The second Kids Tour Bike Ride event will be held next weekend at Hyde Park.
To provide for a safe environment to ride, and a fun social event for children, the Mark J. Reynold’s Memorial Bike Fund, St. Joseph Youth Alliance, St. Joseph Safety Council, and the City of St. Joseph partner to provide the Kids Tour Bike Ride Events.
According to a press release from the St. Joseph Parks, Recreation and Civic Facilities, the Kids Tour Bike Ride occurs twice each summer to provide safe and fun outdoor activities for children. During these events, children participate in one or more bicycle rides that vary in length. Instead of riding with their age group, children can choose to ride on a course more suitable to their level of experience. The three course lengths a participant can choose from are a short course equivalent to about two blocks, a medium approximately half mile long course, and a long course that is a little over a mile ride. Those participating receive a participant medal, snacks, and enter for chances to win prizes.
According to Dona Reynolds, trustee for the Mark J. Reynold’s Memorial Bike Fund, the Kids Tour Bike Ride event has a long history in St. Joseph. The trustees of the Mark J. Reynold’s Memorial Bike Fund, a 501(c)(3) founded in 2004 to provide bicycles and helmets to underprivileged and help them learn about living a healthy lifestyle, decided that St. Joseph needed opportunities for children to ride their bicycles.
“In 2006, the Mark J. Reynold’s Memorial Bike Fund provided a Take a Kid Biking Day to give children an opportunity to get out and get a little exercise while having fun with fellow bikers at the same time,” said, Dona Reynolds.
The name of the event changed in 2007, after it was announced that the Tour of Missouri, a professional road bicycling race, would be in St. Joseph. At this time, the Mark J. Reynold’s Memorial Bike Fund partnered with the City of St. Joseph to help raise awareness of the Tour of Missouri and build excitement with the children of the community. The decision was made to tie the Take a Kid Biking Day to the Tour of Missouri and provide bicycle rides several times during the summer for children to come together to ride their bikes. Today this event is known as the Kids Tour Bike Ride.
Children ages 3-14 are invited to participate in the next Kids Tour Bike Ride event scheduled for July 21st at Hyde Park. Event registration begins at 9 a.m., with the rides beginning at 10 a.m. During this event, participants will be able to participate in a bicycle rodeo to learn about how to safely ride on the street and have their helmets and bicycles safety checked. Participants are required to bring their own bike and a helmet.
“We will have free helmets available for children who have outgrown or need a helmet at the event,” Sue Lober from the St. Joseph Safety Council said.
For more information about the Kids Bike Tour Ride Event, contact the Parks, Recreation and Civic Facilities administration office by calling (816) 271-5501 or click here.