“As you may know, bicycle usage has boomed since the rise of working from home,” says Markham Cycles Coordinator Keenan Mosdell. “Everyone is looking for activities to safely do outside and many are opting to go on rides with their bikes.”
Markham Cycles is a community organization with the goal of increasing cycling and access to cycling in Markham. They do this by providing access to bicycles through bike loan, bike rescue and bike repairs, and by sharing knowledge about cycling through rides and workshops.
“Last year, we identified the need of helping all these new cyclists and those returning to cycling after not riding in a while,” explains Mosdell. “We had to rapidly adapt our programming to adhere to public health guidelines throughout the pandemic.”
And adapt they did. One of their most successful programs last year was a series of repair-related virtual workshops, offered in partnership with the Markham Public Library, ranging from topics such as how to fix a flat tire to basic bike maintenance. The group also offered community pop-up bike booths at Markham’s Get Active road closures to help with cycling info and quick repairs.
Read full article: Cycling Day 2021 provides self-paced ride options