During the spring, a group of students and their families rode their bicycles from the Southside to Hosmer Elementary School, forming what became known as the Bike Bus.
The first Bike Bus took place on May 1, and continued every Friday (weather permitting) and concluded on Thursday, June 18 before the Juneteenth holiday.
“The kids would start at Casey Park and make multiple stops along their way to Hosmer to pick up more friends,” said Maureen Schrader. “This all stemmed from Jennifer Beatty’s son, Rory, wanting to ride his bike to school.”
The group rode almost 1.5 miles to Hosmer, passing through Watertown Square.
“Getting to the Hosmer from the southside of Watertown (across the river) isn’t ideal for an elementary school student to do on their own given the traffic that is encountered,” Schrader said.
During the final Bike Bus of the year, the group got some assistance.
“(June 18) marked the final Bike Bus of the school year, and the celebration included a special surprise: Watertown Police motorcycle officers joined the ride and escorted the group along the route,” said Kati Kotrc. “The officers’ participation added an extra level of excitement for the kids and highlighted the community support behind the program.”
The program provided a way to promote “active transportation,” Kotrc said, and also build community among families while making the trip safer and more fun for students.
“Many thanks to Jennifer Beaty for organizing the Bike Bus and helping make biking to school a joyful experience for so many Hosmer students and families,” Kotrc said.