The Halifax Cycling Coalition was excited to participate in the recent National Volunteer Week. The Halifax Cycling Coalition builds support for safe cycling through the strength of it’s dedicated volunteers. Volunteers write grant applications, take photographs, design posters, plan cycling events, and interact with the public from outreach tables in our community. This National Volunteer Week, our volunteers participated in The Canada Games Centre’s Volunteer Fair, in the community of Clayton Park.
Under glass paned skylights, our volunteers engaged the keen eyes and ears of The Canada Games Centre’s busy members and guests. Our mandate, campaigns and goals were shared with each visitor. We had blue bicycle pins, share the road buttons and 1m rule magnets from partner Ecology Action Centre to remind visitors that we can all help promote initiatives that make our roads safer for cycling.
Our On Track for 2020 and Motor Vehicle Act Amendment petitions were available for visitors to read and sign. Visitors responded enthusiastically and we welcomed them to shared their cycling stories with us as they signed. We met a cyclist who commutes everyday from Bedford to Inglis Street on her bicycle. She would like Halifax to have more protected bike lanes. We met a man who cycles solely on our trail systems due to a collision with a taxi on Oxford street. “He ran right over me, didn’t even see me” he explained. We met a young man who proudly informed us that: “Cycling is my favorite sport after swimming!” He chose an orange #sharetheroad pin to wear on his hoodie.
“Volunteers are the life blood of the Halifax Cycling Coalition,” says volunteer coordinator Eliza Jackson. Jackson added that the Cycling Coalition is working hard to train our 65 volunteers, grow their ranks, and grow our impact on the community.
Helping us beyond volunteer week
The Halifax Cycling Coalition works to improve cycling infrastructure for the everyday cyclist: people who ride to school, to work, and to socialize. If you are passionate about cycling and would like to advocate for the well being of cyclists in your community, become a volunteer today.
The Halifax Cycling Coalition would like to extend a grateful thank you to Lori Saunders and the entire staff of The Canada Games Centre for welcoming us to our first National Volunteer Week Fair.
