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Every child should be able to safely explore their community, experience nature, and develop independence.

There comes a time when every parent should be able to say to their child:

“Yes, you can go there on your own.”

That moment matters. It means a child is gaining confidence, independence, and a sense of place in the world. But it also tells us something larger. It tells us the neighbourhood is safe enough, calm enough, connected enough, and healthy enough.

In that sense, this simple moment is not just about childhood. It is a measure of the city itself. A city that works for children is a city that works for everyone.

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The Mike Ride is Hamilton’s annual, city-wide act of building a city that works for children, where community participation directly funds and signals real, measurable change in how children move through their neighbourhoods. It connects participation to the neighborhoods where children live.

It funds:

• Daily School Route (DSR) implementation
• Measurement and urban development at the scale of a child
• 25% of net proceeds go to Cycle Hamilton for their advocacy efforts in Hamilton

The Mike Ride is not just a cycling event. It is a visible, collective signal that how a child moves through their neighbourhood is how we measure whether the city is working.

Why Ride?

Flip through the slides below for our “Why”

This year, we are setting a clear goal:

1,000 Riders

And with it, we are asking for three simple commitments:

1. Ride
2. Raise at least $100 (through registration and sponsorship)
3. Invite 5 others to join you

Because this is not only about funding programs. It is about:

1. Funding real, neighbourhood change through the DSR
2. Building visible public demand for safer, child-centred streets
3. Growing a community that advocates for how the city should function for children

By riding in the annual Mike Ride every rider contributes in three ways:

1. As a funder of the DSR
2. As a visible signal of demand for complete, safe active transportation infrastructure
3. As a recruiter for not only the ride, but to the broader support of child centered city development

What are we fundraising for?

Walking or biking (or rolling, etc.) to school is an opportunity for kids to learn about their neighbourhood, develop independence, spend time with friends/family, and help the environment. We believe that designing communities so that kids can safely, conveniently, and playfully walk, bike, or use assisted mobility devices to get to their daily destinations is the best proxy for serving all citizens.

Through working with Hamilton and Brantford school communities (students, their caregivers, educators, and other community members), we have learned that for many, neighbourhood design is a barrier to walking and biking to school. This design has resulted from prioritizing the movement of automobiles over the needs of children, and as a city we continue to design this way. To support safe and convenient mobility for kids, we must think differently.

The DSR is an active transportation system for kids with the aspiration of getting 100% of students using active transportation on their daily journey to school. The DSR works with school communities to elevate the status of kids in city building. Learn more on our website, www.dailyschoolroute.org.

Formed as a registered non-profit organization in 2015, Cycle Hamilton is a member-supported group of individuals, communities, and organizations that work together to make Hamilton a place where people of all ages and abilities can safely get around by bike to all parts of the city. We strive to inspire people to ride their bikes in a growing network of connected and safe bike lanes and to create a culture of bike riding in Hamilton.

Cycle Hamilton and Bike for Mike work in close collaboration to affect behaviour change of all Hamiltonians through programs like the DSR and Kidical Mass. 25% of Mike Ride donations will go towards supporting the efforts of Cycle Hamilton.