Unless you’ve lived under a rock in Toronto, the TTC strike was averted on Sunday, but when the initial threat came last week, it started to give many Torontonians ideas about what alternatives are available. The Toronto Star posted a survival guide and it was reported by the media that many were considering cycling to work/school or good old plain walking/jogging as viable and healthier alternatives to taking the TTC. Some media outlets were also reporting that bike shops were seeing an increased level of business most likely attributed to the TTC threat and the warmer weather. Personally, I take a 20 minute walk to work every day and haven’t looked back.

If it’s been awhile since you’ve biked or jogged, it’s good idea to check out sportaholik.com for cycling and running clubs or search the player database to find a partner to help you get started.

Don’t forget to check out some running routes for downtown and of course always have the right footwear and maybe I’ll see you on the road or sidewalk sometime.

A nice mention in the Globe and Mail in the GlobeLife section. Under Health, featured article titled Power Crunch: Eating on the go won’t serve you well and describes how sportaholik is one of the websites that can help to keep exercise high on his itinerary.

Ms. Shepley recommends two websites to help Mr. Poon Tip keep exercise high on his itinerary: SportAholik.com and AirportGyms.com. The first site lets users connect with leagues, players and clubs for their favourite sports in Toronto and Vancouver, so Mr. Poon Tip can join basketball and volleyball games during his frequent trips to the West Coast. AirportGyms.com lists fitness centres and gyms in and around Canadian and U.S. airports.

The Toronto Star reports today that the small YMCA on Kingston Road will be closing in August due to declining membership.  However, they also say that ‘selling this facility is also part of a plan to build others across the GTA‘.  Find YMCA services in your area here. Need a partner for your Y activities? Post it at sportaholik.com!

The City of Toronto has backed down on the 21.5% sport and recreation facility rental increase, but they will still be increasing rental fees by 5% on top of the inflation increase.

There was news yesterday about fees for recreational sports venues to be hiked by the City of Toronto. The 2008 budget calls for an average 21.5% increase in the hourly rental fees for ice rinks, pools and sport fields. The National Post reports that, ‘the cost of renting private ice time at an indoor rink during prime time would rise to $325.23 from $242.89.’ The hike appears to have caught many councillors by surprise and some are vowing to have the price increases reversed. If the increased fees do go ahead Toronto recreational sports players can expect bare the brunt of the increases as sports leagues will likely pass along the fee hike to its players. Can’t afford the fees? The alternative, for some sports, is to get a group of players together to play at one of the many parks or school yards in the city for a game of pick up ball hockey, basketball, volleyball or baseball (to name a few). First step in organizing all of this is to put the word out for players and/or contact those who are looking to play. Playing sports in Toronto doesn’t have to be an expensive thing. The City of Toronto provides many parks that can be used free of charge. Yes, it may be harder to get a group of people together but that’s what sportaholik.com is for! (by the way, it works)