All-ages fun was had by everyone at our Walk&Wheel Street Party that took place in Rotary Park from noon to 3pm on Sunday, May 29th. Photos & descriptions below:Maggie Naphtali, representing the GISS Eco Club, quizzed youth about our local transit buses, awarding a free ticket to those who answered correctly, and a tote bag to decorate for all participants. Anna Tokunaga from Be The Change Earth Alliance came to lend a hand!
There was a table for “Helmets for Life” where several children received shiny new helmets for $10 each, with assistance from Monika and Margaretha Nordine, an old hand at helmet fitting.Simon Rompre (pictured here with event co-coordinator Bob MacKie) brought the Island Pathways membership table and display on his bike trailer, and signed-up a number of new supporters for safer walking and cycling on Salt Spring.
A strider bike course was marked with colourful plastic discs and bikes with helmets were unloaded and placed in the centre of the grassy area of Rotary Park. These bikes are small with only pegs for a foot rest, not pedals. They’re a great way to learn balance; many tried to ride for the first time.
James & Steph Cowan brought “bicycle blenders” to spin your own smoothie, and costumed servers, as good as any professional, made it feel like a cocktail party passing out free smoothie samples.
Myna Lee Johnstone represented the SSI Transportation Commission with thought-provoking images about reducing fossil fuel use and promoting good transit service.
The SIMS Tsunami Circus offered popcorn and entertainment in costume, on stilts and unicycle, really bringing the PARTY to our Walk&Wheel celebration. They juggled and even performed a flash mob dance from Napolean Dynamite! Thanks coaches Michelle Bennett, Tiffany Wightman, Jenny Redpath and Brenda Melenchenko!
Dave Elderton with Hilleater Bikes brought his beautiful adult ebikes to demo, answering questions and helping many try out an ebike for the first, time, too. Gary Gagne kept him company 😉 Dave is offering an instructional demo on how to convert a bike to an ebike this Saturday.
And what would a street affair be without hotdogs, thanks to BBQ master Carolyn Hopp (standing with event co-coordinator Robin Jenkinson). Were they ever good? You bet!
The greatest surprise of the day was meeting Graham from Ladysmith, who was on a Gulf Islands bike-camping ride and spontaneously became THE KEY HELPER in setting up and taking down the whole festival. He’s now planning to join us for the “Tour de Thetis” next weekend!“Walk&Wheel was a success as I see it with everyone offering something and learning lessons to blend expertise and novice alike,” writes Wendy Webb, Island Pathways Chair, who helped, too.Big thanks to Natasha Kong and the Salt Spring Exchange for the fabulous posters and for promoting the event, and to the Driftwood News for their “Wheely Great” article. Funding for parts of this event were provided by GoByBikeBC, Be The Change Earth Alliance, Island Pathways’ Cycling Salt Spring, ICBC, the CRD. The awesome Strider Bikes are thanks to grants for the All Kids Bike program, run by Michi Main, from the SSI Lions, the SSI Firefighters Association, Mid-Island Co-op, and ICBC. Thanks all!
Photos and descriptions by Bob MacKie, Robin Jenkinson, and Wendy Webb.
