© 2024 KPCW

KPCW
Spencer F. Eccles Broadcast Center
PO Box 1372 | 460 Swede Alley
Park City | UT | 84060
Office: (435) 649-9004 | Studio: (435) 655-8255

Music & Artist Inquiries: music@kpcw.org
News Tips & Press Releases: news@kpcw.org
Volunteer Opportunities
General Inquiries: info@kpcw.org
Listen Like a Local Park City & Heber City Summit & Wasatch counties, Utah
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Rain, Snow And Cold Temps Won't Deter Bike To School Day

KPCW Carolyn Murray

 
It’s mid-May in the mountains and one thing is certain. There’s no telling what the weather will do. Friday, the forecast looked bleak with rain and snow showers predicted. You’d think it would deter some of the McPolin Elementary  families from participating in the annual Bike to School Event. Nope, it didn’t.

The Park City Police escorted the McPolin students who gathered at the MARC, Aspen Villas and Prospector Park. All together about a hundred kids and their parents joined in the various caravans to collect at Treasure Mountain Junior High School where Wasatch Bagels provided breakfast. Park City Senior Transportation Planner, Julia Collins heads the Park City Bike to School Event. She says the sponsors and supporting organizations and robust Park City kids make it happen regardless of how cold, rainy or even snowy the day might be.

“And a lot of it is because we have the infrastructure and, you know, the gumption because we recognize that we’re a mountain town and the weather changes in 10 minutes. So, I’m just so proud of our community. To have an event like this to celebrate biking, walking, getting safely to school. And, to also see the community come together. We have Cole Sport, Mountain Trails Foundation, Park City Chamber, Wasatch Bagels. You know, we consistently see these types of sponsors come together and it’s a pretty cool community wide celebration.”

Second grader, Kennedy Cutitta likes the ride to McPolin because she can practice using her gears. Sister, Savannah, who is six, says she rides her bike a lot and has one big hope for the day.

“Ah, that it’s not going to snow….”

Collins says it was a close call to keep the event outside and it turns out Savannah’s hope for the day came through.

“At one point around 7 o’clock this morning, we were thinking, do we move inside of McPolin? And then, it’s almost like, we looked at the radar and where the storm was. The clouds kind of opened up and for a little while we had sun, a blue sky and the rain stopped just in time for the kids to come, hang out, have breakfast. Our celebration, we had bells and helmets and then now, all the kids are in school, it forced them into school and now it’s snowing again.”

McPolin Counselor, Amy Vanover has participated in Bike to School Day for the last four years. She says her students often walk, bike or otherwise wheel to school regularly.

Recent college graduate and McPolin Alum, Enrique Sanchez, now a city employee, volunteered to help with the event. He remembers rain and snow was always a problem when he biked to school. 
McPolin Principal, Bob Edmiston, says the snow isn’t such a bad thing as it helps keep a lid on all the excitement. The start bell rings and with his megaphone in hand and a gaggle of kids surrounding him, he announces that it’s time to go to school.

“And appreciations to the parents who weathered the weather. We probably had about a hundred kids riding in …what did I hear Leslie call it…sprinter…a perfect sprinter day.

Bye….Happy Friday…Thank you Zach…Thank you.

Luckily, the skies open and it’s…dumping….. 
 
 

Related Content