A group of cyclists wheel around Windsor on a CityWide Bike Ride last summer.
There’s a new bike gang in town.
The Windsor Cycling Syndicate is the newest advocate for pedal pushers across the region. There are a bunch of riding clubs in Windsor and Essex County, catering to those who ride fixies, mountain bikes, and every kind of bike in between. The WCS wants to reach as many cyclists as possible, and get them working together towards a common goal. Making Windsor a safe and fun place to ride.
The WCS is being spear-headed by local bike guru Jason Turpin. Turpin runs his shop- One Good Earth Cycles- out of his home on Howard Avenue, and also sits on the city’s Bicycling Committee. One main instigator for the new group is the limitations experienced by the Windsor Bicycling Committee. Twelve people meeting twelve times a year to organize an entire city’s worth of events can’t be easy.
With programs like the Bike To Work campaign, Bike The Bridge, Bike to the Fireworks, and Re-Discover Your Bike all on the schedule for this year, a lot of volunteers will be needed. That’s where the WCS will come into play. With a large volunteer pool, the WCS hopes to help spread the word about these events, provide the manpower needed to make them successful and get as many people on their bikes as possible.
Bicycle activist signage at Nathan Phillips Square during Toronto Bike Week, 2007.
Besides building up a volunteer pool, the WCS hopes to organize some of their own events. Free pancake breakfast to riders participating in Bike to Work, and setting up a bike valet service at city festivals like Art in the Park, are just a couple of the ideas being considered. They’re also working on a cyclist’s survey, so they can get a better idea of the cycling demographic in Windsor.
If you’re a cyclist (or a friend of a cyclist) and you’re interested in getting involved, you can join the Windsor Cycling Syndicate’s Facebook group. The first open meeting to discuss cycling in Windsor will take place this Sunday, February 14th, at the Windsor Workers’ Action Centre (328 Pelissier Street). The meeting is set to start at 4pm.
A Tecumseh shop owner has it right.