Get a guided look by bike at the Pan Am Path in Toronto on July 11

For those who have yet to experience the Pan Am Path Art Relay, Saturday, July 11 offers an exciting, even inspiring opportunity to do so.

While the trails it connects aren’t new, the Pan Am Path — an 80-plus kilometre network linking them, like similar developments that have been unveiled recently in British Columbia — is, and it’s as much a showcase of a living city as a dedicated space for cyclists. That living city, a place where active living, nature and art intersect, is the focus of an event happening this weekend, open to the public.

The Pan Am Path Art Relay highlights that art, and on Saturday, July 11, cyclists are invited to a guided tour of its creative installations, an event titled “Shift.” The ride starts at Taylor Creek in Toronto’s Don Valley, culimating at the Eco Art Festival near Todmorden Mill, and it’s as much a gallery exhibition of sorts as it is a tour through one of the most beautiful natural areas in Toronto.

That, in short, encapsulates the entire idea behind the Pan Am Art Relay. Hosted by East End Arts and Friends of the Pan Am Path, it’s a condensed look at the goals of the Friends of the Pan Am Path: the creation of a public, living art space along Toronto’s trail system, a space that the ride’s two hours will showcase.

Some installations showcased during the ride include a mural by the Z’otz* Collective, painted benches by the STEPS Initiative, an installation by Labspace Stydio, and a mural by the Project Gallery Collective. And if the prospect of a beautiful day’s ride to check out a kaleidoscope of art and nature isn’t enough, the first 100 riders to arrive at Todmorden Mills will receive free ice cream.

Riders are asked to bring their own bikes and helmets, as well as water and sunscreen, with the ride happening rain or shine. More information can be found by visiting eastendarts.ca/shift-zone-9-of-the-pan-am-path.