As the Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock nears the end of the ride, team of 24 riders from up and down the Island will join a carnival in Sidney.
Each year, the team of police, fire, paramedic, military, community and media riders cycle from Port Alice in the northern part of Vancouver Island, to Greater Victoria in the south, visiting 27 communities along the way. The Tour de Rock is Sept. 23 to Oct. 6 this year — a 1,000 kilometre ride to raise money to help fight childhood cancer. In its first year, 20 years ago in 1998, the event raised $325,000. In all, the Coast Capital Savings-sponsored Tour has brought in more than $23 million, helping the Canadian Cancer Society support Island-based pediatric cancer patients.
On the second-to-last-day of their ride, the team rolls into Sidney Thursday, Oct. 5 at around 4:40 p.m. Prior to that, they will be making stops in Central Saanich and North Saanich in the early afternoon (see their schedule of Saanich Peninsula stops below).
Sidney Tour de Rock Committee chair Laura Lavin says the team will ride to the Victoria Airport Travelodge on Beacon Avenue and then walk over to the Mary Winspear Centre for Rock The Carnival, a fun event for the whole family.
At this time, it does not appear the riders will be making their usual trek down Beacon Avenue as they arrive in town.
Rock The Carnival starts at 4:30 p.m. and there will be games and activities for the family — as well as a series of head shaves, a traditional fundraising activity. Lavin said Sidney Town Councillor Tim Chad has agreed to shave off his trademark beard to help raise money.
Lavin added there will be a bouncy castle from Game2U, games like the ring toss, basketball and hockey shoot from Funtime Inflatables, a mini horse and carriage, dunk tank (with Central Saanich Mayor Ryan Windsor), a magician and local band Madrona Drive. Thrifty Foods will have their Smile Truck there and the Sidney Fire Department will bring out its Engine #2 with Kids Spray House.
Everything runs until 7:30 p.m. and admission is by donation.
The Tour de Rock team will be there until around 7 p.m. and then they head out and get ready for the next day’s final leg of the ride into Saanich, Esquimalt and Victoria, culminating in the finale at Centennial Square at 5 p.m.
