Active Transportation Advisory Group

I am a retired researcher, writer and policy analyst with a love of learning that has led me to university studies in fields like medieval literature, historical archaeology and art. Raised in Saskatchewan, I have lived in Saskatoon most of my adult life but have also spent time in Finland with my Finnish-born husband. Concerned about what life will be like in the future for my four grandchildren, I now concentrate on living locally and no longer drive a car, relying instead on active transportation and public transit. On ATAG, I represent Walking Saskatoon, a non-profit organization that advocates on behalf of pedestrians in Saskatoon. I am also an active member of a variety of other committees and groups that are working to address the climate crisis, improve life in Saskatoon for all of its residents, and adapt our city to the changing circumstances of the 21st Century. 

Cora Janzen lives in Treaty 6 territory and homeland of the Métis and has called Saskatoon home for almost 30 years. She works for the Saskatchewan Health Authority in the Population Health Department and has been an organizational representative for the Active Transportation Advisory Group since it was created. Cycling is the main mode of active transportation she uses but walking is a close second for shorter distance. She is a big supporter of all-ages-and-abilities and protected cycling facilities as well as creating a network as this will help encourage others to use that mode for some of their trips.

My name is Kelly Klassen, the Manager of Driver Education and Training at SGI, I have worked at SGI for 26 years and during that time I worked in various departments including, Driver Examinations, Auto Claims, Carrier & Vehicle Safety Services and Issuer Relations. Each department has provided me with a good understanding of the many safety programs SGI has in place.

Outside of work I enjoy spending time at the Lake located in Northern Saskatchewan riding ATV’s, kayaking and sitting by the fire. Over the past summer I was only able to enjoy a bike ride on a couple of occasions, but I am going to make an effort to ride more next summer, although I was not able to get my bike out I was able to go for a walk in the downtown area during my lunch and coffee breaks.

I have been a member of the ATAG for a couple of years now, when I was offered the opportunity came to be a part of the ATAG I quickly accepted. I am happy to share my knowledge about driver education and traffic safety with the group from both a class 5 and class 1 vehicle perspective.

I am looking forward exploring the bike lanes as they continue to expand around the city.

Alan Otterbein is a Landscape Architect in Saskatoon and has been the Manager of Design and Development at the Meewasin Valley Authority for close to ten years. He has lived and worked in Saskatoon with his family for over 20 years, and has been involved with improvements to the public realm in many parks and natural areas. Originally from northern Alberta, he has gained valuable education and experience in landscape construction and design at various locations, including Ontario, British Columbia, Montana, Alberta and Saskatchewan. His grandparents farmed west of Saskatoon and eventually retired in Delisle.  In his current role, his focus has been on enhancing Meewasin’s trail network, that now runs over 100 km in total length, and gets over 2.24 million visits annually. Besides building trail, he is an avid user – biking and walking the trails regularly.

Darby Sutherland is the Earned Media Lead at Discover Saskatoon. She loves the City of Saskatoon and is passionate about telling the stories of its residents to anyone who will listen.  She is especially interested in how the work ATAG does makes it easier for visitors and residents to explore our wonderful city.

My name is Merlin Toth. I have lived in Saskatoon since 2012 and have recently retired. Prior to coming to Saskatoon I lived in Yorkton where I started the Sunrise Cycling club and as it’s president, sat on the Yorkton Active Transportation Collaborative where we worked on designing and implementing a network of active transportation routes in the city. Since moving to Saskatoon I have been involved in the cycling community through many cycling clubs and organizations. My wife and I live in Saskatoon’s Exhibition Neighbourhood, which we love, because it gives us easy cycling and walking access to the Meewasin Trail network, Riversdale, the Broadway area and Downtown. We would much rather use our bikes for errands to any of these areas instead of searching for parking spots. For holidays we enjoy loading up our bikes, heading out from Saskatoon and bikepacking the backroads of Saskatchewan, linking some of our many great Provincial and Regional Parks on trips of up to two weeks. We do own a car but most years we put far more kilometres on our bikes than we do on our poor neglected vehicle. : )

I am excited to have been appointed to the Active Transportation Advisory Group, where along with representatives from many other Active Transportation organizations, I can play a part in developing policy within the City of Saskatoon and help to advocate for safe and efficient all season Active Transportation in our wonderful city. 

I spend my days teaching in a grade 8 outdoor program called Ecoquest. It allows me to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle and share these values with youth. We commit to active transportation to, from and during school. Sharing these student voices is a key reason I appreciate my inclusion on the Active Transportation Advisory Group. 

When not at school I’m typically found with my family and often on a bike…Gravel road meandering, fat bike trail riding and cyclocross racing are some of our favourite adventures!

My name is Berenice and I am a graduate student at the University of Saskatchewan. Before moving to Saskatoon a few years ago, I lived most of my life in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I am the public transit representative, yet there are other ways of active transportation that I use often. Depending on the day (and how windy it might be), I might take the bus, bike, or even walk to campus and shops nearby. After my first attempt at winter cycling last year, I am looking forward to switching my regular tires for the studded ones this upcoming winter.