Growing Hop on Bikes program delivers ‘a bike a day’ to riders in Ottawa Community Housing neighbourhoods

By Emma Zhao

If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, then the Ottawa Community Housing Foundation’s “a bike a day” saying goes one better by not only keeping young cyclists healthy and happy, but also delivering a dose of freedom and hope.

The leaders of the popular and growing Hop On Bikes program set themselves the goal of delivering 365 refurbished bicycles and safety equipment to OCH communities across the city this year.

A bike is a childhood rite of passage for many, but for children and youth from low-income families in particular, having a bicycle can mean the chance to go the park, to get to sports and activities that may not have been possible for them to experience otherwise, and to explore the city and expand their future dreams.

“We’re absolutely thrilled,” OCH Foundation program manager Lindsey Ziebell says by email. “Our team is excited to continue to see this program grow throughout the year and bring more smiles and more bikes to our OCH communities.”

The first of this year’s series of giveaway events took place in the spring at Foster Farm Community House in the west end, where residents collected close to 100 bikes (just before a major rainstorm hit).

Events followed at six other sites, including the initiative’s first adult bike giveaway in Overbrook.

Hop on Bikes was launched in 2020 in response to the lack of sport and recreation-programming opportunities available to young people during the pandemic.

It matched with the philosophy of the OCH Foundation’s recLINK program, which helps children/youth from low-income backgrounds overcome complex and persistent barriers to physical activity and sport participation.

Hop on Bikes has expanded exponentially from its first set of 30 bikes given out in fall 2020. Next year in its fifth season, it’s expected to hit the 1,000 bicycle mark in total giveaways.

“It’s truly amazing,” Ziebell highlighted. “Witnessing the children’s heartwarming reactions as they received their bikes is touching … and seeing the community come together for the events adds an extra layer of joy to the occasion.”

Donations of used bicycles are collected at re-Cycles Ottawa, a not-for-profit bike shop at 445 Catherine St., Unit 1.

Staff and volunteers from the OCH Foundation and re-Cycles come to each event armed with wrenches, tire pumps and other tools, ready to make adjustments to setup new riders’ bicycles.

“Each bike is meticulously repaired by the re-Cycles team, a dedicated group of volunteers who have been working on these bikes since last year,” Ziebell noted. “We’ve collaborated with our wonderful community partners to reach out to families.”

The initiative also receives support from the likes of Hobin Architecture, which was the sponsor of the Hop on Bikes program at the OCH Foundation’s Charity Golf Tournament presented by Brigil, which raised a record $117,065 on Sept. 13 at Loch March Golf Club.

“Your support is woven into everything we do — every student who receives a bursary, every young person who gets a bike, every child who learns to swim,” OCH Foundation executive director Angela Bégin wrote in a message to golfers and sponsors. “These moments are possible because of your generosity and kindness.”

This article is part of the Ottawa Sports Pages’ Inclusion in Sport series. Read more about local sport inclusion initiatives at: OttawaSportsPages.ca/Ottawa-Sports-Pages-Inclusion-In-Sport-Series/.