Ciclovia cycling event cancelled

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This article was published 16/04/2019 (1829 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Ciclovia, the annual Winnipeg cycling event, is on an indefinite hiatus, Bike Week organizers announced Wednesday.

Ciclovia began 10 years ago, when a section of Broadway was closed on a Sunday in September so cyclists could ride unimpeded by cars.

The event was part of ManyFest and was run by the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ. It was patterned after a weekly event in Bogota, Colombia, where, on Sundays, miles of road are closed to all but cyclists and pedestrians.

The event “has never really been able to achieve what was originally envisioned,” Bike Week chairman Dave Elmore said, adding it became more about the street festival than a celebration of cycling.

Last year, Ciclovia was held during a cycling celebration event called Bike Week, which is held annually in June.

“We had a vision of building it into a true Ciclovia event,” Elmore said, but explained closing roadways would involve city permission and a lot of funding.

Until they can do Ciclovia right, they won’t do it at all, said Elmore. He wasn’t able to give details on what a revamped event would look like.

geralyn.wichers@freepress.mb.ca