Dear Cycling BC members,
It’s a privilege to take on the role of Board Chair. I’m very grateful to Martin Farnham for leading the Board over the past two years with dedication, thoughtfulness, and an unwavering commitment to Cycling BC.
Why we ride
There are a million reasons why we ride our bikes. For some, it’s the discipline and accomplishment of racing. For others, it’s the thrill of being in the mountains. For many, it’s a way to stay fit, challenge themselves, and be part of a community.
For me, I don’t think there’s anything that brings me more joy than being on my bike.
When I moved to Vancouver to work on the 2010 Olympics, the first thing I packed was my bike. I still remember unpacking my boxes in my tiny West End studio apartment, and seeing my bike standing in the middle of them. Even today, I catch myself giggling out loud every time I descend Seymour, or ride my commuter with my 10-year-old daughter.
Cycling has given me a community. I made friends I still ride with today, all these years later. Over the years, I’ve led hundreds of group rides, ridden fondos, helped organize races, coached clinics, and volunteered in many different ways. I’ve watched our sport grow, and it’s inspiring to see new people discover cycling every year.
That’s what motivates me most as Board Chair: continuing to grow this community so it can be as welcoming, connected, and vibrant as possible.
Where we’ve been
Over the past four years, I’ve served as a director alongside an incredibly dedicated Board. Together, we’ve been focused on rebuilding the organization: putting stronger governance and processes in place, listening to our members, streamlining how we work, and developing a clear strategic plan.
One year into that 3-year plan, we’ve made meaningful progress on our top priorities. We introduced an Annual Report and launched quarterly performance dashboards and reports so members can see how the organization is progressing, as we continue building a more transparent and accountable organization.
There’s still plenty more to do.
Where we’re headed
The Board has full confidence in our Executive Director, Chris Cook. We’re also excited to welcome a new member of staff, Tim Sherstobitoff, as Associate Director, Sport Performance, Coaching and Education. It’s a new role created to strengthen and streamline our high-performance pathways, coaching development, and commissaire programs. We’re committed to building a healthy sport system, one that includes competitive cycling, pathways, and club development, where our current and future members can clearly see themselves.
As I step into this mandate, my focus is on carrying forward our strategic plan and continuing to build the right structure of Board committees and advisory groups, so we can gather feedback from members and the community and work together more effectively. I also want to strengthen our financial sustainability, and work with our members to create more opportunities for people, especially women, to discover cycling and feel like they belong. Most importantly, I want us to celebrate our more than 5,000 members and everything that makes this sport so special, from Prince George to Vancouver and everywhere in between.
Our Board of Directors
I’m fortunate to be joined by an exceptional Board: Kristen Anderson, Vice Chair; Martin Farnham, Secretary; Scott Suffolk, Treasurer; and directors Steph Roorda, Matthew Cooperwilliams, and Lister Farrar. I also want to extend a huge thank you to outgoing directors Todd Hansen and Charles Russell, who both completed their terms on the Board.
As always, if you have ideas, feedback, or would like to get involved, I encourage you to reach out to any one of us. We’d love to hear from you.
Roxanne St-Pierre
Chair, Board of Directors
Cycling BC