Sponsor: RePowerU — a free fitness practices assessment (a 10-minute questionnaire)
Outline of Discussion
- The origin story behind BIG
- What was the result? Why did it succeed so well?
- How to replicate this in other cities? What are the keys? What are the layers…the sequence of what comes first, second, etc.?
Summary of Key Points
4 pillars
- Community health — Lowering barriers to access
- Charity
- Connection
- Fun
Keys:
- Non-profit with a cause that resonated with many people, cyclists and beyond
- Quality volunteers (enabled by the “no one is making money; we’re all in this together”)
- Support of professional and celebrity cyclists and personalities (no fees, just hotel plus 1 dinner: Hunter Allen, Lance Armstrong guy, Canadian continental league team, …)…also enabled by non-profit status?
- Effective board leadership…connections plus strong management skills
- A great jersey that people liked and wanted to wear
- Inclusive of experienced, inexperienced, and non-riders; weekly rides to provide skills and fitness for 12 weeks in the lead up
- Some people jumped in early to make it happen, while others saw a success and wanted to be a part of it….a snowball effect.
It’s takes a community
- Cycling shops (and other vendors) help out and get business
- City provide support and get positive
Successes
- Bike ridership is way up
- City received a ton of tourism benefit…people came from all over
YouTube videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIqZIaLc_W8koxWvrb4g1nQ
B.I.G. Website: https://bigf.ca/
