UPDATE: Due to poor air quality in Huntsville, the Kids’ Bike Rodeo has been re-located indoors at the Canada Summit Centre (Don Lough Arena).
The Town of Huntsville has partnered with The SportLab and local organizations including, Huntsville Mountain Bike Association, TriMuskoka, Kiwanis Club of Huntsville Muskoka, the O.P.P., and Rotary Club of North Muskoka, championing two fun, free and family-friendly cycling events this spring. The Mayor’s Bike Ride and the Kids’ Bike Rodeo are community lead events where families can learn cycling safety and support cycling for recreation, transportation, environment, exercise and health.
There are many benefits to cycling as an activity or as part of a regular routine. It can reduce the risk of chronic disease, improve mental health and help manage weight. Plus, you get the wonderful benefits of being in a beautiful outdoor environment in an activity that can reduce your carbon footprint.
Cycling is also a fantastic activity to start at any age and everyone is welcome to give it a try. So, pump up your tires and grab your helmet for these social community cycling events:
Mayor’s Bike Ride
Join Mayor Nancy Alcock and The SportLab, a local performance medicine clinic for the sixth annual Mayor’s Bike Ride, taking place on Thursday, June 15, 2023, check-in at 6:00 pm.
Led by experienced cyclists, there are three cycling options: a one-hour road ride for intermediate level cyclist, a one-hour road ride for more advanced level cyclists led by TriMuskoka or a one-hour mountain bike ride led by the Huntsville Mountain Bike Association. All are wonderful opportunities to give cycling a try all while traveling through a variety of neighborhoods in Huntsville. The road ride is mostly flat, (there are a few hills!) and the mountain bike ride is for intermediate level riders and is manageable for cyclists who can ride comfortably for an hour. This is a social ride, and a family-friendly event.
Participants are asked to arrive for check-in at 6:00 p.m. in advance of the ride, starting at 6:30 p.m. from River Mill Park. Pre-register at huntsville.ca for the event to save time, or you can register at the park prior to the ride.
Kids’ Bike Rodeo
Summer in Huntsville is almost upon us and it’s a great time of year to discuss cycling and road safety with your children and family. The Town of Huntsville, The SportLab, the O.P.P., the Kiwanis Club of Huntsville Muskoka, and the Rotary Club of North Muskoka host the annual Kids’ Bike Rodeo, a fun, free, educational clinic for kids aged four to nine years old to encourage safe cycling. The Kids’ Bike Rodeo is free of charge, however advanced registration is required at huntsville.ca.
The Kids’ Bike Rodeo kicks off Thursday June 8, from 4:30pm – 6:30pm at Huntsville Public School.
Kids make their way through a variety of stations designed to improve their cycling knowledge and skills. Stations include helmet and bike safety checks, recognizing road signs, learning cycling hand signals, a mock intersection, and an agility course. The agility course is a group favourite; with cyclists riding as slow as they can while maneuvering through pylons and doing shoulder checks to identify images held up by volunteers. The entire rotation takes approximately 30 minutes and wraps up with a delicious snack, a completed checklist, certificate, and some bike goodies. Please arrive 15 minutes ahead of your assigned timeslot, provided to you in advance of the event.
Thank you to generous sponsors:
“We’d like to thank the local organizations and businesses that are supporting this year’s new initiative by sponsoring a bike and safety helmet for local children,” says Mayor Nancy Alcock. “Their donations mark their commitment to the community and recognizes the importance of physical activity for youth and also active transportation for the Town of Huntsville.”
The generous organizations that will provide local families with a bike and helmet this spring:
- Curveball Design
- Huntsville Volunteer Fire Fighters Association
- Huntsville Community Initiative Centre (2 bikes)
- Mayor Nancy Alcock
- Muskoka Bicycle Pro Shop
- Stephenson District Lions Club
For more information on The Mayor’s Bike Ride and the Kids’ Bike Rodeo please contact Jessica.smith@huntsville.ca or call 705-789-6421 ex 3032.