Tour of Alberta activity guides will soon be distributed to young children as part of the education component of the biggest stage race in Western Canada.
George Berry, chairman of the local organizing committee, will be handing out 450 guides that are geared for elementary aged children through the Primary Care Network, the bike corral at the Red Deer Public Market and other sites. The guides give the rundown on the parts and stages of the five-day race.
The inaugural 900-km international pro cycling race begins on Sept. 3 in Edmonton with a prologue and wraps up on Sept. 8 in Calgary.
Red Deer is the hosting the stage 2 finish on Sept. 5. There will be a day-long festival with entertainment and activities for the whole family.
Designed for children, the activity book is also packed with information about helmet safety, bike maintenance, nutrition and professional cycling terms and reading maps.
“It describes the different jerseys and describes the different stages and the prologue,” said Berry.
“There’s also quite a bit of safety information for bike helmets.”
Berry said it will be a good background for those youngsters who want to watch the cyclists in action in September.
Meanwhile, Berry said the local committee has been meeting regularly to work out the details for the finishing stage events.
He would not give away any details except to say some big-name Alberta bands may be on the stage during the festival.
A formal call for volunteers is likely to come next week. Roughly 300 volunteers will be needed for the Red Deer leg.
Among the duties, volunteers will be needed to monitor entry ways to driveways, helping out at corners to ensure safety and keeping people off the course.
Riders will enter Red Deer on Hwy 11 to 30th Avenue, then turn south on 30th Avenue to Ross Street.
Then they head west on Ross Street, and will enter the downtown loop at the corner of Ross Street and 40th Avenue.
There will be between 120 and 130 professional cyclists coming.
For more information, to go www.tourofalberta.ca.
crhyno@www.reddeeradvocate.com