New West Funds Cycling Education in Schools

Last week, the City of New Westminster announced unprecedented support of cycling education in the city's middle schools. They have committed to funding the VACC's Ride the Road program for all grade 7 and 8 students with the aim of creating a generation of confident, enthusiastic cyclists. Ride the Road was developed by the VACC and launched in 2010 as a complete Bike Ed curriculum designed to empower and enable students to commute to school safely and confidently while learning the value and benefits of biking as a reliable and practical mode of transportation. Steph Gray, the Bike to School program manager is enthusiastic about the announcement. "This is great news! New Westminster is really setting a high bar that I hope other municipalities will take note of as we continue to push for active transportation initiatives in Lower Mainland schools." The cycle training will complement the School Travel Planning work that has been underway in New West elementary schools, and will launch in middle schools this year.