Annual bike rodeo slated

The fourth-annual Treaty #3 bicycle rodeo will take place this Saturday (May 31) at the Couchiching multi-use facility.
Registration is from 9-10 a.m., and a lunch provided by M&M Meats will be held at noon.
Event organizer Alana Fyfe has been the brainchild behind the event for the previous three years—and expects more of the same success this time around.
“We’re expecting to see 150 kids and maybe even more than that,” Fyfe said. “It’s just a fun day for the kids because I don’t think there’s enough of those.”
Kids aged three-15 are welcome. They can bring their bikes to get inspected by Skates & Blades owner Chris McKinnon, then Treaty #3 police officers will take them through an obstacle course (helmets required).
There also will be draws for prizes donated from local businesses, including a Nintendo Wii sport, iPod nano video, the video game “Rockband,” and brand new bikes (participants must be present to win prizes).
“Sparky the Fire Dog” and “Smokey the Bear” will be on hand, too.
“It’s a great way to promote safe biking and just a way to get involved with the community,” McKinnon said. “Something has to bring us some good weather, so hopefully it will be the bike rodeo this year.”
Fyfe remembers looking up to the police officers she met in St. Catharines growing up as a child, and she hopes to change the mentality young people have towards the police nowadays.
“Now when the cops come around, they are like, ‘Oh no, who are they going to arrest next,’ but this way they should have a better outlook on them and get to know them more,” she reasoned.
For more information or if you’d like to volunteer, contact Fyfe at 274-2188.