The City of Port Phillip is marking the recent upgrades of its Cecil Street bike lanes with a month of special bike themed celebrations, and there is a special offer for Bicycle Network members.
It all kicks off on National Ride2Work Day on 17 October with a French-themed breakfast at South Melbourne Market on Ride2Work Day, the council's festival of every everyday bike riding includes a scenic twilight ride and pedal-powered cinema on 27 October.
Tour de Cecil also features a bike storytime, bike themed book display and local history exhibit at the Emerald Hill Library, free bike tune-ups, bike confidence courses and a shop-by-bike day.
All events, including the breakfast, are free except for the bike confidence courses and cinema event, which have a small cost and require bookings – however Bicycle Network members can access discounted tickets.
Mayor Bernadene Voss said the Cecil Street precinct in South Melbourne is at the heart of the event as it is a great example of how bike friendly features can encourage riders to take to the road.
“Bike riding is for everyone, not just Lycra-clad athletes. Cecil Street’s recently upgraded 1.8-metre bike lanes, with improved buffer zones and traffic signalling, are a great example of the user-friendly bike corridors we want across Port Phillip to encourage riders of all ages and abilities,” Cr Voss said.
“So if your bike has been gathering dust in the back of the shed, the Tour de Cecil is a great opportunity to take it out for a spin. The bike confidence courses are being held on 21 October, before the twilight ride and pedal-powered cinema, in case riders want a refresher before hitting the road.”
Cr Voss thanked the South Melbourne Market, Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre (MSAC), Back2Bikes and Port Phillip BUG (Bicycle Users Group) for supporting the event.
The movie, to be powered by pedal-pushing volunteers, is The Triplets of Belleville. This charming animated film, with a bike riding theme, was nominated for two Academy Awards.
Offer for Bicycle Network members
Regular tickets to the Cecil Noir Twilight Ride and Pedal-powered Cinema are $15, however Bicycle Network members can save $5 by using the promo code ITL before 17 October.
Secure your ticket and join Projector Bike for a leisurely ride alongside Albert Park Lake and down Cecil Street to the South Melbourne Market followed by a pedal-powered viewing of Triplets of Belleville. You’ll also get a chance to light up the screen yourself on one of four power bikes.
You can bring your own picnic to enjoy in the French café setting, and Fritz Gelato will open its doors on the night.
Click here for full details of the program and how to book the bike confidence courses and Cecil Noir twilight ride and pedal-powered cinema or call Council’s ASSIST team on 9209 6777.
