Events

Kidical Mass is an international movement inspired by ‘critical mass’ events held to emphasize the number of people who want to ride bikes and to call for infrastructure improvements. Kidical Mass expands on that idea with a focus on children and families. These events celebrate the joy of biking asking cities to make streets safe for kids and therefore safe for everyone. We believe children should be able to safely and independently travel to school, parks, sports, and other destinations. With climate change already impacting the lives of children, safe streets for kids also means seriously addressing the climate emergency. There are measures – both big and small – that cities like Ottawa can pursue to make this possible (some of our ideas are below).

The City Hall ride will be the first of our 2024 season. More information on our future rides, including "the big one" on September 21 (in collaboration with similar events around the world) will be shared soon. You can find all of the dates on our colouring page event poster - print your own copy, colour it in, and post it in your community. Tag us on social media too, we'd love to see the hard work of our local young artists!

Schedule

9:30 AM

Meet at City Hall: decorate bikes, dance, chalk, and bubbles

10:05 AM

Bike Ride Begins! We will ride in a loop along Queen Elizabeth Drive, returning to City Hall.

11:00 AM

Community meet-up alongside other groups. Participants are encouraged to bring snacks or picnics.

Details

Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult and are welcome to ride their own bikes or on board with another rider.

Bright colourful clothing and accessories are encouraged.

We will have some bike decorations, but you are encouraged to bring your own as well.

Sign-up is not required, but it is encouraged so we can get in touch if there are any updates to the event (e.g., weather issues, travel disruptions, etc.).

Let's come together as a community, promote cycling, and create lasting memories. Mark your calendars and get ready for a wheely good time at Kidical Mass Ottawa!

We are also seeking volunteers and donations (prizes, snacks, bike decorations, and services including videography/photography and children’s entertainment). Are you a bike-friendly or kid-friendly individual or business that would like to be involved with this event? Please reach out to [email protected].

About the Event Hosts

Bike Ottawa is a not-for-profit volunteer-based advocacy group. We believe riding a bike in Ottawa should be a fun, safe, and easy choice for all ages and abilities. We are committed to advocating for a vibrant and equitable Ottawa where active transportation plays an important role in year-round mobility.

For Our Kids Ottawa Gatineau is a community of parents, grandparents and families who are concerned about climate change. We organize family-friendly activism and information activities and provide a space to connect and take action together. We strive to be a welcoming place for all parents, guardians, grandparents, caregivers, and community members to connect and act together.

School Streets Ottawa is a coalition of local volunteers along with supporting organizations who advocate for kids to have healthy and safe ways to get to school. Our mission is to have more students using travel modes that are active, safe, and sustainable.

Questions about the event can be sent to [email protected]

What makes streets safer for kids?

• A true Vision Zero strategy that focuses on proactive design action to eliminate road deaths and serious injuries. A key tenet of Vision Zero is that street design can ensure that when mistakes happen they don't cause life-changing impacts.
• Separated and wide bike lanes that provide access to children’s destinations like schools, libraries, parks, and community centres
• Traffic calming features and reduced speed limits on arterials and residential streets
• Car-free streets including parkways and school streets
• Elimination of right-turns on red lights
• Streets that address climate change by reducing private vehicle use
• Vehicle size regulations and safety testing that includes the safety of people outside of the vehicle