Edmonton residents gathered on Saturday for a special event aimed at connecting children with disabilities to suitable adaptive bicycles and handcycles. Hosted at the Goodwill Alberta facility on 168 Street, the Try-A-Bike day forms part of the longstanding You Can Ride 2 initiative, launched in 2003 by strategic director Janine Halayko.
Empowering Children Through Mobility
The program focuses on enabling kids with various disabilities to ride bikes for the first time, fostering a sense of freedom and self-reliance. Emily Kim, the program manager, highlighted the event’s impact during the turnout. “We help kids with different disabilities ride bikes for the first time and just experience freedom and independence,” she said. Kim emphasized the milestone’s importance, adding, “Every kid can remember riding a bike for the first time. It’s a rite of passage to have.”
Resources and Support Available
You Can Ride 2 maintains a collection of over 200 adaptive bikes ready for use. Families can bring their own bikes for mechanic modifications through a six-week educational program offered in the summer. Volunteer mechanic Keith Heslinga explained how the initiative evolved from Halayko’s observations of underused bikes in garages. Over the past two decades, donations have grown, allowing adaptations for diverse young riders. Heslinga and his team plan to customize bikes throughout the winter for participants from the event. “It’s super gratifying. It’s amazing to watch the kids trying out bikes and take them and get some freedom,” he noted.
Real-Life Impact on Families
Families like that of Lonnie Willier and his daughter Addelyn have participated for five years. Willier shared how the program enhances his daughter’s life: “It gives her that freedom to go out, bike with other kids, exercise, just do more stuff outside.” He added a lighthearted update, “In the last couple of years we’ve had to start jogging to keep up with her.”
