Organizers estimate some 600 people participated in the Saanich Cycling Festival Sunday afternoon.
“We’re hoping for double of that, but the weather and dark clouds scared a lot of people,” said Rob Phillips, community events coordinator with the District of Saanich.
The event allowed participates to learn more about Saanich’s network of cycling trails he said. “The whole purpose of the event is to encourage cycling,” said Phillips. “We want people to get out.”
To this end, Saanich set up seven what it called Celebration Stations, where riders could stop to collect stamps. The number of collected stamps then corresponded with entries to compete for various prizes.
While the Saanich Cycling Festival started eight years ago, this year’s event marked the second year that used the current format. Previous editions saw participants gather at Camosun College, then travel down to Shelbourne Avenue heading towards the University of Victoria.
The format change has allowed the District to cut down on police staffing costs and increase public awareness of its cycling trails, said Phillips. “It’s a much safer route for families,” he said.
The new format allows cyclists from different parts of the community to take part in the event, an option not necessarily available in the past when the event’s starting point was Camosun College.
Riders could choose a starting point that best fitted their respective locations, then hit the various stations in whichever order they preferred, said Phillips.
The public plaza outside Saanich Municipal Hall served as the central hub of the event.
It featured concessions and various business stands, a music stage, a mobile video game theatre, an inflatable obstacle and bouncy castle, a bike safety tent and a cycling obstacle course and skills challenge, and booths informing the public about various causes and initiatives including Saanich’s ongoing governance review and Canada 150.
B.C. Transit also set up a bus to inform the public about its service and give children of various ages to sit behind the wheel of bus.
Coun. Judy Brownoff, who represented Saanich council, said the event was about highlighting the whole spectrum of alternative transportation options.
“It’s about active promoting healthy, active transportation,” she said.
