST. N., SUITE 320)

PROJECT MANAGER, ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION – CUPE 1041
(1 TEMPORARY FULL TIME POSITION)

SUMMARY OF DUTIES

Reporting to the Manager, Traffic Engineering & Operations acts as the central focus for all issues related to on-street cycling and manages specific projects, whether they relate to new development, off-road trails, cycling promotion, spot repairs and maintenance and cycling facility rehabilitation.

GENERAL DUTIES

Act as the central focus for all issues related to on-street cycling.

Manage specific projects, whether they relate to new development, off-road trails, cycling promotion, spot repairs and maintenance and cycling facility rehabilitation.

Support the rewrite of Shifting Gears by managing the consultant assignment, and coordinating the Environmental Assessment process with Capital Planning and Implementation.

Advise Council of programming and to work with CPI and other external agencies such as the Ministry of Transportation, Waterfront Regeneration Trust, Hamilton Conservation Authority, and City of Burlington to implement projects as per the Shifting Gears list and then, in the future, revise and adjust priorities as projects are implemented and as demands change.

Design, plan, implement, and coordinate all aspects of projects on the priority list as defined by the revised Shifting Gears.

Define and document project requirements, scope, deliverables, timelines, resource requirements, and identify project risks.

Responsible for project plan development and project resource planning along with the following:
• identification of project tasks
• estimated costs
• project schedules
• milestones and budget
• identification of project resources and skill requirements
• recruit project staff, coordinate and assign work
• determine allocation of financial resources to project tasks

Promote teamwork and provide direction to cross-functional and cross-departmental teams, provide clearly defined goals and objectives, function as a mentor to project staff, motivate, coach and provide advice to staff on project issues and problem resolution.

Negotiate with vendors and contractors for supply of services.

Prepare oral and written presentations to management and Council and report regularly on the status of projects, milestone achievement, fiscal status, change and risk management. Prepare recommendations and outline preferred course of action.

Administer and monitor the budget for projects in accordance with established Corporate and Departmental procedures, ensuring that project expenditures are within budgeted levels.

Conduct project evaluations. Evaluate project success and submit process improvement recommendations to manager.

Identify organizational problem areas and prepare background research. Prepare Requests for Information (RFI) and Requests for Proposals (RFP) to access external expertise when required. Prepare letters of agreement with external consultants and manage contracted work.

Investigate, develop, recommend and implement policies and procedures that enhance organizational effectiveness and create a supportive work environment.

Provide professional consultation to the Manager and Director as required. Act on behalf of the Manager in his/her absence on the divisional management team and for other assignments as required.

Maintain professional competence in the discipline of project management.

Review incoming neighbourhood plans to ensure that bike facilities and pedestrian facility continuity are an integral part of neighbourhood design.

Consider the current cycling infrastructure and determine those locations requiring repairs or rehabilitation such as poor pavement and deficient catch basins.

Undertake and promote activities on behalf of cycling such as reviewing the current cycling maps, city webpage and other opportunities to promote the use of cycling as an alternative to automobile use.

Act as the central focus for all issues related to pedestrians, mobility and "walkability."

Assist in coordinating pedestrian infrastructure planning and implementation as per the guidelines / criteria as identified in the Transportation Master Plan.

Act as staff support to the proposed Pedestrian Sub-Committee, both in a direct support role and in a coordination role where the City already has current capacity and expertise.

Provide general expertise in promoting walking as an alternative transportation form.

Perform other duties as assigned by the Manager or Directors on Senior Management Team which are directly related to the normal functions of the job as defined.

QUALIFICATIONS

1. Demonstrated competence in bicycle facility design and operations and pedestrian facility design and operations, normally acquired through a degree in traffic engineering, geography or parallel disciplines; or suitable experience in a related discipline pertinent to the job functions combined with project management experience.

2. Progressive experience in project management, budgeting and fiscal control in a unionized public or private sector organization. Project Management designation and experience in transportation sector an asset.

3. Proven organizational skills and the ability to work with very tight deadlines and competing priorities.

4. Demonstrated ability to challenge, lead and inspire others to excel in an environment that fosters innovative approaches to problem-resolution.

5. Ability to plan, organize and lead project and project teams.


6. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, facilitation skills and presentation skills, a team leader and mentor possessing highly developed negotiation and conflict resolution skills.

7. Must possess thorough knowledge of the current suite of Microsoft productivity tools, including PowerPoint, Excel and Word. Microsoft Project and web-based applications an asset.

8. Must be able to work in an independent and confidential manner, making sound judgements based on results of research and/or fieldwork.

9. Ability to deal effectively with management, peers, staff and the general public.

10. Working knowledge and understanding of statutes, regulations and by-laws affecting the department/section.

11. Must have above average analytical and problem solving skills.

12. Demonstrated knowledge of the Health and Safety Act and applicable regulations as it relates to the position.

13. Experience in supervising a unionized workforce would be an asset.

SALARY:

Salary Grade 5

$34.783 - $36.716 - $38.648 per hour ($32.851 probationary rate)

HOURS:

35 per week

NOTE:

This vacancy is due to a project with a term of approximately two years.

THE INCUMBENT SHALL COMPLY WITH ALL HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR THIS POSITION AND THE WORKPLACE.

LUCY MCGREAL: WORKFORCE PLANNING SPECIALIST

Please apply on or before:

29/08/2007

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Shaping Up a Week of Car Free Action

Car Free Day falls on Saturday, September 22, 2007, and Hamilton will be holding a week of activities beginning Friday S.21 and ending Friday S.28.

A few activities already confirmed:

  • FRIDAY SEPT. 21, 7-10pm. Start Car Free Week in Hamilton with a thought provoking documentary film: The City and the World (1945-Present) from the series New York: A Documentary Film.
During the seventh episode of NEW YORK: A DOCUMENTARY FILM, the turbulent and often harrowing years from 1945 to the present are explored. Emerging from the Depression and the Second World War as the most powerful metropolis on Earth, New York soon confronted urban woes of unprecedented proportions, and fought for its very existence.
Program Description
In exploring the social, economic and physical forces that swept through the city in the post-war period, Episode Seven examines the great African-American migration and Puerto Rican immigration of the '40s, '50s, and '60s; the beginnings of white flight and suburbanization; and the massive physical changes wrought by highways and urban renewal -- all of which were directed, to a surprising degree, by one man: Robert Moses. The film comes to a climax with the destruction of Penn Station, the battle over the Lower Manhattan Expressway, the social and fiscal crises of the '60s and '70s, and New York's miraculous revival in the last quarter-century.

DISCUSSION TO FOLLOW THE FILM
Ewart Angus Centre (McMaster University Medical Centre) Room 1A6
FREE ADMISSION
  • CAR FREE DAY: Parking Meter Party!
SATURDAY. SEPTEMBER 22. 12 noon, KING STREET EAST at FERGUSON. Transform a roadside parking spot into party central, all you need is a quarter for the meter! The more people who come, the more parking spaces we will liberate for uses other than depositing a car.
TLC will supply the sod, bike mechanics will set up shop to do free bicycle check-ups, there will be live acoustic music, and the brave will dance.
Car Free Day is an international annual celebration of living in the city without a car, focusing on active and sustainable modes of transportation.
TLC has been celebrating CFD each year since 2000. Join the fun.
  • CAR FREE COOTES

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 23
Explore the natural beauty of Cootes Paradise, the nature preserve in McMaster's backyard.
Ward one city councillor Brian McHattie (also former president of the Hamilton Naturalist Club) takes us on the annual hike into the natural wonders of Cootes to explore the diverse environment. Learn about the native flora and fauna, the efforts to protect this Carolinian Forest and marsh habitat, and better understand how we can work to improve the environment.
Meet at 10am inside the McMaster Student Centre, at the tables in front of the Union Market (at the north end of the student centre). Wear sensible footwear, bring water and a sun hat, and binoculars if you have some. Please pre-register with randy(at)opirg(dot)ca or 905-525-9140 ext. 26026

  • TALKING TRANSIT
Monday September 24, 7pm
Sky Dragon Centre, 27 King William Street

Hamilton has been promised hundreds of millions in funding for public transit this election. How are we going to spend this windfall? On more buses and business as usual or on a revolutionary new transportation system. Light rail, as opposed to bus rapid transit, is cleaner, more attractive to new users, stimulates economic development and is just plain cool. Ward One Councillor Brian McHattie will be on hand to join Raise the Hammer and Hamilton CATCH for a municipal politics discussion night at the Sky Dragon with a focus on the future of public transit in Hamilton.
  • BASIC BICYCLE REPAIR - the dedicated volunteer mechanics at RECYCLE CYCLES will host a free, basic bike repair workshop from 6-9pm, Tuesday, September 25, at their workshop in the basement of Erskine Presbyterian Church (19 Pearl street North, enter off Morden). After learning the basics, consider volunteering with Recycle Cycles to help keep old bikes from the landfill, while making inexpensive bicycles available to the people of Hamilton. Space at the workshop is limited so please pre-register with randy(at)opirg.ca or 905-525-9140 ext. 26026.
  • WOMEN ONLY BASIC BIKE REPAIR - TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 7-9 pm at MaCycle (basement of Wentworth House, McMaster University) - space is limited, so please pre-register with randy(at)opirg(dot)org
Learn how to change a tire, fix a flat, adjust your brakes and gears along with general maintenance tips
  • BUS and HIKE TO TIFFANY FALLS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
Alf Senior of the Hamilton Naturalist Club will lead a BUS and HIKE from McMaster to Tiffany Falls, 5:30pm sharp!
- Meet at the bus stop beside McMaster Museum of Art, McMaster University and take the 5C Bus - the entire trip will be less than 2hrs est. return - F/T mac students bring student card with valid HSR sticker - others please have HSR ticket or exact cash fare. TLC will have free tickets for those who request them.
Participants will receive free Hamilton Waterfall, and City Cycling Maps.
Wear sensible clothing and footwear, bring water and a snack. Stay on marked trails - take nothing but photos, etc. for a zero impact hike.
  • CAR FREE DRIVE-IN MOVIE AT GAGE PARK BANDSHELL - THURSDAY, September 27, films start at dusk - a great outdoor family event - leave your car at home and walk, bike, or bus to Gage Park for the annual event celebrating car free week in Hamilton. Bring a lawn-chair or a blanket and a friend.
  • CRITICAL MASS BICYCLE RIDE

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 28
End Car Free Week with the monthly CRITICAL MASS BIKE RIDE, Friday, September 28, meet at 5:30pm at Hess and George Streets in Hamilton's "Hess Village" - the mass bike ride through the downtown is a great way to explore the city's reviving core in a friendly ride with other cyclists. The more the merrier, so grab a friend and come downtown.
The ride is about an hour long at a leisurely pace (it's not a race) and roller bladers, skateboarders, uni-cyclists, wayward youth, and ice-cream vendors all welcome.

Friday, August 03, 2007

Car Free Volunteers


CAR FREE WEEK in HAMILTON 2007

Transportation for Liveable Communities has been organizing Car Free
Day activities in Hamilton since 2000.

Starting in 2005 the events blossomed to a full week of Car Free
activities, giving us more time to explore various ways of enjoying
life without a car.

By focusing on the positive aspects of Hamilton's unique geography and
thriving communities, TLC has been able to introduce the idea of car
free living to thousands of people.

EVENTS
TLC has organized guided tours of Hamilton's natural areas like Cootes
Paradise with Councillor Brian McHattie as the guide; we've held art
shows and poetry nights celebrating walking, cycling and transit; we
have introduced many McMaster students and others to Hamilton's
waterfalls with guided Bus and Hikes to conservation areas, beside
distributing hundreds of Hamilton Cycling Maps and Conservation Area
Waterfalls maps.

During the last three years we've established a popular tradition by
hosting a night of family movies outdoors at the Gage Park Bandshell,
billing it as a Car Free Drive-In.

Participants have taken historical bicycle tours along the
Harbourfront Trail learning about the rich history there while
becoming familiar with the excellent trail system along the
waterfront. Still others have learned basic bike repair and
maintenance skills at free workshops run by Recycle Cycles, a
non-profit, volunteer, community bike repair workshop in Hamilton.

Last year Car Free Day branched out further as neighbourhood street
parties were hosted, parties not organized by TLC, but inspired by
TLC's ongoing efforts to raise Car Free Day's profile locally. We also
inspired the first Walking School bus in Dundas as parents, teachers
and students took it upon themselves to organize the event at Central
Park School.

TLC has encountered willing partners to help broaden the scope of the
week, the most recent example being Mixed Media Art Supply on James
Street North who co-hosted a Car Free Sketch Walk last year.

STREETS FOR PEOPLE

Of course Street Parties are a big part of Car Free events around the
world, with municipalities being key players.

Street Closures allow for non-automotive use to flourish, while
enhancing commercial activity for local merchants.

TLC has held highly successful street parties in previous years on
King William Street downtown, bringing hundreds of people to the local
retail area, with the active support of local establishments like
Pepper Jacks and the Sky Dragon Centre. Local poets and musicians have
shown themselves happy to donate their talents.

WORKING TOGETHER
TLC has worked in various capacities over the years with McMaster
University's Alternative Commute and Transportation (ACT) office, City
Parks Department (Gage Park rental), McMaster Cycle Co-Op, Recycle
Cycles, Pepper Jacks, Sky Dragon Centre, Mixed Media Arts, Transit
Gallery (film screenings), Hamilton Street Railway, Mac Green, the
Staircase Cafe and Theatre, the Art Gallery of Hamilton (film
screenings), Green Venture, the Ontario Public Interest Research Group
(OPIRG) McMaster, Ward One Councillor Brian McHattie, CFMU 93.3 FM,
and others to offer an eclectic mix of family events. We've also
garnered some positive media attention in local media like the
Hamilton Spectator, CHTV, CHML, CFMU, VIEW Magazine, the McMaster
Silhouette, Raise the Hammer and many others.

2007
We are looking forward to making 2007 the best and biggest year so far
for Car Free Day locally.

Supporting Car Free events helps celebrate the sustainable
alternatives to the private automobile by raising the profile of
walking, cycling, transit, and car-pooling in a family oriented,
artistic and fun way.

A healthy community supports a diversity of transportation choices for
its citizens, and encourages active modes. Car Free Day is a high
profile way to enhance support while creating safe, pleasant,
therefore liveable communities.

ABOUT TLC

Transportation for Liveable Communities is an award winning all
volunteer working group of the Ontario Public Interest Research Group
(OPIRG) McMaster. Since 2000, TLC has advocated for sustainable
transportation options in Hamilton and region.

CONTACT
tlchamilton(at)gmail(dot)com
905-525-9140 ext. 26026
tlchamilton.blogspot.com