The Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program isn’t just busy in the school year, the summer is also a crazy time of year as we strive to get more kids on bikes safely! Read on to learn more about all we were up to this summer.  

Summer School: Preschool Safe Routes

This summer SRTS provided safety lessons to preschoolers in the Fullana program at Bauder and Beattie elementary schools. Eight students became new riders during this three-day program.

SRTS also spent time with preschoolers and students up to 10-years-old at Teaching Tree Early Childhood Learning Center. For the older group of students, they were taken on bike rides along the Poudre Trail, with a mandatory stop for rock skipping and toe dipping. The younger kids stayed on campus and rode balance bikes, stopped at stop signs and practiced looking both ways when crossing in the crosswalk.

Youth Creating Places

New this summer: Colorado State University’s Institute for the Built Environment and Urban Lab implemented the first ever tactical urbanism group specifically designed for students ages 12 and older.

What is tactical urbanism? It’s a practice that simulates how most cities are built. A piece-by-piece process that is especially popular in developing nations.  

What is the Institute for the Built Environment? IBE creates meaningful projects, builds team alignment and supports future leaders.

This summer program, titled “Youth Creating Places” aimed to inspire young minds to explore the city-scape, identify locations for improvements, plan some changes, design them, and finally build their own unique neighborhood ‘pop-up.’ The group of 17 succeeded in making improvements to Soft Gold Park.

In partnership with SRTS, children learned the importance of transportation in the project. One week of the program was dedicated to bike skills, safety and learning the rules of the road on the road. Along with the learning, the riders got to stop at the Poudre River for rope swinging and swimming.

Cycle hard play hard.

Hickory Park Celebration

In June, SRTS, along with the City of Fort Collins, Kaiser Permanente, La Familia, Create Places, Bike Fort Collins, and Larimer County to host the first ever “Open Streets” along Hickory Street in north Fort Collins. This event celebrated the partnerships in this neighborhood, the opening of the first Pace Bike Share station in this neighborhood, and the Active Living Program provided by Bike Fort Collins and Kaiser Permanente. SRTS provided a rodeo for youth during this event.

FoCo Fondofest

On August 4, thanks to Zach and Whitney Allison, and Jake Arnold, over 350 cyclists rode 12 – 100 miles on scenic gravel roads around Larimer and Weld Counties to raise $1,532 for Safe Routes Afterschool Bike Clubs. Special shoutout to the Allison-Arnold team and Source Endurance for the support, and a very fun ride! To learn more about the FoCo Fondofest, visit https://www.focofondo.com/events

Photo by Dion Dolva

SRTS Instructor Gathering

Did you know that Bike Fort Collins has a talented team of 20 trained SRTS instructors? These amazing people work hard during the spring and fall semesters cramming three to four Elementary Schools and four to five Middle Schools into a few short months of decent weather.

After the semester is over, the SRTS instructors deserve a celebration at the lake… which they happily accept.

Interested in Getting Involved?

Learn more about the SRTS program by visiting https://bikefortcollins.org/programs/safe-routes-to-school-2.

Learn more about volunteering by contacting Dot at dotdickerson@msn.com.

Why volunteer? Volunteers enhance the experience for all students and improve the overall success of the program.

Not able to volunteer but want to help fund the SRTS programming and instructors? Consider donating today! Learn more at https://bikefortcollins.org/support-bfc/give.