Bike to Work and School Week, an annual event in B.C. that encourages youth and adults to use active transportation modes such as walking and biking, runs from May 29 – June 4. The week will kick off with a family-friendly celebration of cycling on May 28 at Polson Park from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Events will include Mayor’s Bike Ride, family bike rides through the park, bike skills and safety courses led by community policing and many other fun activities. The event is free for everyone.
Other activities taking place throughout the week include:
- Monday May 29: Morning celebration station at Harwood Elementary School (4320 20 Street)
- Tuesday May 30: Morning celebration station at Ellison Elementary School (2400 Fulton Road)
- Wednesday May 31: Mid-week celebration station at Sun Country Cycle (#102 1340 Kal Lake Road) 6:30 – 9:30 a.m. with continental breakfast, coffee and other promotional events and raffle prize entries.
- Wednesday May 31: Brain Trust/Kal Tire BBQ on 28 Street just off 30 Avenue from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Proceeds will help support the purchase of helmets for kids in our community.
- Friday June 2: Wrap-Up Event at Vernon’s Spirit Square by City Hall (3400 30 Street) from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. This event features live music and Operation Identification, a program for bike theft prevention.
Bike to Work Week promotes physical health and brings awareness to environmental considerations such as CO2 emissions. The week-long event also encourages new riders throughout B.C. who want to make a long-term commitment to health. This year’s campaign has special importance as Canada celebrates 150 years and is promoting the Participaction/Get Active campaign.
Please visit www.biketowork.ca for more information locally and provincially and to register for free. For more information please contact Vernon’s Bike to Work and School Coordinator at jwilliamson@vernon.ca.
Photo (inset): Bike to Work Week gets support from City of Vernon staff (L to R) Tanya Laing Gahr, Maria Doyle and Cleo Corbett.
Photo (attached): Local Vernon students (L to R) Clara Cox, Emmett Out, Macy Gislason, Carter Gislason and Lauren Anderson get ready for Bike to School Week.
