RVA Bike Month presented by Bon Secours set for May 2018
RICHMOND, VA – With a theme of ‘Bike to the Future,’ RVA Bike Month 2018 presented by Bon Secours features a full calendar of events. 2018 marks the fifth year that Bike Walk RVA, a program of Sports Backers, is coordinating the bike-related events with the help of dozens of volunteers and advocates from across the Richmond region. More details and the full calendar of events can be found at www.rvabikemonth.com.
Highlights of the calendar include an official proclamation from Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney and City Council on May 14 designating May as Richmond Bike Month and the third week of May to be Richmond Bike to Work Week. In the proclamation, City leadership will make a point of encouraging all residents to share the road safely. In celebration of National Bike to Work Day on May 18, a group ride on the highly-anticipated Franklin Street two-way protected bike lane will be organized during the morning commute for riders as they make their way to work.
Bon Secours Partners with Bike Walk RVA to Serve as Presenting Sponsor of RVA Bike Month
Bon Secours is partnering with Bike Walk RVA to serve as presenting sponsor of RVA Bike Month 2018, continuing their support for community health and active living initiatives throughout the region. The partnership highlights the shared belief of Bike Walk RVA and Bon Secours in the importance of safe, accessible, and connected bike and pedestrian infrastructure and its prominent role in advancing community health.
“During our 2016 Community Health Needs Assessment, residents across the Greater Metro Richmond Region clearly and emphatically told us that transportation is a crucial unmet social need. Our community also told us that the lack of transportation is closely connected to their overall physical and financial health,” said Tyler Agee, program manager of community health services for Bon Secours Richmond Health System. “Given that resident voice is a driving factor in how we identify critical health needs and allocate resources to address these needs, we are continuing our valued partnership with Bike Walk RVA for a second year to advocate for tangible bike and pedestrian infrastructure enhancements that will advance the health and well-being of our community.”
On June 1, Bon Secours will also host the East End Bike Party at the Sarah Garland Jones Center at 2600 Nine Mile Road. The party is free and open to the public.
RVA Bike Month Calendar Features Over 40 Events
The East End Bike Party will also feature the inaugural Bike Walk RVA Awards Ceremony, honoring individuals and groups for their year-round commitment to bike and pedestrian advocacy. The new awards program is just one part of a calendar that features over 50 events for bike enthusiasts of all ages and experience levels. Running from April 28 through June 2, RVA Bike Month includes events taking place in the City of Richmond, Town of Ashland, and counties of Henrico, Chesterfield, and Hanover, reflecting the growth in support and popularity of increased bike and pedestrian infrastructure throughout the Richmond region.
Activities will include food and mural-themed rides, parent and kid rides, food tours, and group bike commutes, as well as bigger festivals like Dominion Energy Riverrock, which takes place May 18-20 at Brown’s Island and Historic Tredegar. In honor of the ‘Bike to the Future’ theme, there will also be an outdoor screening of the classic film ‘Back to the Future’ on Friday, May 11.
“The community volunteers, advocates, businesses, and organizations that contribute to the full month of events are what make RVA Bike Month stand out as a great treat for the Richmond region,” said Brantley Tyndall, Community Engagement Manager for Bike Walk RVA. “The rapid and continued growth of community interest in biking highlights the fact that bikes and bike infrastructure are an important part of the region’s identity.”
For a full list of bike month events, and to see the Bike Month poster, visit www.rvabikemonth.com.
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About Sports Backers
With a key message of Let’s Go, RVA, the mission of Sports Backers is to inspire people from all corners of our community to live actively. A non-profit organization, Sports Backers is dedicated to producing nationally recognized quality sporting events and programs that motivate residents and visitors alike to be more active, supporting youth running and fitness programs, and advocating for safe and connected networks of bike and pedestrian infrastructure. Learn more at www.sportsbackers.org.