***UPDATE: The bike fair has been postponed till Sept. 5 because of the teachers' strike.
The annual community bike fair is set for Friday, June 20, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Edmonds Community School. Local mom Tammy Ozero started the event years ago, with funding from the Vancouver Foundation’s small grants program.
The fair draws anywhere between 200 to 300 people, mostly kids.
This year’s fair features a bike tricks show, an obstacle course, bike decorating, a kids’ riding area and a station for minor repairs.
“I think more people are going to come because the kids already started asking about it two months ago,” she told the NOW.
There’s also a bike give-away, and Mountain Equipment Co-op is donating prizes, such as lights, kickstands and bells for bikes.
The Burnaby Lougheed Lions Club, meanwhile, will be accepting donations of bikes, tricycles, helmets or bike parts. The Lions refurbish old bikes and give them to kids in need. To donate, call 604-540-4424.
The bike fair will take place rain or shine, and since there’s a focus on safety, all participants must wear a helmet – those who don’t have one will not be allowed to ride.
Edmonds is at 7651 18th Ave. There will be a concession stand, and proceeds from food sales benefit the Edmonds parent advisory council.
Students from Cariboo Hill Secondary are volunteering to help Tammy put on the fair.
Swarm tip
It’s the season for bee swarms, and Melinda Yong, the City of Burnaby’s environmental technician, wants local residents to be informed. Yong wants to remind people that bees are good for the environment, and that swarms are normal this time of year, when colonies are searching for a new nest. Bee swarms can be found in trees, holes or hollows.
“Bees are harmless and will only sting when harassed,” Yong wrote in an email. “It is not necessary to destroy a bee colony.”
However, wasps and hornets nests may need to be removed by a pest control company.
Memorabilia sought
The Willingdon Heights Community Centre is celebrating its 50th anniversary on Aug. 14 with an annual community fair, and organizers need your help bringing the past decades to life.
The centre, at 1491 Carleton Ave., opened on May 15 in 1964, but staff has had a hard time finding any archival clippings or photos from decades past. If you have any pictures or relics from the old centre, get in touch with Carmela or Elizabeth at 604-297-4526.
