Take the National Commuter Challenge during Active Transportation Month

Greater Sudbury Deputy Mayor Joscelyne Landry-Altmann has proclaimed June as Active Transportation Month. Events for the month include the national Commuter Challenge, a competition between cities and workplaces that encourages Canadians to leave their cars at home for one week, from June 5 to 11.

“The easiest way to get active is to consider a different way of travelling to work or school,” said Deputy Mayor Landry-Altmann. “Instead of driving, try walking, biking or in-line skating. Sometimes all it takes is one alternate method of transportation each month to start on the path to a more active and healthier lifestyle.”

Register today for the Commuter Challenge at http://commuterchallenge.ca Record how many times you substitute driving your car to work or school with walking, biking, carpooling or taking public transit. In 2015, Greater Sudbury placed fifth in Ontario for most number of participants and kilometers travelled.

Many Greater Sudbury Transit routes offer rack and roll, which means cyclists can bike to their nearest bus stop and load their bike on a bus rack at no extra charge. If buses aren’t too full, cyclists may also ask the bus operator if they can wheel their bike on board. Rack and roll routes are available at www.greatersudbury.ca/transit

The Healthy Kids Community Challenge is hosting a Walk and Wheel School Challenge between June 6 and 10. Students and staff from participating schools will walk, bike or ride their scooter to school as many days as they can. Each school will track their progress to see how many kilometers they’ve travelled in a week.

For the entire month of June, three schools in Greater Sudbury will be part of a “walking school bus” to promote active transportation and pedestrian safety. Students with Lansdowne Public School, L’Ecole Publique Foyer-Jeunesse and L’Ecole Notre-Dame-de-la-Merci will meet adult leaders at designated stops to walk to school.

The Sudbury Cyclists Union is hosting a number of events through the month of June with community partners, including valet bike parking at the Earth Day Festival in Memorial Park on Saturday, June 4^, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. More events are available at sudburycycles.ca/commuter-challenge

Canadian cross-country ski champion Devon Kershaw will lead the annual Share the Road Ride again this year, starting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 22. Cyclists are asked to assemble at Science North. For more information, please contact Chris Gore at 705-674-4455, ext. 2186.

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