A couple of the prize winners from Oceanside’s Bike to Work Week in June gathered at Qualicum Beach town hall to help wrap up the event.
The Oceanside Cycling Coalition, which sponsored local events for the provincial Bike To Work Week, said they were pleasantly surprised by how well things went.
“The Bike to Work Week provincial coordinator told us to expect about 25 cyclists, but we had over 120 officially participate,” said coalition chair Jim Swanson.
The official participants logged more than 1,500 kilometres that week alone, and anecdotally organizers said many other people were cycling that week who didn’t sign up.
He said the local model, encouraging people to bike to their local coffee shop and restaurant, proved so successful it will likely be adopted by a number of British Columbia communities next year.
The Community Ride on the Thursday of Bike to Work Week (May 30 to June 5 of this year) was a fun time that more than 30 people stuck with all the way from Parksville to Qualicum Beach, Swanson said.
“Bike to Work Week happened early in the summer and this year summer happened late in the summer,” said event co-ordinator Michael Addiscott, who added this was a good time to remind people of the event and encourage them to get out on their bikes during the nice summer days.
Organizers thanked the provincial organization, the City of Parksville and Town of Qualicum Beach for their donations and involvement, local bicycle shops Arrowsmith Bikes, Head Over Wheels, Island Cycle and Outsider for donating the prizes and local media for the coverage singling out A-Channel and The News’ Neil Horner.
They also thanked the long list of restaurants and coffee shops who participated.