Despite challenging times, the Mississauga Cycles project has continued for a second year, running a mentorship program for 32 newcomers in the city of Mississauga. Through the summer and Bike Month, newcomers and mentors connected to their city, by bike! Read their stories of growth, discovery, independence and adventure.
Riding Through Nature
“Amidst this pandemic, the Mississauga cycling program was a much-needed fun-filled activity this year. My experience has been amazing, thus far. I have made some good friends and riding along with them, I have enjoyed the summer and these beautiful fall colours now. The thrilling part for the rides would be the unexpected twist and turns. The idea is to get lost in the beauty and bounty of nature. My best rides have been exploring the fabulous scenic woody trails like Sugar Maple Woods, Culham, Etobicoke Creek and Erin Woods trails. Seeing the transition of colours as a newcomer just makes you love the place even more.”
Biking on Weekends
“We can say without any hesitation that biking has significantly enhanced our quality of life! We look forward to the weekends in anticipation of the trails we are going to discover on our bikes. It has given us a greater appreciation of the facilities that exist in the city with respect to biking. The online training program and the guidance from our mentor have been instrumental in instilling the confidence in us to go out there and discover different trails on our bikes as a family. We make it a point to do the ABC check every time we take out our bikes! We had made major plans for the summer but all of them had to be put on hold due to COVID. Biking has proved to be a silver lining in an otherwise stressful summer. It has ensured that we have been able to have fun in these difficult times. We would like to thank PMC and Mississauga Cycles Mentorship Program for not just giving us the bikes but also for efficiently organizing the entire process from distribution of bikes to providing training in road safety and finally assigning a mentor who has been extremely generous with his time and guidance.”
First-time Riders
“This was our first time biking experience in Canada and we were super excited as a family to begin our biking journey this summer when we received our bikes. Almost every day we used them to drive to a park some 3km from our home. Passing through small trails it was really great fun to enjoy as a family. Most importantly, this biking program has made my father-in-law completely independent in exploring nearby places and to visit the temple on his own. This has become a big mental stress relief for older people like him and we are very happy that he is able to go along with my kids to nearby stores without needing my car. Personally, I use the bike to go for long rides (25 km) almost every week which keeps me energized and healthy especially during pandemic days. I also must mention our mentors who are very supportive of this new journey which we will continue forever. They both helped us to explore new paths and trails which we weren’t aware and most importantly the staff team for their continued motivation for all of us.”
New Memories on Wheels
“This summer was different due to joining the cycling team in Mississauga. It was a different experience discovering the surrounding and amazing parks of Mississauga. There were unforgettable and interesting memories while riding with my kids to the school before winter comes, and this has never happened before. I would like to thank the staff and all mentors for their time and for sharing their experience with us. Looking forward to next summer with different stories!”