Volunteer program takes seniors on bike rides through North Vancouver trails
Cycling Without Age is a worldwide organization aimed at reducing seniors’ isolation
Strength, speed, balance, coordination: it takes a long list of physical abilities to safely ride a bike, abilities that start to fade as we get older.
But a group of volunteers in the North Shore believes with the right bicycle and pilot, anyone can go for a bike ride.
The North Shore chapter of Cycling Without Age is hoping to reduce seniors' isolation and improve their health one trishaw ride at a time.
Ian Rose-Innes, the man behind the organization, says everyone has "the right to wind in their hair."
His group provides rides on a "trishaw" — essentially a three-wheeled bicycle — every two weeks to the people living at the Berkeley Care Centre in North Vancouver.
"The trishaw is essentially a couch on wheels because it's got two seats up front with safety belts to make sure that people stay in place and don't get injured," Rose-Innes told North by Northwest host Margaret Gallagher.
The trishaws are equipped with an electric motor to help the drivers — which the group refers to as pilots — get up hills, and also to make the rides more enjoyable for the pilots.
"We ride slowly. It's not about speed," said Rose-Innes. "It's about enjoying the journey. I'm looking around talking to the people, talking to the dogs that we come across on the trail."
He says pilots don't just take passengers for a ride, they are also involved in creating a sense of community between all participants and care staff.
"Being a pilot is a very rewarding experience because you get to see the joy you bring to people to be able to take them out."
Late friend inspired North Shore chapter
The concept of taking people for bike rides has been on Rose-Innes's mind since 2015 when his friend Mike was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
"I thought I would love to take Mike for a ride on the False Creek Seawall and have a cup of coffee with him."
After scouring Vancouver bike shops, he still couldn't find a suitable vehicle for his friend. That's when he heard about Cycling Without Age, a non-profit organization founded in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2012.
Rose-Innes was able to get a local chapter off the ground with the help of the Silver Harbour Seniors' Activity Centre in North Vancouver.
The chapter currently has an eight-member organizing committee, 30 pilots, three trishaws, a cargo trailer and three bases on the North Shore.
"Cycling Without Age and its importance really centres around allowing seniors to come out of their homes to be less isolated, less lonely and in many instances to connect with nature," said Silver Harbour executive director Annwen Loverin.
The group is offering free family rides at the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve this weekend.
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With files from Margaret Gallagher