West Hill Bike Club

With the support of the Toronto Foundation, CultureLink launched the West Hill Bike Club as an after-school program at West Hill Collegiate Institute in fall 2015. Chantelle Campbell-Sholzberg was hired to support the club and Clayton Reesor, who biked to school regularly, was appointed to be one of two “Student Ambassadors”. Check out Clayton’s story!

“It was not long before we started exploring the cool trails around us on awesome bikes that were provided for free! Winter approached, and attendance fell slightly, but with spring’s arrival, it shot back up again. We went on many fun rides around the area on local trails that stretched down to Lake Ontario, a local community centre, and even to the Toronto Zoo! I am still amazed at the length and accessibility of these trails. We visited the nearby East Scarborough Storefront, a skateboard park in Malvern, and last but not least, attended the York Youth Bike Summit. This Summit was hosted at the Markham Pan Am Centre, and included kids from different schools around the GTA. Many topics were discussed, like bike safety, various cycling benefits, and we even got to hear an Olympic triathlete share her story. We as a club also had the opportunity to speak, sharing tips and advice on the topic of starting a bike club in a school.

I loved the rides we did, especially along the scenic trails that lead to Lake Ontario. It has taught me cycling rules and skills that I can carry with me into the future, and has greatly increased my confidence as a cyclist, especially with riding on busy local roads.

I hope that this club will continue next year, and I plan to come and visit if it does. A huge thanks goes out to the members, the teachers who gave their time, and last but not least, Chantelle for her amazing time and work with this club.”