The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) has kicked off a new program, Cycling Without Age, aimed at helping older adults with mobility issues enjoy time and connect with others in Minneapolis parks.
The program is based around free, 20- to 45-minute rides in a trishaw: a stable, three-wheeled electric-assist bike that is comfortable and accessible. One or two passengers seated in the front of the trishaw enjoy a bike ride free of physical demands, while a friendly, trained, experienced “pilot” in back pedals and steers.
While MPRB’s trishaws are the only ones available to the public in the Twin Cities area, the program is part of a worldwide Cycling Without Age network. The movement began in 2012 with a resident of Copenhagen, Denmark offering free trishaw rides to residents of local nursing homes, and has grown to more than 2,500 Cycling Without Age chapters.
‘Feel the wind in your hair’
“For someone who hasn’t been on a bike in a long time, if ever, riding on a trishaw can be an amazing experience” said MPRB Superintendent Al Bangoura, who first experienced Cycling Without Age while serving as Superintendent of Recreation in Mecklenburg County/Charlotte, N.C.
“It can be difficult for older Minneapolis residents to get to a park,” he continued. “Especially those with limited mobility. That’s why park access and park equity are two of our priorities at MPRB.”
Bangoura counts Cycling Without Age as an example of newer MPRB activities and programs that benefit both individual participants and the broader community, by helping to build social connections and intergenerational relationships.
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