Kiwanis hosting free bike safety day for local youth

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Kiwanis Strathmore is hosting a free bike safety day for local youth, June 11, to talk about road safety, as well as to ensure kids have adequate helmets for riding their bikes.

The organization is aiming to provide local kids, aged four to 14, with proper safety instruction, and to ensure that both their bikes and their helmets are fit to ride.

With contributions from the Town of Strathmore, local RCMP, Canadian Tire, and The Joker Bicycle Company, this event will be the first annually of its kind hosted by Kiwanis in Strathmore. 

“I do not think this is a novel idea. The Bike Safety Rodeo has been held in Strathmore a few times previously … but basically this is an effort by Kiwanis to bring some level of awareness to safety issues amongst our youth for the upcoming summer,” said Bob Sobol, who spoke on behalf of Kiwanis. “There will first be a bit of a discussion in regards to general safety issues, and that will be presented by a peace officer either from the RCMP or from municipal enforcement … then there will be a track course complete with road signs.”

Technicians will be on hand during the event to evaluate participants’ bikes to ensure all of the major components are functioning properly, and to offer suggestions to improve safe handling. 

A check will also be available with regards to kids’ helmets, and to replace them if they are discovered to be defective. 

Kiwanis has stated they will host a maximum capacity of 40 kids for the event, broken up into two groups of 20 for an assigned period to make their way through the event stations. 

“We want to emphasize that there has to be a respect for vehicles and that, especially in crosswalks, that is one of the most important areas bicyclists have to learn that when they are on their bike, they are considered a vehicle,” said Sobol. “Cyclists have to dismount in order to be treated as a pedestrian, so if you are in a crosswalk and are zipping across, you should not expect to necessarily have vehicles stop for you … dismounting your bike really is the way to do it, and is the legal way to do it.”

For the kids who are in need of new helmets, they will be granted a gift certificate for the Strathmore Canadian Tire to get their helmet replaced free of charge. 

The event will take place from noon until 4 p.m. June 11, hosted outside at the Kinsmen Park pavilion, regardless of weather conditions.