If you have walked past GreenUP lately on Alymer Street in downtown Peterborough, you may have stopped to view the various photos in the windows on the north side of the building.
These photos are part of GreenUP’s SPARK Photography Festival exhibit. All of the photos were submitted under the same theme ‘Life By Bike’.
GreenUP is intrigued about the various ways that bikes have found places within the lives of local community members.
We regularly meet people who have incorporated a bicycle into their lives, and even some who have chosen to build their life around their bikes.
For some, riding a bike means ease and convenience for a morning commute; for others, it is the challenge and satisfaction of a bit more speed or control. The Life by Bike exhibit captures these motivations and more.
Some images portray a reflection of a special connection to nature and community, while others catch a glimpse of happiness and freedom, echoing the joy that one may feel when buzzing down a trail with the wind in their face.
Many people in our community have made the shift towards active and sustainable transportation by embracing the bike.
To Jenn McCallum and her husband John, life by bike represents a lifestyle.
“For John and me, this means riding a bike to commute to and from work, buying groceries and running errands, and for exercise,” Jenn explains. “We ride bikes all year round, including in the winter!”
Having a life by bike can expand the role of the bike, transforming it from merely a tool for travel, to a way to make connections with the world.
“One of the gifts of being a year-round cycle commuter is that I feel more in touch with the weather and the changing seasons,” shares Peterborough community member Peter Laurie.
“If we have two days of a strong north wind, I know it tangibly; I dress a little more warmly to match the drop in temperature, and I know that the ride home from work will be a bit more of a challenge. It always makes me smile a bit when I hear people at work complaining about the weather, when their sole exposure to it has been from their car.”
For Susan Sauve, life by bike is all about freedom.
“Freedom to get around my community, knowing that if my eye condition worsens, I will still be able to get around easily,” she says.
“In that sense, using my bike for all kinds of adventures, from big shopping expeditions to travel, provides me with peace of mind. I don’t need my car, it is an extra and when the time comes, I can let go of it without too much sadness.”
This sense of freedom and independence is echoed in the lives of youth and other community members that have chosen or that need to use bikes for transportation.
Riding doesn’t always come easy.
“I learned to ride as a child, but I didn’t ride a bike throughout my teen years,” Jenn reflects. “When I graduated from university in 2008, John helped me purchase my commuter bike, and taught me how to ride again. This has led to more time in the saddle. I’ve learned that there is a certain type of joy that only riding a bike can bring!”
Regardless of how or why life by bike happens, the common theme expressed, is joy.
“The phrase ‘life by bike’ does a great job of expressing how much I love experiencing our community and the surrounding countryside from the perspective of two wheels, whether commuting or riding recreationally,” Peter says.
“There’s something elemental about the act of climbing on and starting to pedal that awakens my inner six year old, and from that point on it’s all about going fast and feeling the wind on my face.”
A sentiment that is shared by a real six year old, William VanDerHerberg.
“My bike goes fast. It’s easier than walking. It’s better than driving and it helps the community.”
Whether a bike is used for pursuits related to fitness, convenience, the environment, economics, or fun, it is being incorporated into lives of our community members.
GreenUP shares the joy of our community members as we support their life by bike through programs and events that celebrate bikes and bike culture in Peterborough.
Life by Bike will be on exhibit until the end of April with a reception at the GreenUP Store on Saturday, April 28th at 12:30 p.m.
Additionally, bring your bike and join for the SPARK Spin guided bike tour of the South Spin route that travels approximately 10 kilometres to view SPARK exhibits in the south end of Peterborough, looping back to conclude at the Publican House Restaurant in East City.
The ride is $10 or pay-what-you-can. Registration is required at peterboroughmoves.com and the tour is weather permitting.
From April through to September, GreenUP, along with B!KE and the City of Peterborough, offers programs to help you embrace life by bike. Information on Shifting Gears, Bike Night, #kidsonbikesptbo, SPARK Spin, and more can be found at peterboroughmoves.com.
These programs are provided with the generous support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation and local partners. If you have questions or would like to get involved, please contact Jaime Akiyama, GreenUP Transportation Programs Coordinator at 705-745-3238 or jaime.akiyama@greenup.on.ca.
