Young cyclists ruled the roads in downtown Prince Albert on Saturday as the Downtown Bike Derby returned for a second year.
The derby is a collaboration between the Prince Albert Downtown Business Improvement District (PADBID) and downtown business Fresh Air Experience brought the event back to the City Hall parking lot.
Mike Horn of Fresh Air Experience said the goal is to provide some fun activities that bring people downtown.
“This is our second annual Bike Derby,” Horn said. “Last year when I was talking to Rhonda (Trusty)with PADBID about something that we could do downtown we figured it would be great to have a kid’s bike day. Last year was our first one and I went off well. We figured we’d do it again this year and so she expanded with some music.”
In addition to the music in the Memorial Garden, there was face painting, the Prince Albert Fire Department offering tours of a fire truck, the Prince Albert Police Service Speed Zone and other activities.
Horn said that as a person who is passionate about bikes, it was nice to have them downtown.
“It’s good to get kids out participating in something like this on the bikes and we don’t really have a kids bike event happening and so we thought this would be great, and then also just to bring people downtown, so we’re really happy.”
City Hall parking lot is directly across the street from both Fresh Air Experience locations.
“We have been here for over 40 years so we care a lot about the downtown,” Horn said. “We want to see good events and people down here enjoying it and experiencing the downtown.”
Helmets were mandatory and there was no entry fee.
The Downtown Derby had 36 entries in four categories including Trike, Training Wheels, Two Wheelers and Teens (13 and 14-year-olds). The Teen category ran four laps while the others each ran two laps and the Trike category ran a single lap.
With the success of the first two, plans are already underway for the third edition next summer.
“I just want to invite people to come to check it out next year for our third annual if they’re not here today and enjoy summer on your bike,” Horn said.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
