ASSINIBOIA — This rodeo still includes riders but no wild horses. Assiniboia Seventh Avenue School students took part in a bike rodeo May 28.
A bike rodeo is a hands-on educational event where children practice and learn bicycle skills in a controlled, safe environment. It's designed to improve cycling confidence and safety, often incorporating obstacle courses and role-playing scenarios to simulate real-world traffic situations.
The purpose of this bicycle safety event is to teach children about traffic laws and proper riding techniques to keep them safe.
A safe and supervised practice environment, like the school yard, enables facilitators and participants alike to feel safe, away from regular community traffic.
Ashley Burnay, DSA of the Assiniboia RCMP detachment, has been running this program for several years and also runs the program in Rockglen and Gravelbourg.
“Sometimes it’s just me running the program, although, if we have officers available to assist, it is certainly welcome and appreciated by everyone,” Burnay says.
“Most times, they are able to participate in the skills portion of the event and then lead us on a practice ride around town. The school requests parent volunteers and EMS to attend as well. If we can have six to 10 people, it makes it much easier to manage, especially with a large class like we had yesterday.”
The Assiniboia Bike Rodeo organizer and facilitator also notes that Sask Prevention Institute has many resources for bicycle safety and often she can provide colouring and activity sheets from there. This year, the RCMP provided bicycle lights for each participant.
“In my estimation, there are very few adults that wear a helmet in our community, I would say less than two per cent. And, as our children age, the helmet usage drops off dramatically. The best way to encourage safe helmet and bicycling practices are to demonstrate them as adults and parents.”
Teachers and other students are willing and able to lend bicycles to those students who may not have one.
“Bicycle safety hits close to home for me. My brother was injured when he was struck by a vehicle while riding his bicycle when he was a youth,” Burnay explains.
“Thankfully, his injuries were not life-threatening and he was able to fully recover, however, as I got older and had children of my own, it became very evident how little most children know and understand about bicycle safety, especially in farming communities where there is less traffic and vehicle presence.
“After joining the RCMP in Assiniboia, it became my mission to make sure that we educated as many children as possible in an attempt to try and lessen the number of injuries sustained by children and adults in bicycle-related accidents.”
Teachers at Seventh Avenue School say Burnay is an avid biker and safety promoter. She teaches students bike safety, road safety, bike traffic signals and the importance of shoulder checking.
Burnay organizes stations in the school parking lot and is assisted by parent volunteers and EMTs who help with bike helmet fitting, practice stations, balancing skills, stopping and learning how to cross an intersection safely, as well as manoeuvring obstacles on a bike.
