Starting Summer on New Bike

As summer kicks off, 60 kids got brand new bikes and tips on how to ride safely from police officers.

“It gives them the opportunity to take that new bike ride in their neighborhoods, ride where they want to ride and enjoy life as a child – what they should be doing,” says Inspector Roger Caracciolo. “It’s giving them confidence, safety and a sense of belonging that will hopefully last well beyond the stadium.”

The bikes were donated by New Kindness and temporary traffic lights were set up by Tacel at Esther Shiner Civic Stadium, where police officers gave kids safety tips about bicycles, fitted them for helmets and taught them to be confident on their new bikes.

The Community Partnerships and Engagement Unit put together the Bikes4Kids event, and Neighborhood Community Officers from across the city chose the recipients, prioritizing families facing financial barriers and limited access to recreational resources.

“These officers build relationships based on trust -- with the moms, the dads, the caregivers, the children,” Caracciolo said, of the officers who patrol specific neighbourhoods on a full-time basis, creating contacts in the community.

Each child left not only with a bike but also a helmet, lock, lights and a bell.

For nine-year-old Udhisha Suresh, the gift was an upgrade.

“This one’s better than my old one because it has a light and the bell is already attached,” she said.

 Knox Bond-Young was learning to perfect his balance on his new bicycle, but beamed with pride over the camouflage BMX model.