Cyclists ditched their vehicles and bus tickets Friday to enjoy the great outdoors and get some exercise on their daily commute.
The 5th annual Bike to Work Day began at 7 a.m. at Assiniboine Park as about 100 riders made their way towards The Forks by travelling down Wellington Crescent and eventually through the Wolseley neighbourhood.
The message of the day is to promote cycling as a method of everyday transportation and to encourage people to live healthier lifestyles.
Along the way are 38 pit stops to replenish riders’ water bottles and provide snacks. Mountain Equipment Co-op is also providing free tuneups to any cyclists who experience hiccups along the way.
The day will wrap up at 3:30 p.m. at The Forks with a free BBQ for the first 300 guests. Local bands Flat City Folk and Mogley and the Woodland Creatures will also perform.
On Friday, the Manitoba government announced a three-year active transportation (AT) plan to get more people out of their cars to walk, roller blade or cycle.
The plan calls for developing AT infrastructure, a new online portal with AT resources, completion of the Borders to Beaches section of the Trans Canada Trail, and an AT overpass to the north Perimeter Highway to extend the popular North East Pioneers Greenway.
The province will also be providing funding to municipalities to integrate AT planning, design and implementation, while working with Manitoba Public Insurance to continue raising awareness of safety issues affecting vulnerable road users.
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