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Nanaimo promotes active transportation with Bike to Work Week

May 5, 2018 | 2:05 PM

NANAIMO — With summer on the way, it’s time to trade in the toque for a bike helmet.

Bike to Work Week in Nanaimo kicked off on Saturday, May 5 to decorate bikes, prepare for the week later this month and go for a leisurely ride.

Local coordinator Myriam Verzat said the end goal is to have people fall in love with riding their bike so much they keep going once the week has ended.

“It’s to show people that it’s fun and it’s great to be on your bike,” Verzat said. “It’s not only just ‘I have to do it because it’s good to do it but I actually enjoy it so much.’ For me, it’s so much freedom and it feels so good to be outside on my bike.”

Originally from Montreal, Verzat said she would only ride her bike when it was warm outside. Since moving to Nanaimo, she rides her bike all year long.

After being on the roads so much, Verzat said Nanaimo is relatively easy to ride in but there could be more and better-marked bike lanes.

Nanaimo’s Manager of Transportation Jamie Rose told NanaimoNewsNOW their goal is to double the amount of people out of their car but still on the roads by 2041. 

“Get people out of their cars, get them into transit, get them on bikes, get them walking,” he said.

To achieve their goal, another Bike to Work Week is planned for the fall and bike lanes will be added to Estevan St., among other projects.

Cyclists will hit the road and trails for Bike to Work Week between May 28 and June 3.

 

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