Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Villagers get on their bikes
New cycling bug inspires folk of Glenboig
Glenboig residents of all ages are getting on their bikes thanks to the launch of the area’s new cycling hub.
A bike storage area plus activity room has been constructed behind the Neighbourhood House, at the village’s community centre – and now a range of cycles for everyone from toddlers to older people are on offer for residents to use. They can choose from bikes for young children, adult cycles including special seats for children, three- wheelers and even an electric bike to get out and explore the area’s surroundings. It has already proved to be a huge hit with all age groups; as young and old alike showed when they took to two wheels when the Advertiser visited to see the new facility. Development Trust representative Teresa Aitken said: “We want to roll out cycling to the whole community and get people excited about taking up physical activity; and we’re absolutely over the moon with the new hub.
“We’d been providing Bikeability courses for young children for a wee while but we’d never had the space to provide for the community as a whole, so this has given us another avenue.
“The kids love it, and we’ve had everyone taking part from a 90-year-old lady to a gentleman who’s partially blind but cycled all his days and is looking forward to getting back out with support, and a lady with additional support needs who has never been on a bike before.
“Glenboig has great paths around the lochs, and this is giving people the confidence to get back out there, with bikes available that suit families and all age groups and needs.”
The new hub, located behind the community facility on Main Street, was put in place after the area’s Development Trust was successful in gaining £146,000 in Cashback for Facilities funding last year.
It also includes a meeting room which is already being well used by more than 50 youngsters attending youth clubs at the centre, where they have so far been enjoying arts and crafts activities as well as garden access.
Now the community organisation is applying for funding for a cycle leader to join the project, to add to their existing 12 newly- trained cycle leader volunteers.
Teresa said: “It was to create an external building with physical activity room for children and young people, and a storage area for cycles to suit all abilities.
“It was passed over to us at the end of June, and now we have people trained as cycle leaders and in maintenance, and we’ve had funding from Awards for All for bikes and training.
“People have donated bikes to us as well so we have about 30 altogether, plus we have child seats and a trailer – there’s everything people would need for the whole family to get out together.
“A cycle leader’s whole job would be to raise the profile of cycling in the community so that we can really get it going in Glenboig and the surrounding areas, getting people physically active and giving them the confidence to get out there.
“We’re the first eastern hub on the Seven Lochs trail and the idea would be that people could hire bikes from here and cycle to Drumpellier or even as far as Hogganfield.”
The hub is now on a roll as it grows in popularity with Glenboig residents of all ages, with Teresa explaining: “The kids just love cycling and those at the play scheme and youth clubs have been really excited to get out and about; the older people are excited about it too and keep asking when we’re going out!
“It’s for the community as a whole – we’re trying to make it totally accessible to everybody to give people the chance to learn how to get out there and give it a go.
“The hub is a great opportunity to be involved in the community and it proves everybody, regardless of ability or age, can get out there.”