Burnaby, BC, February 21, 2023 – Cycling BC, the provincial sport organization for cycling, is pleased to announce that Live to Play Sports—Canada’s largest wholesale distributor of bicycles, parts, and accessories—is donating two hundred Serfas bicycle helmets to Cycling BC’s HopOn youth cycling program.
HopOn, formerly Cycling BC iRide before being adopted nationally under the name “HopOn” in 2021, visits schools across BC to teach kids bike skills and cycling safety using a games-based curriculum that makes it fun for kids to ride bikes with their class. As part of the HopOn school visits, students have access to trained instructors, bikes, and helmets. This ensures that youth participants all have the chance to play on bikes with safety as a top priority.
“HopOn doesn’t happen without helmets and participant safety is paramount to our program, so we are very grateful for the generous donation of the helmets from Live to Play Sports,” says Ben Chaddock, HopOn Program Manager for Cycling BC. “This donation will go a long way not only in terms of helping the kids stay safe on bikes but also helping us mitigate the rising costs of operating the program.”
More than 65,000 youth have participated in HopOn since its inception in 2014—that’s a lot of wear and tear on bikes and equipment. Cycling BC has been fortunate to have businesses like Live to Play Sports step up to assist. Each year, Port Coquitlam-based Live to Play Sports supports a variety of cycling advocacy efforts throughout North America, from local grassroots trail organizations and events to national charities and non-profits.
“Live to Play Sports and its people have a personal and a professional belief in programs like HopOn. Boiled down to its simplest form—it is the belief that the world needs more kids on bikes,” says Paul Nash, Manager of Purchasing & Merchandising at Live to Play Sports. “We want kids to fall in love with this sport. We want them to feel that sense of freedom, to get outdoors and to be active.”
This spring, Cycling BC’s HopOn program will enter its 10th season. Cycling BC is currently accepting school bookings for HopOn in the Lower Mainland, Southern Vancouver Island, and Okanagan.
For more information about HopOn or to book your school for a visit, go to cyclingbc.net/hopon
For more information about Live to Play Sports, visit livetoplaysports.com
