Connor Lalande
Norway Bay June 3, 2023
In an effort to keep cyclists safe along their streets, the Bristol Community Association held a bike safety day at the rink in Norway Bay this past Saturday.
Billed as an educational event for cyclists to learn more about the importance of safe bicycle operation, bike safety day drew in 26 children participants and their guardians.
A representative from the Sûreté du Québec, Sgt. Frederic Gagnon, was on hand to deliver the bike safety talk. Gagnon spoke on topics like the importance of helmets and how, when biking with a group, each cyclist should be on the right side of the road in a single file.
“We are here for two main reasons. First, is to make . . .
sure that kids know how to safely operate their bikes,” Gagnon said. “The other thing is that it’s always important for us to engage with the community and build good relationships.”
The Bristol Fire Department was also present at the event.
“Community involvement and safety is always key,” Bristol Fire Chief Kevin Kluke said. “We want to make sure young people are comfortable with firefighters and police officers, and this is a good time to do it.”
“Especially around here, kids need to know about the importance of bike safety,” President of the Bristol Community Association Anne McConnell said, referring to the potentially dangerous combination of cyclists and cars driving fast down the surrounding roads.
Upon completion of the educational portion of the event, the Bristol Community Association hosted a free barbeque for all participants. A draw for a gift-basket of summertime toys was also held.
