Powell River School District and HUB Cycling expand cycling education to all students in all six public elementary schools

Beginning next week, HUB Cycling’s Everyone Rides Grade 4-5 bike safety education course will be taught to grade 4 and 5 students in all six public schools in Powell River! 

The fully-funded program will be delivered to 450 students this year. This pilot was made possible by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure as part of the Move Commute Connect Active Transportation Strategy. This will allow HUB Cycling’s bike education programs to reach all public elementary school students in the target grades every two years.

The Learn2Ride course, included in the Everyone Rides Grade 4-5 curriculum, consists of five lessons that teach students cycling safety theory and on-bike skills via school ground training. 

“We are very excited to be one of two communities to receive this free bike education program pilot for grade 4 and 5 students. Providing students with the opportunity to learn about active transportation and bike safety is invaluable to our community,” says Kristen Brach, Director of Instruction, Learning, and Innovation at Powell River’s School District 47. 

To ensure all students can participate, HUB Cycling will supply bicycles - including adaptive bicycles – and helmets. 

“HUB Cycling is pleased to partner with each school district to bring school cycling education to Powell River and Campbell River,” says Rose Gardner, HUB Cycling’s Director of Bike Education. 

“With this pilot - and hopefully expansion to more small communities - Powell River’s School District becomes a leader in providing students with the skills and knowledge needed to use active transportation and stay safe on our roads. Raising a generation of sustainable transportation users is critical to realizing our health, climate action, and vision zero goals.” 

HUB Cycling will monitor the pilot outcomes by surveying parents and teachers. For more information on the Everyone Rides Grade 4-5 program, visit bikehub.ca/erg45.

Spaces in the program are full for this spring, but schools interested in encouraging cycling among their students can check out Go By Bike BC’s resources for schools at gobybikebc.ca/gobybike-for-schools.