Last Saturday marked the third annual Kids Bike Safety & Community Resource Fair at the Lil’ Philly Safety Village in Hunting Park.
We kicked off the day with a Learn to Ride Class with 11 kids, ranging from 4-11 learning how to ride a bike. Some returned for the second time and were off and riding by the end and some were just beginning to get their balance and will soon be off and riding with more practice. Kids can come to our Learn to Ride Classes with varying skill levels and will advance along the process of learning to ride starting with balancing, gliding, then pedaling, steering and braking.
After the Learn to Ride Class we opened the Lil’ Philly Safety Village for free bike play and free helmets and had over 30 kids riding bikes!
The North Philly Aztec Cheer Team came by for a special performance and many of the cheer team members decorated helmets and rode laps around the safety village. One of the cheer team members, Savanna, won the bike raffle and rode away with a new bike.Congrats,Savanna!
Thanks to the support of PECO and Council Member Young and the Philadelphia Activities Fund, 30 kids received free helmets and education on how to properly wear a helmet at the third annual Bike Safety & Community Resource Fair. Additional thanks to our partners; North Philly Aztec Cheer Team, Hunting Park Community Garden, Philly Bike Ride and thanks to our volunteers for making the event come alive!
The Lil’ Philly Safety Village opened in August 2021 and is the first of its kind in Philadelphia, offering kids an opportunity to learn about bike safety and riding in a safe environment. The traffic park was created with the support of Kaboom! and the William Penn Foundation, the McLean Contributionship, the Ron Jaworski Foundation, Mimi Sheller, Piscitello Law, and 130+ other individuals whose funding turned this long-held dream of the Bicycle Coalition into a reality. Philly Parks and Recreation also made this project possible by helping with project management and making the ~4,568 sq ft. parcel available for Lil’ Philly’s construction. The Lil’ Philly Safety Village is one of 2 Neighborhood Bike Hubs that the Bicycle Coalition is growing to increase access to safe biking across the city.
Come check it out yourself! The Lil’ Philly Safety Village is located in Hunting Park and is open anytime the park is open. We will restart bike programming in spring 2025!
We are always looking to partner with community groups in the Hunting Park area. Have an idea of a program you would like to see at the Lil’ Philly Safety Village? Email elly@bicyclecoalition.org.