February 8/06 9:57 am - Summerside Cycling Club Open house

Posted by Editor on 02/8/06
 

Open House for Summerside Cycling Club
Courtesy Ken Trenholm

The Summerside Cycling Club is holding an information / open house for Saturday February 11 from 830 am to 11 am at the St. Eleanor's Community Centre.

As an open house, community members are invited to drop by and learn about the club. The Club will hold an official registration night in the Spring.

The Summerside Cycling Club began last year. The Club was founded by Ken Trenholm, who after seven years of being off the saddle, decided to get back on the bike and start a cycling club in the area. Since the first event, the club continued to garner support and continues to grow with a number of various planning committee's deep into planning right now for the 2006 year.

The first year was a success, according to Trenholm, who did not know what to expect, "by year end, our club had 20 official members and our major event had 25 people come out to a tip to tip one day challenge." Last year the club's focus on was it's point series and it's group rides.

This year however Trenholm is seeing the need for more development and the Club is busy planning a number of initiatives and looks at this open house as a way to communicate a number of creative and energized efforts.

The first development is a Youth Cycling Safely Pan-PEI Program. This program aims to teach children bike handling skills under the auspices of a Canadian Cycling Association (CCA) sprockids training program. Trenholm explains that funding proposals have been circulated and partners approached. Free training is provided through the CCA for this program. This has a steering committee of a number of people across PEI.

The second is a bicycling extraganza in Summerside planned during Lobster Carnival Week. The event will include a three stage two day bicycling race for professional cyclists, the same events for less competitive and recreational cyclists, and a kid bike rally. Trenholm says for him, "the feature event will no doubt be the Downtown Criterium where traffic will be detoured for an amazing lapped race in the renovated downtown core. This is something Summerside has never had; something that will be very exciting." The event is aiming to bring over 100 elite cyclists to the island and another 100 recreational cyclists. All end of event profit will be donated to the Children's Wish Foundation.

The third development a Monday Night Recreational Bike Ride for the entire family. Trenholm smiles when he says that this is the development that has got the most people talking. This is an opportunity to get entire families on the bike. Each Monday Night Rec Ride will have two volunteer leaders and occur on the Confederation Trail and last no longer than 30 minutes with a slow pace.

"The goal is to encourage everyone to come out," says Trenholm. "The problem many families have with small children is that the adults in the family lose opportunities for physical fitness and thus the children miss out on seeing active parents as role models. These Monday Night Rec. Rides are designed to meet the needs of families."

Trenholm is aiming to have all types of members on the trails, including his own children who are all under 6 years of age. "My oldest will her on her bike but my two younger children I'll be towing behind my bike." More volunteer leaders are required to assist with these events.

The fourth event will be the second annual Biking for Breakfast. The goal is to raise $10,000 for school breakfast programs and have 75 riders participate.

The fifth development is an After Work Ride in the Summerside area. The goal is to have one ride on the road and one ride on the trail.

Volunteers are needed to assist in the running of a number of these events.

Trenholm was also recently elected President of Cycling PEI; therefore, he would be able to answer questions about both the Summerside Club as well as questions about the provincial association.

For more information about the Open House, call 888-3878 (evenings), email < href=mailto:ken@summersidecycling.com>ken@summersidecycling.com, or visit www.summersidecycling.com