Cycling in Gatineau: more to explore, plenty to learn

Tashi Farmilo

Rack à Bécik and Action vélo Outaouais brought their Fête du vélo to Aylmer for the first time, taking over Parc des Cèdres on August 9 from 11 am to 3 pm for a free, family-friendly day of bikes, hot dogs and hands-on repairs meant to get more people rolling and to celebrate the region's cycling culture. Several events are slated across the city in August and September.

"The Fête du vélo celebrates cycling in all its forms," said Vincent Couture, the co-op's events and outreach coordinator. The Gatineau co-operative chose Parc des Cèdres for its first Aylmer edition because the riverside park is threaded by the bike path that runs along the Ottawa River. "Parc des Cèdres is an iconic spot, crossed by a beautiful bike path that runs along the Ottawa River," Couture said. "It's hard to imagine a better place to celebrate cycling."

Everything on offer was free. Volunteer mechanics staffed a mobile repair station where riders rolled up for minor fixes, from patching flats and oiling chains to pumping tires and tuning brakes and gears, and two short workshops showed people how to fix a flat themselves. Free hot dogs were on the grill from noon to 3 pm, alongside cold drinks and frozen treats, with music, games and a kids' craft corner running through the afternoon.

Neighbourhood partners rounded out the day. MOBI-O set up a Cyclo-parc obstacle course for children in the parking lot at the corner of Arthur-Croteau and Xavier streets. Mères au front – région de l'Outaouais brought interactive games and its comic books, Vélo-Services ran an information kiosk, and the Relais plein air offered test rides of electric and mountain bikes in the same lot.

"Whether you're a seasoned cyclist, a beginner or simply curious, everyone was welcome," Couture said. The festival has the backing of the City of Gatineau and Vincent Roy, the municipal councillor for the Aylmer district.

Rack à Bécik is a solidarity co-operative based at 135 rue Eddy in downtown Gatineau, where it runs a self-service repair workshop, sells refurbished used bikes and offers mechanics training. The volunteer-run organization promotes cycling as an environmentally friendly way to get around and as a tool for social equity. Action vélo Outaouais, its co-host, has represented the interests of the region's cyclists and pushed for safer cycling infrastructure since 2011.

The co-op has two more events on the way. Its Ciné-Park ton Bike outdoor screening will show the film "À bicyclette!" beginning at 8 pm at parc Gilbert-Garneau in Pointe-Gatineau, with popcorn and cotton candy sold to raise money for the organization Pointe aux jeunes. The Bike Show, inspired by car shows but built around cycling, runs September 5 from 6 to 9 pm at place Laval, with bikes judged in categories such as retro, junior and most original, plus a free barbecue, children's games, a DJ, beer and a silent auction.