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Heart and Stroke Big Bike is coming back to Alliston!

April 3, 2014   ·   0 Comments

Most people have seen the standard two-wheel bicycles, tricycles and even the occasional unicycle. But have you ever seen a bicycle that seats 30?

If you haven’t seen it yet you can take a look or hop on this year during the Heart and Stroke Big Bike event on Thursday, April 24.

The bike is travels to more than 200 communities and is geared towards community groups, organizations and companies who can pedal the bike as a team to show their support for heart and stroke research.

“You can have a lot of fun in this bike and that’s what it’s all about,” says Councillor Bob Marrs, local representative for the Heart and Stroke Big Bike event. “Raise some money and then you go and have some fun and ride down the street.”

Alliston has been involved in the event since 1997 and in the last four years alone has raised $106,000 for the cause. Councillor Marrs says this community has always been very generous for a number of different charities, but has been consistently supportive of this event.

“Heart and Stroke hits as many people as cancer, so that’s certainly a big draw,” says Councillor Marrs.

The Alliston East Side Mario restaurant provides support for the day by offering refreshments for people as they complete the ride.

“We’re happy to host the big bike event for the 8th year in row to help support such a wonderful cause,” says Erin Christiano, owner and operator of East Side Mario. “We look forward to seeing all the teams on April 24.”

The route followed will be the same as the past several years, beginning and ending at the East Side Mario location. The bike will travel with a police escort East on Victoria St., South on Centre St., West on Wellington St., North on Church St., West on Victoria St., South on King St. and then back to the restaurant.

Many teams in the past have attended the ride in costumes or team t-shirts, doing their best to show some team spirit.

“We get lots of people honking horns and carrying on and flashing lights, and doing things like that,” says Councillor Marrs.

Each team consists of as many as 29 riders, the last seat held for the experienced driver of the giant bike. Individuals can also participate by joining teams that still have seats available.

The deadline to register is the day before the race but riders must raise the minimum pledge amount of $50 to be able to ride the bike.

Heart and Stroke has a goal of raising $9.5 million through the Big Bike event this year to help make their two main goals a reality. By 2020 Heart and Stroke aims to lower Canadian death rates from heart disease and stroke by 25 per cent, and better the health of Canadians by lowering risk factors by 10 per cent.

Visit www.bigbike.ca to register for a team.

By Emily Wood

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