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Yeehaw! A bike rodeo is coming

The local parks department is teaming up with the fire department and sheriff’s deputies to teach local kids how to stay safe on their bikes.

"I’ve heard some community concerns and the best thing we can do is to educate," deputy Rich Emmons told the Point Roberts parks board members at their May 1 meeting. Emmons said he had made arrangements for a team of bike safety professionals to come to the Point July 19 and put on what they call a bike rodeo. A tentative location for the event is the Pier Point parking lot.

The event would use games, freebies and an obstacle course to teach on and off road bicycle safety. “It’s similar to driving a car,” Emmons said.

Emmons also has helmets to give away to kids who don’t have one, and recommends everyone bring their own helmet to make sure it’s adjusted to the best fit. “We’ll have professionals to fit them,” he said. Kids will earn their helmets or stickers by completing the course.

Emmons also presented ideas for other safety events, such as a carseat demonstration. “It’s a little confusing, to be honest, to get the proper fit,” he said. Fire division chief Nick Kiniski added that a mobile fire safety demonstration house could also be available from another fire department. “There’s real potential here for having a safety day,” said parks board member Shelley Damewood.

In other parks board news, Damewood reported that the summer program was on track as it now appeared feasible for a Canadian teacher to obtain a work permit to run the program. “It’s looking very good,”Damewood said.

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