For many of us, the bicycle is ingrained in the fabric of our youth. Authorities today would shudder at the thought of young cyclists building and jumping ramps (while helmet-less), often with playing cards attached with clothespins in our spokes.
For those of a certain age, the bicycle made frequent appearances in pop culture of the time. From Freddie Mercury singing about his bicycle to Pee Wee Herman going on a big adventure to look for his missing bike, or Elliott taking flight with E.T. attached to his handlebars, the bicycle played a large role in our development.
Lance Belanger and a team of mechanically-inclined volunteers are once again riding tandem with cycling proponents from Discovery Routes Trails Organization to help kids experience those same joys (with helmets on).
Belanger (pictured above) has given his free time in all three years of the ReCycle Bikes campaign. After bikes were dropped off throughout April at the YMCA and inventory was taken by grateful program organizers from Discovery Routes, Belanger said that he and the other mechanic volunteers are seeing a varying state of donated bicycles this year.
"We get some bikes that are pretty much turn-key, we pump up the tires and they're ready to go, all the way down to some bikes that are completely disassembled. Some we end up scrapping for parts and then those parts are then used to complete other bicycles," said Belanger, Wednesday, as the team kicked off the refurbishing part of the program.
Belanger is an avid cyclist who believes strongly in the power of this program. "These bikes are going to be distributed to families who otherwise wouldn't own bikes or can't afford them for the children. It encourages people to bike who otherwise wouldn't be biking, it's something that I really get behind."
Asked what it would have meant to him at that age, to receive a like-new bicycle, Belanger responded: "Freedom. Just ultimate freedom, to be able to hop on your bike and go wherever you want (or wherever your limits allow you to go) is invaluable today. We don't see a lot of kids out playing the way we did when we were younger."
Before the bikes are matched with their new owners, they are used in bicycle rodeos at area schools by Discovery Routes. The rodeos are offered in conjunction with the North Bay & District Health Unit and promote cycling skills, knowledge, and safety.
Belanger encourages new and inexperienced young cyclists to take part in the bike rodeos. "It's about safety. How do you ride in traffic? What do you do when you come to a crosswalk? It all starts with basic grassroots safety for kids. It's a great way to get them out. They are going to be future bikers, it's important to start them out as safe as possible, as young as possible."
Discovery Routes advocates cycling as a healthy and fun activity for all ages. For kids, cycling grows independence, keeps them active, and allows a new generation of cyclists to enjoy the local trail networks.
For more information on bicycle education programming available through Discovery Routes, a local non-profit charitable trails organization, click here.
The refurbished bikes will see action Sunday at Healthy Kids Day at the YMCA, where Discovery Routes will have a booth set up to run a bike rodeo. The bicycles will be donated once the series of bike rodeos are complete.
