Second Bike Rodeo Another Success

On Saturday, May 6, nearly 50 families participated in Youth Development United’s second Bike Rodeo at the Chester waterfront.

The event, tied to the Chester River Festival, offered cycling lessons, loaner bicycles and soccer fun as well as free bike helmets, pizza and fresh fruit. Everyone also received a free t-shirt designed by local artist Brad Hosbach and underwritten by Swarthmore Recreation Association.  Additionally, children were invited to choose from a large selection of free books brought by The Community’s Foundation and the Kara Barnard Youth Literacy Fund.

The day culminated with a raffle in which over 40 bikes and bike locks were given out to families whose children qualify for free or reduced lunch. Swarthmore Hardware generously supplied free bungee cords to help people secure bikes in their vehicles for transport home.

One mom in attendance, Lindsay, shared: “The kids had a great time playing with others and building their own enthusiasm for bike riding! It sure helped that they too rode away with bikes of their own. We are so grateful for your generosity. What a very special and amazing event!“

Patrick Monahan, Regional Organizer with the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, was thrilled to partner with Youth Development United to help organize its second Bike Rodeo on the Circuit Trails and the East Coast Greenway along the Chester Waterfront. He expressed, “It’s so important to host a space for the community to come out and enjoy what the waterfront has to offer. It’s exciting to see dozens of kids riding the trails and learning to ride a bicycle with a big smile on their face. We can’t wait to work with Youth Development United on the next rodeo in the fall!” 

James Bergman, with BCGP’s county affiliate, Bike Delaware County, noted, “Chester has tremendous potential as a bicycling hub for the county and the metropolitan area, as a whole. The East Coast Greenway, which is part of the regional Circuit Trails network, will ultimately pass along the Chester waterfront and along Route 291 to link the Heinz Wildlife Refuge and the Darby Creek and Cobbs Creek Trails to the north with the (not-yet-completed) Garnett Valley Greenway to the south in Marcus Hook. The Chester Creek Trail, when completed, will provide a low-stress route from the East Coast Greenway through Chester, Upland, Aston, and Middletown. Youth Development United’s Bike Rodeos are a crucial step in making sure the children of Chester are prepared to take advantage of that bicycling crossroads.”  

The Bike Rodeo was supported by the Circuit Trails Coalition Community Grant Program, funded by the William Penn Foundation and administered by the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC). The Circuit Trails is a vast regional network of hundreds of miles of multi-use trails across nine counties in Greater Philadelphia and southern New Jersey. The trail network, which will cover 800 miles once complete, connects urban, suburban, and rural communities, providing endless opportunities for recreation, relaxing, and commuting. 

Emilia Crotty, Director of Trails and Equitable Access at PEC, and a leader of the Circuit Trails Coalition, led the Bike Rodeo’s Learn to Ride class. “The Circuit Trails Coalition is committed to reducing barriers to trail use across the region. Through the Community Grant Program we are thrilled to be able to support projects like the Chester Bike Rodeo, which create welcoming, inclusive spaces for people to experience nature in their backyard and access the many benefits of trails.”  

Youth Development United hosted its first Bike Rodeo in November 2022. At that event, 42 children went home with bicycles and 17 went home without - but bikes were home delivered to each one of them within the next two months. YDU hopes to provide a bike for every child who attended the spring event as well, and is in the process of planning another Bike Rodeo for the fall of 2023 at Eyre Park along the Chester Creek Trail, Chester’s other circuit trail. 

In addition to the organizations mentioned above, the event was made possible by volunteers and supportive groups from the city of Chester and the surrounding area. This included 

  • Roland and Lucy Taylor and Jocelyn of the Chester Business Association and of Chester's Major Taylor Cycling Club chapter

  • Mary Ann Sandone of the Delaware County Transportation Management Association

  • Kurt Morris and his sons, David Dillon, Annika Dillon, Alex Thornton, and Nino Campobasso of Delco Revolution MTB mountain bike team

  • Lisa Gaffney of the Riverfront Alliance of Delaware County

  • Erica Rossetti of the Delaware Estuary’s Urban Waters Program

  • Daniel Paschall of East Coast Greenway Alliance

  • Swarthmore Recreation Association

  • Jeanne Nolan, Adrienne Pinckney and others from Widener University’s Physical Therapy department

  • employees of the Cycle Fit bicycle shop

  • Barron Lacy of the 9th Street Youth and Community Center

  • Helpful individuals including Emily Bergman, Tiaira Butler, Tamia Cottman, Adelyn Davis, Clara Davis, Raegan Everett, Todd Everett, Raegan Everett, Erin and Tyler Ewell, Yolanda Jackson, Nick Kaplinsky,the Midgette family, Mike Minor, the Molloy family, Sharon Moore, Philip Morrison, Chris Shavers, Annika Slootmaker, Amy Strachan, the Taub family, Yoon Yi, and many others. 

Click here to learn how to support this effort.

The crowd patiently awaits the raffle draw, hoping to be among the 42 able to take home a bike!

Jeannine Anckaitis