● No more Bikefest at Mountain Equipment Co-op.

It seems that Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) will not be holding its annual Bikefest in Ottawa anymore. Organizers of the event at MEC say that it hadn’t achieved the “level of engagement” they were hoping for.

Bikefest was usually held in mid-May and had been going on for a number of years. It had been described as a daylong community celebration of all things bicycle related, and that the goal of the event was to bring together Ottawa’s bicycle community and those new to cycling. Bikefest typically included displays by various cycling organizations, a bikeswap for used bikes and equipment, clinics and presentations on such subjects as bicycle touring and bicycle maintenance, and a host of other activities.

Bikefest had definitely become part of the local cycling landscape in recent years, and I’m sure that it will be missed. Hopefully, its demise is not an indication of a declining interest in cycling in the Ottawa-Gatineau area.

Although it will no longer be organizing Bikefest, MEC still plan to maintain a presence in local cycling events, such as bike to work month and mountain bike demonstrations. MEC will also continue to offer bicycle maintenance clinics and organize weekly rides from it store throughout the summer.

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