The five spotted all 10 bicycles placed throughout Colchester County for the first Spot the Bike contest during the month of June. Organizers say they were impressed by the number of participants, as well as their enthusiasm for finding as many bikes as possible.
"More than 150 people spotted bikes and registered for the contest during the month of June," said Craig Burgess, manager of recreation services for Colchester County. "Five of them actually found all 10 bikes."
Jessie Owen was the first-place winner, earning a $100 gift card for Bike Monkey. Valerie Richardson was awarded a $50 Hub Cycle gift certificate for placing second, and third place went to Joy Galloway-Jones, who has a $25 gift certificate for Hub Cycle.
"Having a blast trying to spot the bike," second place winner Richardson said in an email to the organizers on June 10. She had just spotted her seventh bike and would soon report that she had spotted them all.
"Bike Week - Fun Week," she wrote on June 8 and on June 13 she said, "Yahoo, the last one."
The contest involved brightly painted, polka-dotted bikes being placed at 10 locations around Colchester County throughout the month of June, which is Recreation Month. People were urged to spot as many bikes as possible and submit their entries. Participants got a ballot for every bike they spotted.
The Spot the Bike contest was held in conjunction with Colchester Bike Week, which is spearheaded by Colchester Recreation Services.
Burgess says there was increased attendance at many of the week's activities. Events ranged from community bike rodeos and long-distance rides, to a movie night and a colouring contest.
For people who didn't spot all bikes, the locations were: Bike Monkey on Robie Street; Hub Cycle on Inglis Place; Victoria Park; Bible Hill Recreation Park; Earltown General Store; Creamery Road in Tatamagouche; Masstown Market; Brookfield Bakery; near the John Crawford Trail in Stewiacke; and Five Islands Lighthouse Park.
