Ice bikes and a 1.6-km trail open at Bowness park
Rent the Canada-first attraction if you're in Calgary this holiday season
A park in Calgary is the first in Canada to offer Ice Bike rentals, starting this holiday season. Bowness park and the City of Calgary have 10 of the wild-looking bikes, designed specifically for riding on ice, available to rent at Bowness Park.
Calgary city Coun. Ward Sutherland announced the new attraction in style on Twitter, pulling a sick skid stop before letting Calgarian’s in on the news:
Early ? present for #yyc! @cityofcalgary is celebrating a new sport – ice biking! Brand new to Canada. We are proud to offer 10 bikes specially-designed for use on the ice. Check out Bowness Park's new ice trail and ice bikes. PS it’s quite the workout ? https://t.co/WPnJmhSkAr pic.twitter.com/UDOpfyMJnt
— Ward Sutherland (@Ward4Ward1) December 23, 2020
Along with the rentals, there’s a new 1.6-km ice trail, which will be shared between the ice bikes and normal skaters.
If you’ve never heard of ice bikes before, you’re not alone. The curious contraption combines what looks like a cruiser bike and an ice sled.
Bowness has 10 of the bikes available for rent (book online). There are adult and youth sizes, so the whole family can go for a spin. As you might have guessed, helmets are mandatory for anyone under-18 and strongly recommended for adults.
“It’s brand new to Canada and we are proud to offer 10 bikes specially-designed for use on the ice,” Coun. Ward Sutherland told the Calgary Herald. “Bowness Park is one of the most versatile parks in western Canada and, with the addition of the new ice trail and ice bikes, there is truly an activity for every member of the family.”
City of Calgary: Ice Bikes
“Users can pedal and steer around the ice as they would on a road. The bikes are single speed and users can simply pedal backwards to stop,” detailed a City of Calgary statement. Despite sounding a little sketchy, the bikes are apparently quite safe. “Because little balance is required, ice bikes accommodate a wide range of ages and users, including those with physical accessibility challenges.”
All COVID-related safety precautions are being taken care of. Ice bikes are wiped down between uses. Riders are asked to maintain a two-metre separation while on the bikes, so … no drafting.
Find more information on ice bike rentals and the 1.6-km ice trail on Bowness Parks website.
