2013 North Okanagan Bike to Work Week
Download Bike to Work Week Poster
Over 125 cyclists attended the Sun Country celebration station and enjoyed a continental breakfast sponsored by Cupe 626 and Shuswap Coffee.
The Bike to Work Wrap-up Barbeque event was a blast! Approximately 300 cyclists participated. Congratulations to the three lucky cyclists who won a free bike courtesy of our fabulous bike sponsors: Olympia Cycle and Ski, Skyride Cycle and Sun Country Cycle! A special thank-you as well to A&W and Natures Fare Markets for the burgers and CUPE 626 for the condiments. A heartfelt thank-you to the Vernon Community Band and A&W Bear for the entertainment, Kal Tire and Vernon Lions Club for their barbeque grills and the volunteers from the Greater Vernon Cycling Advisory Committee and the Fulton Secondary School Global Education Students.
The Mayor’s Tricycle Race and kick-off pancake breakfast for Bike to Work Week 2013 was a big success. Congratulations to Councillor Besso for winning the best time and most enthusiastic award. Congratulations to Mayor Sawatzky for winning the best dressed award. Thank-you to our sponsors Shuswap Coffee, Olympia Cycle and Ski, and Downtown Vernon Safeway.
Check out Mayor Sawatzky's trike race by checking out this Youtube clip
This year’s Team Leader Workshop was a success with over 20 Team Leaders attending. Team Leaders enjoyed the pizza supper donated by Domino’s Pizza, received their free T-shirt and Team Leader Kit. Team Leader’s had an opportunity to give their input on Vernon’s Cycling and Pedestrian Master Plan, networked and learned about the new BIKE BUDDY HOTLINE: 250-542-3050. Click on These two video’s and learn more:
Video #1
Video #2
For more information on Bike to Work or the results please visit
http://biketowork.ca/north-okanagan.
BTW Bike Safety and Skills Workshops
Several cyclists gained confidence with their cycling skills and focused on:
* 3 common motorist errors
* 5 important traffic principles
* Why and where collisions occur and
* How to improve their physical skills to negotiate with traffic safely.
If you're interested in attending a skills and safety course please call 250-545-5309 or email: dsbreception@vernon.ca
Download Bike to Work Week Poster
Download BTW Skills and Safety Workshop flyer
BrainTrust Canada - New Helmet Safety Program
Congratulations Vernon, the BrainTrust Canada’s fundraiser barbeque on Monday, May13 raised $600. All funds will go towards purchasing helmets for youth in Vernon and support brain injury prevention. The new “Helmet Safety Program” with partner Kalamalka Rotary, along with the City of Vernon, Community Policing and Vernon Moves/Transportation Demand Management. City Bylaw Officers and Community Policing will promote helmet compliance for cyclists in Vernon throughout the year, with the goal of reducing preventable brain injury. This will include helmets being provided to youth who cannot afford them. As well, to reward youth for positive safety behavior, officers will distribute coupons called “positive tickets” which have free services and products for Vernon businesses A&W, Dominos Pizza and the Recreation Centre. The Electric Paper Company is providing the printing for these coupons.
Brain injury is the leading cause of death and disability for those under the age of 44, and youth are
at the highest risk of injury. Approximately 20% of brain injuries are sports related, however the
vast majority are preventable through changes in behavior such as helmet use. Helmets can
prevent up to 85% of brain injuries.
2012 Results were
- Team members increased to 516 with 198 new participants (a 70% increase from 2012)
- Over 1,810 cycle trips were made that and travelled 18,983.4 kms this is a 56% from 2012
- A savings of 15.1 tons of CO2 was achieved (a 42% increase when compared with 10.6 tons of CO2 in 2011).
- All three Bike to Work Cycling Skills and Safety courses were full this spring.
- Community Policing also conducted two bike rodeos at two local elementary schools.
2011 Results were
- “116 new cyclists participated in this year’s event, along with a 20% increase in number of Bike to Work Teams, that cycled a total of 1,155 trips and traveled 15% more kilometers (13,375 KMs) saving 10.6 tons of CO2 emissions!
