Neepawa Launches Local Chapter of Cycling Without Age

Cycling Without Age Canada is a national organization aimed at reducing social isolation and increasing both mental and physical health. The program uses an electric pedal-assisted trishaw and lets local volunteers - called pilots - carry up to two passengers on a cycling ride through various areas in the community. The Neepawa chapter, which is just launching this summer, is only the third in the province after Winnipeg and Winkler-Morden and has been bolstered by the local Kin Club which donated nearly $1,000 to the project at this inaugural event.

While the trishaw takes its first outings in Neepawa, volunteers Stephen Gale and Alex Jarema talk about what it took just to get the vehicle on the road. There are a few different designs for trishaws but the one selected for Neepawa came via a couple of crates from Denmark and was assembled by Gale and Jarema, who documented the process on Facebook. The parts actually arrived back in October but had to wait until spring to be put to use.

Several attendees at the launch event show an interest not just in the program but in the construction of the vehicle that makes it possible. Jarema also volunteers to help people convert or fix their own electric pedal-assisted bikes in town and says he has seen an increased demand for them as people strive to stay active as long as they can.

Marsha Forgue, chair of the local Cycling Without Age committee, echoes Jarema’s sentiment that seniors are striving to be active longer and take opportunities to be out and about in the fresh air. The big need right now is for volunteers to be ‘pilots’ for the trishaws, who must take a training session to be able to safely operate the vehicle with riders. However Forgue also suggests that families may want to book the trishaw and take loved ones out for an adventure. While seniors are the target demographic for the program, the trishaw is also available to people of any age who have mobility issues.

Despite the drizzly weather, several people turn out to check out the Cycling Without Age program, and future demonstrations will also be held at each of the senior facilities in town. Anyone interested in either being a volunteer or booking one of the trishaws can contact
Forgue at 204-841-2051.