Bike Champion profile - Barbara Towns

Meet Barbara Towns, an enthusiastic mother of 3 and Treasurer of the Lynn Valley Elementary School Parent Advisory Committee. Barbara has organised Bike to School Week at Lynn Valley since 2013 and will be organising it again this year. Bike to School Week is important to Barbara because she embodies a healthy lifestyle and wants all kids to be active. She cycles as much as possible and encourages her family to do the same – they are a one-car family. She believes cycling and walking create community because you “bump into people and see people in the community” when travelling at more human-scaled speeds.

During Bike to School Week 2015, Lynn Valley Elementary had nearly 50% of their students bike to school each day and they ended up winning the top prize for elementary schools. This success, says Barbara, is largely due in part to the multi-year tradition of Bike to School Week, excellent support from parents and local community sponsors, and lots of prizes to give away. Last year they had a spin prize wheel that the kids loved because they could spin the wheel and get a prize. Barbara also encourages parents to participate by entering families who cycle together into a grand prize draw at the end of the week.

Barbara’s advice for other schools looking to increase participation for Bike to School Week at their school: start early with organising the week and make sure that the organiser is passionate and puts their heart and soul into it. “To get the kids excited, you have to be excited”.