Commuting by bike in Calgary gets big push with Bike to Work Day
Calgarians showed off their pedal power for the city’s 12th annual Bike to Work Day.
Every year, Calgary biking enthusiasts take to the streets to promote commuter cycling and encourage more people to try getting to work on two wheels instead of four.
A free pancake breakfast at Eau Claire Market enticed riders to work up an appetite on their morning commute, drawing in cyclists to see vendor booths, hear musical performances and collect free swag from Calgary cycling shops.
Eight stations called Energy Pitstops were also set up throughout the downtown core, offering tuneups for riders and their bikes, with snacks and service from local bike shops.
Bike to Work Day fell on May 4 this year, also known as Star Wars Day. Many fans of both biking and the popular sci-fi franchise used Twitter to promote the annual event and show off their inner nerd.
More than just a chance for Calgarians to go green for a day and connect with other riders, the event also helps raise money for local charities.
Calgary-based lawyer Loni Balbi donates $1 for every rider to the Cerebral Palsy Kids and Families Association’s adaptive bike program. The charity helps customize bikes for children with cerebral palsy with features that help them ride, such as special seats, side wheels, raised foot plates and specialized handlebars.
In 2017, Bike to Work Day in Calgary raised more than $6,000 for Bicycles for Humanity, thanks to Balbi’s donations.
Checker Cabs took advantage of the day by announcing the firm would be the first Calgary cab company to become bike friendly.
The company expects to have 450 bike-racked cabs in service by the end of May, with 200 of them ready to go by Sunday.
“We’re always looking for ways to better serve our customers, and we heard from them that this would be a real value-added service,” said Checker president Kurt Enders in a release.
“Having a cab with a bike rack just takes away the worry of how they’re going to get their bike home.”
Given Calgary’s sometimes volatile, fast-changing weather, the company is in line to help locals on such days, or others where they just might be too tired to ride home.