Editor's note: the following is an edited version of a City of Boston press release
On Wednesday, Mayor Michelle Wu, Boston Parks and Recreation, Boston Centers for Youth & Families, and the Office of Early Childhood announced investments in child bikes and bike instruction through “Connect, Learn, Explore: Boston’s Commitment to Youth.”
The City, in partnership with Highland Street Foundation and other local organizations, will be offering free bike instruction at 15 sites across the City for ages four to 13.
“Biking is more than just a fun way to stay active, it’s a great way to get around and a crucial life skill - one that all of our young people deserve the opportunity to develop,” said Mayor Wu.
“This is an exciting initiative for our children and youth,” said Council President Ed Flynn. “Learning to ride a bike, much like learning how to swim, is an important skill that allows our young people to get active, have fun, and explore new places with families and peers in the City. I encourage our youth to take advantage of this program to learn about the basics of balance, bike safety, and bike rules.”
This summer, biking is being offered in three Boston Parks to approximately 300 youth at Almont Park, East Boston Stadium, and White Stadium as a part of the Parks and Recreation Summer Sports Centers.
In each of the sports centers, Boston youth hired through the Success Link Summer Jobs Program have been trained by Boston Bikes (BTD’s bicycle education program) personnel to teach young children bicycle safety and mechanics in addition to the basics of riding.
South Boston Neighborhood House is providing a fourth park site at Moakley Park, offering bicycling instruction to children enrolled in their childcare and summer programs.
Next year, the City will expand the Parks programming to include all five Summer Sports Centers serving nearly 500 kids annually across all Boston neighborhoods.
A list of sites offering bike instruction can be found here.
