Fall GoByBike Week in Nanaimo

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The annual fall GoByBike Week is about to kick off this weekend and will run from October 16th to October 29th.

Nanaimo has been taking part in this event since 1997 when it was first called Bike to Work Week. Residents of Nanaimo are encouraged to register for the event and record all their kilometres ridden during the week to submit them for a chance to win bike-related prizes. These kilometres can be tracked whenever you use your bike, be it on your commute to school or work, while doing errands by bike, trail riding, or just out for a casual ride.

The City of Nanaimo states that “Getting around without a car is still the biggest way you can reduce your environmental impact and C02 emissions.” Cycling being one of several alternatives to driving in Nanaimo.

A kickoff event for GoByBike Week will be held at Maffeo Sutton Park on October 15th from 3 to 5 p.m., where there will be food, drinks, and prizes. Celebration stations will be set up throughout the week at various locations along bike routes and will be hosted by community sponsors. There will also be opportunities for fun like BikeTag, a mystery photo tag game on bicycles where the winner will receive a special prize. Returning again this fall to wrap up GoByBike Week will be the Bicycle Film Festival at Vancouver Island University’s Malaspina Theatre on November 9 from 6 to 9 p.m.

In the last few years, Nanaimo has also seen the completion of several pieces of bike lane infrastructure. The Metral Drive Corridor Project saw the addition of new bike lanes that stretch from Aulds Road to Moster Road. Another project in the last few years was the Front Street Bike lane. Both projects we part of broader road and sewer improvements.

Today I speak with the City of Nanaimo’s Manager of Transportation, Jamie Rose about Go BY Bike Week and what the City is doing to encourage cycling in the city. Then I pop next door to our neighbours at Hub City Cycles Community Co-op to speak with Tyler Walker about gearing up and making sure you are ready to cycle safely.

CHLY reporter Mick Sweetman also had a chance to speak to City of Nanaimo mayor, Leonard Krog about Go By Bike Week and cycling in Nanaimo.

Finally, some of us at CHLY cycle to work on the regular. We chat about that to wrap things up.

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