Elementary school teacher John Bowes met the inspiration for his plan to bring a children’s bike road safety course to Prince George while driving close to his workplace at Vanway Elementary one morning.
It was kid riding without a helmet, weaving in and out of the shoulder of the road wearing headphones over his ears with one hand on the handlebars and the other holding a Slurpee.
“It was a terrifying sight as this student had no idea that I was approaching, and I had no idea what he would do as we traveled down the road,” said Bowes. “I have seen this sort of riding behaviour multiple times and recognized a need for education.”
Bowes, the general manager of the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club, has partnered with Vancouver-based non-profit HUB Cycling and School District 57 to create an urban riding skills program for Prince George students in Grades 4 and 5. Starting in mid-May, the group will be visiting seven elementary schools in the city to teach the spring program, which will involve as many as 90 students at each school.
HUB Cycle is supplying 30 bikes and helmets for kids in the schools to develop safe riding skills and learn basic maintenance tips. Other students will be encouraged to bring their own bikes. The course will be taught over two days. The first session will be focused on theory and road rules and the second day will offer practical riding instruction on paved surfaces within school property.
In the initial rollout phase of the program in May, students at Vanway, St. Mary’s, Heritage, Malaspina, Hart Highlands, Heather Park and École College Heights will participate. Eight more schools will join the list in September and it come to more schools next spring.
“You see it all the time, kids don’t know the rules as they once did and should and it’s something we need in this town,” said Bowes.
Bowes is trying to recruit five or six coaches needed to teach the program and they will be trained by HUB Cycle a few days prior to the starter the course to become certified as instructors and is now accepting emailed applications for the paid positions.
