The City of Kamloops is encouraging residents to park their cars and grab their bikes during GoByBike Week, which will take place from May 29 to June 4.
The event encourages ridership for work, school and daily errands and promotes a way to get active, stay healthy, lower stress and improve mental health.
GoByBike Week also encourages residents to choose their bicycles, rather than their motor vehicles, for transportation — converting stationary time behind the steering wheel into time pedalling their bike for environmentally friendly, active transportation.
By taking part in GoByBike Week, participants across the province will have the chance to win a trip for two to Croatia, sponsored by Exodus Travels. Riders can register online at GoByBikeBC.ca.
Kamloops will have seven Celebrations Stations throughout the city during the morning and afternoon commutes:
• Kamloops Courthouse: downtown at 455 Columbia Street, 6:15 a.m. to 9 a.m.
• Thompson Rivers University: McGill Road and Summit Drive, 6:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.
• Riverside Park: downtown at the west end of Uji Way, 6:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Top of Xge’tem’ Trail in Sahali: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Schubert Drive: In North Kamloops across from Arthur Hatton elementary, 6:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Valleyview Drive and Trans-Canada Highway East Frontage Road: 1626 Valleyview Dr., 6:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• North Shore Business Improvement Association: 115 Tranquille Rd. in North Kamloops, 6:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Celebration Stations are an opportunity for participants to enter to win daily prize draws. Riders can enter at as many stations as they can make it to in the mornings and afternoons.
Golden tickets are also available at the stations for drop off at Cycle Logic (222 Victoria St. downtown) or Nature’s Fare (5-1350 Summit Dr. in Sahali) for a chance to win one of two grand prizes: a Marin commuter bike or a plug-in e-bike. The more tickets collected, the better the chances are to win. Each Celebration Station will have snacks and refreshments and will be run by volunteers from various community groups and businesses.
GoByBike Week tips
• Catch a ride with BC Transit: If you do not want to tackle the city’s rolling landscape, ride your bike one way and use transit to get up the big hills. BC Transit buses are equipped with easy-to-use bike racks to secure your ride. To qualify for free transit, customers taking part in GoByBike Week must use the bus bike racks or show their bike helmet when boarding a bus.
• Discover dedicated bike routes: Use the bike map online at tinyurl.com/3hjj7xnz to find routes and bike repair stations throughout the city.
• Ride new trails: Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced cyclist, visit Kamloops.ca/ParksMaps to find a trail that is right for you, including the Rivers Trail, a nature park or the Kamloops Bike Ranch.
For more information, go online to Kamloops.ca/Events.
