City of Henderson wheels out bicycle-friendly events

Henderson is rolling out another series of bicycle-friendly events.

“We have incredible weather,” said Scott Jarvis, a project engineer and the bicycle program manager for the city of Henderson. “There is no better environment to enjoy biking in.”

The city of Henderson continues on its mission to make the community as bicycle-friendly as possible.

First, Henderson is bringing back its Bike Swap & Ride, which is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 29 at Cornerstone Park, 1600 Wigwam Parkway.

The event is expected to allow people to sell or trade used bicycles, such as mountain bikes, BMX bikes and triathlon bikes, along with parts.

“We estimated a couple thousand people came out last year,” Jarvis said.

He said the idea for the swap last year came from the fact that many people have children who outgrow bicycles yet don’t want to throw away usable gear.

This year, the city is adding on to the event and improving it to make it better.

“We recognize our layout was a little too spread out,” he said.

He said some of the childrens’ activities are going to be closer to the vendor areas so parents can keep an eye on their children while they shop.

This year, Jarvis said the city is kicking the event off with a 20-mile bike ride starting at 7 a.m. It should be concluded by the time the main event starts.

“It’s not a beginning ride,” he said. “It’s not a race, either.”

Henderson’s Stroll ‘n Roll is also scheduled to return from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 12 along Paseo Verde Parkway.

A spin on the Ciclovia event, which originated in Bogota, Colombia, the event invites residents to take the streets to bike, walk, skate or roll in a car-free zone.

Paseo Verde Parkway from Paseo Verde Park, 1851 Paseo Verde Parkway, to the Henderson Multigenerational Center, 250 S. Green Valley Parkway, is expected to be closed to motorized traffic for the event.

An estimated 5,000 people came out last year.

“It’s funny, last year people were still walking on the sidewalks,” Jarvis said. “We want to encourage them to walk in the streets.”

The Stroll ‘n Roll is slated to feature music, big wheel races, human hamster ball competitions and a bicycle obstacle course along with free activities for children such as an arts and crafts station, bounce houses, face painting and demonstrations by specialized units of the Henderson police and fire departments.

Jarvis said activities are geared toward beginning level to encourage people to try.

The city is also adding more food vendors this year.

But the city isn’t stopping with those two events.

In honor of National Bike Month in May, the city is also planning to bring back its scavenger hunt, according to Nicole Johnson, a spokeswoman with the city of Henderson.

“It’s called ‘Bike It or Hike It,’ ” she said. “We want you to use our trails whether it’s on bike or on foot.”

Johnson added that the city is still working out the details of the next scavenger hunt.

Last year, people had six trail options for the “ Discover Our Trails Scavenger Hunt.”

The city is also encouraging people to take part in Bike to Work Week May 12-16.

While promoting the recreational benefits of biking, the city also hopes to spread awareness of bicycle safety.

Jarvis said there are expected to be informational booths on Nevada’s 3-foot law, which requires people to switch lanes when passing bicyclists giving them more than 3 feet, at all the upcoming events.

“It’s a new law to a lot of motorists,” he said. “Besides being the law, it’s just polite. It is a mighty big car versus a small bike.”

All the bicycle-related amenities go with the city’s larger goal to be accredited by the League of American Bicyclists, an organization that promotes bicycle use for fun, fitness and transportation.

To be eligible, the city must meet five areas: education, enforcement, engineering, evaluation and planning.

Henderson submitted its application in February.

“We hope to hear back in May,” Jarvis said.

If it obtains it, it would be the second city in Nevada to have it. The Reno-Sparks area holds a bronze status for bicyclist-friendly communities. For more information, visit bikehenderson.org.

Contact Henderson/Anthem View reporter Michael Lyle at mlyle@viewnews.com or 702-387-5201.