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>>> Sign up for family cycling program
Parents who want to start bike riding with their children this summer but don’t know how or where to start can enrol in the All-Aboard Family Cycling program offered by Capital Bike.
This is the second year of the initiative, funded by Island Health’s Community Wellness program.
“Many parents want to ride bikes as a family, but have a lot of questions about equipment and how to ride safely,” said Adam Krupper, executive director of Capital Bike. “So we designed this really fun, interactive and modular program so that families can drop in on sessions most relevant to them.”
The program consists of workshops on everything from how to ride with children to riding while pregnant, cycling-skills courses for different ages and a guided family ride.
Registration is recommended, but people can still attend on an ad hoc basis. Events are scheduled for a variety of dates in July and August.
“It’s understandable that parents have concerns about their little ones riding bikes. But they remember how much fun it was to bike when they were young and want their children to have the same opportunity,” said Susanna Grimes, bike education co-ordinator.
“With the growing [all ages and abilities] cycling network, more amazing, beautiful places are accessible by bike than ever before. We want to help families take advantage of that.” • Register at capitalbike.ca/familycycling-program.
>>> Housing help for displaced Ukrainians
Every day, about 20 to 30 displaced Ukrainians arrive in B.C., but many find very limited housing opportunities.
In partnership with the B.C. government, Ukrainian Canadian Congress and Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of B.C., United Way B.C. has been supporting settlement agencies in finding housing for the newcomers.
The agency has so far matched 233 displaced Ukrainians with hosts providing free accommodation, but says others remain in hotels awaiting long-term housing. Housing offers have dropped significantly at a time when many short-term opportunities are ending, it says.
On July 18, United Way B.C. is hosting a virtual information session to explain what kind of housing is needed — everything from rooms to suites, both short- and long-term — and how people can help.
Applications are vetted to ensure the most suitable matches based on the individual and family needs of arriving Ukrainians, the organization says.
The Zoom meeting starts at 6 p.m. July 18. For more information, contact infoukraine@uwbc.ca or register online. • To volunteer and help Ukrainians, go to ivolunteer.ca. To contribute to United for Ukraine, go to donate.uwbc.ca. For support and resources, go to bc211.ca.
>>> Shim’s Ride aids spinal-cord injuries
Support research into spinal-cord injury at Shim’s Ride, a closed-circuit bike race at Windsor Park on July 30 that promises to introduce spectators to the world of handcycling.
Friends of Mathew Szymanowski, affectionately known as Shim, have been cycling to raise funds for spinal cord injuries in his honour since 2020. The previous year, the rower and cyclist suffered a spinal-cord injury when he was hit by a vehicle while training.
Inspired by their friend and teammate, they have completed long bike rides each year, raising funds along the way.
Past rides include a 520-kilometre ride from Port Hardy to Victoria in 2020 and from Hope to Victoria the following year.
Registration is $40 for adults and juniors who pre-register and $50 on the day.
There are four races at Windsor Park on July 30, starting at 8:30 a.m., with a hand-bike demo at 10:15 and race awards at 11:40 a.m.
Proceeds from race entries and merchandise sales will be donated to Praxis Spinal Cord Institute, a Canadian-based not-for-profit organization that leads global collaboration in spinal-cord injury research, innovation and care.
• For more information, go to shimsride. ca/home-shop.