One of my earliest memories is riding around on bikes with my
Dad. It was 1983, his shorts were short and his ‘stache big. We rode
around our neighbourhood watching the world go by with the wind blowing in my
mushroom cut - it was the best.
Exercise time + outside fresh air + hanging out with your family
makes for a pretty great day.
Have you ever tried riding your bikes to The Forks as a family?
With Canada Day around the corner and busy festival season upon us (Canada Summer Games Festival - ## nights of free entertainment + fireworks, and Interstellar Rodeo), it’s pretty awesome to ditch the car and
roll on into The Forks not having to worry about traffic delays and parking.
Bonus: on Canada Day there will be a free bike valet, a wonderful
service run by volunteers to keep your bike (and gear) safe and sound while you play the
day away.
Wondering where to start?
Let’s begin by helping you plan your
route. There are many bike routes to get your family to The Forks safely.
The four main active transportation routes to The Forks:
1. North: Waterfront Drive
2. South: Churchill Drive
3. East: Esplanade Riel
4. West: Assiniboine Ave (and bonus Riverwalk!)
From each of those routes, this map identifies two additional
bike routes leading away from downtown to suburban neighbourhoods. Most
leisurely bike travel is about 20km/h, which means most of the city is only a
30 minute bike ride to The Forks. It doesn’t take very long!
If you live outside the map area, Google does an excellent job of
outlining safe bike routes and travel times. Use Google maps as you normally
do, but click on the bike icon, voila! There’s your bike route!
What to ride? Little ones who aren’t quite big enough
to bike solo can be supported by a number of ways: chariots, bike seats or even
tandem attached bikes. There are many bike shops around town that can help
connect you to the right equipment to fit your needs. bikewinnipeg.com
is also a great resource for all things cycling.
What to pack? Water, sunscreen, frisbee, soccer ball, sidewalk
chalk, bug spray, and a big old blanket for chilling! One of biggest perks about
riding to The Forks to hang out is - everything else is there! Food, beer
(yay!) and washrooms! It really is a phenomenal public space for families just
to hang out. You can pretty much just show up.
Riding bikes together as a family is wonderful way to spend time
together. It’s ridiculously fun. It shows your children the value and
importance of movement. Parents are role models for behaviour, bike riding
together shows them that it’s fun and helps them build safe
healthy habits of active transportation.
The Forks is leading the city in active transportation
initiatives with Target Zero. There’s a 24/7 bike repair station next to
the Forks Market by the bright orange rail cars. Get all the air for you need
for your tires the tools to keep your bike in tip top shape! If you want
to find your riding legs, you can try riding around The Forks on your next
visit with a rental at Bee 2gether (tandem, quad and novelty) bike rentals and
the White Pine Bicycle Company.
Having the Forks as a destination is a pretty way to ride around
and see the city. Then, you arrive and play outside. And just hang out
together.
Can’t wait for you to try it and see what
all the fuss is about! See you this summer at The Forks!
This article help me. Thank your for sharing.
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