For the 10th year, Bike to Work Week is coming to Penticton, along with the fourth year of Bike to School Week.
Both events take place simultaneously from May 28 to June 3. Sponsored by the Penticton and Area Cycling Association, they highlight the benefits of incorporating cycling into a commute to promote healthy lifestyles, decrease carbon emissions to create a healthier environment and save riders money.
Related: Getting residents tuned into biking to work
The main goal of the program is to encourage participation by first-time commuter cyclists along with recognizing all commuter cyclists, creating an atmosphere that recognizes their accomplishments and encourages sustained positive behaviours.
Some of those positive behaviours are in evidence at Dale Charles Physiotherapy and Sports Clinic Physiotherapy, where the staff and associates got together to nominate the group director, Mike Yates, as best boss for Bike to Work Week.
Yates has gone to some lengths to encourage the group to participate in the week, and continue to use pedal power. Last year, in consideration of the distance some had to ride to get to work, Yates personally renovated a washroom at the clinic to include a shower, giving those riding in from Naramata or Summerland a place to freshen up before starting their day.
One of the physiotherapists had her bicycle stolen from the bike racks outside the Penticton Community Centre where the clinic is located caused concern for the rest of the group.
The clinic facility did not have space for parking bikes, but Yates started a discussion with the City of Penticton’s recreation department, proposing a bike cage, a locked facility for the community centre and clinic cyclists.
That’s still in process, but until it becomes a reality, Yates arranged to rent a steel container to contain the bikes securely along with purchasing a package of 529 Garage, a phone app to prevent bike theft.
Bike to Work & School Week is implemented in over 30 BC communities in a coordinated effort under the GoByBike BC Society. It’s based around workplace or school teams whose members log their trips by recording distance travelled and other statistics in an effort to win prizes and gain recognition for their organization. Individuals can also register and cycle to work on their own for the event.
The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen and the City of Penticton have a yearly challenge to see which organization can get the most staff out cycling. This year, Bike to Work Week Penticton is extending that challenge to other teams in the community and offering a chance to win prizes for their office.
Celebration Stations are set up around town for cyclists from 7-9 a.m. Monday to Thursday and a wrap-up barbecue from 4 to 6 p.m. on Friday. At Celebration Stations, cyclists receive free drinks and snacks, daily prizes and giveaways, bike check-ups from Freedom the Bike Shop, The Bike Barn, and PDSCL Bike Shop, and a chance to enter for the grand prize draw for a new commuter bike and a cycling trip along the coast of Portugal.
Bike to School Week encourages youth to use their bikes, scooters or skateboards to travel to school. Some schools will be holding their own events during this week to encourage their students to be mobile and get to school car-freee, like Skaha Middle School’s 1,000 kilometres of Awesome on May 31 to raise awareness around young riders on the road and fundraise for their longboard program and the Brain Injury Society.
Cyclists wanting to take part should go to www.biketowork.ca/penticton to register. Participants must be registered to be eligible for prizes.
Steve Kidd Senior reporter, Penticton Western News Email me or message me on Facebook Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
