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Parksville Qualicum Beach resident can register bikes

Program keeps detailed info on bicycles
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Oceanside RCMP Cpl. Jesse Foreman, left, with Qualicum Beach Mayor Teunis Westbroek after Westbroek registered his bike with the Oceanside RCMP and Oceanside Community Safety Volunteers. — Oceanside RCMP photo

Oceanside Community Safety Volunteers and the Oceanside RCMP are once again offering free bicycle registrations using the 529 Garage application.

The 529 Garage is a free bicycle registration, reporting and recovery service application. The registration helps bicycle owners capture detailed information about their bicycles, and then secures the information.

If an owner’s bike goes missing, they can quickly alert the local cycling community, their social networks and law enforcement agencies with real-time notifications from their smart phone or computer.

There were 65 bicycles reported stolen in the Parksville Qualicum Beach area, and dozens more located abandoned in the past year. Most often, the owner does not have a serial number and therefore, there is little the police can do to get their bicycles returned.

People registering their bike with 529 Garage, according to Oceanside RCMP, can significantly increase the chance of getting their bicycle returned in the event it is stolen.

People can bring their bikes to one of the upcoming events:

• Canadian Tire (822 Island Hwy. W., Parksville) — Saturday, May 19, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Island Cycle (5-114 Hirst Ave. E., Parksville) — Friday, June 1, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Arrowsmith Bikes (674 Island Hwy. E., Parksville) — Saturday, June 2, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Parksville Community Park — Thursday, June 21, 530-7:30 p.m.

• Bowser Community Park — Friday, July 13, 5-8 p.m.

• San Pareil Community Park — Friday, July 27, 5-8 p.m.

• River’s Edge Community Park — Friday, Aug. 24, 5-8 p.m.

— Oceanside RCMP

news release