Warm weather extended the season for cyclists in the Cariboo this year, including for Streets for All Williams Lake who completed their e-bike trials with local community leaders recently.
After smoke, heat and vacation schedules waylaid some of the planned rides during the summer, an extension was given for the funding provided by the Emotive Community Outreach Incentive Program.
This allowed them to finally get a ride in with Williams Lake First Nation’s Kukpi7 Willie Sellars, who spent some of October 19 riding around Williams Lake on a rented e-bike.
Sellars tried an electric mountain bike, and seemed pretty impressed with its capabilities.
“That was probably the funnest and easiest ride I have ever done in my entire life,” he said when it was over.
Coun. Michael Moses of the city of Williams Lake and Ruth Lloyd of Streets for All Williams Lake, rode with Sellars for a loop beginning at Red Shred’s Bike and Board Shed, along First Avenue, up through and around Boitanio Park and then across the “Y” intersection of Highway 20, Highway 97 and Oliver Street.
From there they rode up Broadway Avenue, to get a feel for how easy an electric bike makes going up even a long and sometimes steep hill.
Sellars said he was surprised how easy it was and yet he still felt like he was getting some exercise.
“I think hills are no longer an issue,” he said.
“This is something I could recommend whether you’re old, whether you’re young, whether you’re middle-aged, it’s not only going to be fun and easy but it’s a physical activity.”
Along the ride, they also stopped in to wish Mayor Surinderpal Rathor a happy birthday, and had a quick visit at city hall, grabbing a photo with the mayor.
The ride was one of multiple demonstration rides and e-bike loans Streets for All Williams Lake has been doing thanks to a grant from Emotive BC.
Community leaders were invited to ride e-bikes to help the group promote the potential of e-bikes as well as being able to create social media posts to share their experiences.
Participants have included Mayor Surinderpal Rathor, Coun. Michael Moses, Coun. Sheila Boehm, Coun. Joan Flaspohler, the city’s adult recreation program coordinator Maria McKee, Citizens on Patrol leader Baldish (Bob) Singh Sunner, School District 27 trustee and Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society waste wise educator Mary Forbes, past mayor Kerry Cook, Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson and Dave Dickson, emergency service coordinator for the city of Williams Lake.
READ MORE: Pedestrian bridge over Williams Creek construction underway in Williams Lake
READ MORE: Williams Lake & District Chamber of Commerce a voice for local businesses
Don’t miss out on reading the latest local, provincial and national news offered at the Williams LakeTribune. Sign up for our free newsletter here.
