YDU Bike Rodeo Makes Headlines and Lots of Smiles

On November 12, Chester enjoyed its first bike rodeo - and we hope it won’t be the last.

The free event included riding lessons, bicycle safety, soccer, cornhole, free books and a "Friendsgiving" lunch with participants and volunteers from the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, Swarthmore Recreation Association, Widener University and other partner organizations.

The Bicycle Coalition and its county affiliate organization, Bike Delaware County, organized the rodeo course for those who wanted to test their riding skills. Lor Song with the Bicycle Coalition’s education team led Learn to Ride classes with a positive and encouraging setting to start building their bike riding skills.

As the event concluded, forty donated and upgraded bicycles, helmets and bike locks were given away to families whose children qualify for free or reduced school lunch because of their economic situations.

Local businesses and organizations stepped up to help with the event. Swarthmore Recreation Association produced event t-shirts and rallied its members to donate bicycles, time and financial support. Park Avenue Community Center and Swarthmore United Methodist Church hosted a safe and accessible drop-off location for donated bicycles, and a workspace for tuning the donated bikes. Swarthmore Smiles sponsored the upgrade of four bicycles to safe riding condition. Swarthmore Hardware donated bungee cords to help with bicycle transport. Roe Fabricators generated event signage at no cost. Cycle Fit provided a significant discount on bike locks. The Kara Barnard Youth Literacy Fund presented boxes of free books for all to choose from. Anyone who didn’t get a bicycle was invited to take home new athletic apparel donated by Good Sports. Funds donated by the DICK’S Sporting Good Foundation were used to employ a Chester resident and bike expert to tune donated bicycles, and to hire a Chester-owned catering service to provide free lunch for all. Individuals throughout the community also made significant donations of money, expertise and bicycles. Sunday’s Daily Times covered the event on its front page and in a lengthy spread.

Why did Youth Development United take on this project? The organization aims to create inspiring experiences, and believes that increasing access to cycling can have a meaningful positive effect on a community short term and long term. Cycling is a life sport for all ages, providing ongoing health benefits as well as serving as an environmentally friendly transportation option. A recent Urban Institute report finds that equitable access to quality and reliable transportation is key to advancing racial equity.

Click here to help bring another Bike Rodeo to Chester this spring.

Snownia Collins brought her daughter and took home a bicycle, expressing, “This was an amazing event and we were so grateful to attend.”

Among the volunteers were a team of physical and occupational therapy students and faculty members from Widener University. Lydia Navarro-Walker, Clinical Associate Professor in the Institute for Occupational Therapy Education at Widener, remarked, “Our volunteers and the participants raved about the event. We are excited to help Youth Development United again in the future.”

Lisa Gaffney of Chester Economic Development Authority was one of the dignitaries in attendance, and commented, “I am so thrilled to see kids coming to the waterfront, learning to ride and becoming exposed to the trail systems.” Inspired by the November 12 event, she hopes to expand Chester’s Delaware River Festival to include a cycling component and to encourage more use of the space, in alignment with the East Coast Greenway project.

The East Coast Greenway is a walking and biking route under development stretching 3,000 miles from Maine to Florida, designed to transform the 15 states and 450 communities it connects through active and healthy lifestyles, sustainable transportation, community engagement, climate resilience, tourism, and more. The Greenway offers a safe place for bicyclists, walkers, runners, and more — of all ages and abilities — to commute, exercise, and visit new destinations. East Coast Greenway Mid-Atlantic Manager Daniel Paschall hosted an information table at Chester’s Bike Rodeo, and commented, “Events like this bring East Coast Greenway to life. This is what our project is about: a fun, joyous, safe experience for families.”

“We were thrilled to have such a beautiful space to host the bike rodeo along the Chester Riverfront Trail,” commented Patrick Monahan, Regional Organizer for the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. The existing segment of trail is a part of the Circuit Trails regional network as well as the East Coast Greenway. Right now, there are 372 miles of existing trails throughout the region with future plans to extend the Chester Riverfront Trail along the Delaware River.

“Events like this are exciting opportunities to get folks involved and engaged with our advocacy efforts. Interested in engaging with the Circuit Trails? You can get involved here to learn more about the trails and meet with us on the trails as we plan our events on the Circuit,” encouraged Monahan.