Biking, walking focus of week of community events

The newly-formed Connect Whitefish group is holding a variety of community events the week of Oct. 1-9 to promote walking and biking toward a healthier lifestyle.

The group has partnered with local businesses and organizations with the goal of bringing the community together for the week, which also coincides with National Walk to School Day on Oct. 5.

Connect Whitefish is a community-based group engaging in advocacy, education, awareness and promotion of biking and walking in Whitefish. The group sprang out of the city’s bike and pedestrian master plan with the same name. The draft plan calls for an increase in programing related to walking and biking in the city and Connect Whitefish is in the early stages of working on that goal.

For more information, contact Carla Belski, Community Services Coordinator for the City of Whitefish, at 863-2473 or cbelski@cityofwhitefish.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/connectwhitefish or visit the partner websites listed below.

Saturday, Oct. 1

• Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day – Hosted by Flathead Fat Tires from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Whitefish Bike Retreat. Visit www.flaheadfattires.com for more information.

• Fall Trail Work Day – Hosted by Whitefish Legacy Partners at Twin Bridges trailhead at 9 a.m. Visit www.whitefishlegacy.org for more information.

Tuesday, Oct. 4

• Community Bike Ride and Skye Park Bridge Grand Opening – Meet at 5:30 p.m. for the community bike ride at Riverside Park to ride new bike paths to the Skye Park Bridge and the Skye Park Bridge grand opening at 6 p.m.

• Flat Tire Clinic - Hosted by Glacier Cyclery at 6:30 p.m. Call 862-6446 for more information on this free clinic.

Wednesday, Oct. 5

• Bike and Walk to School Day - Hosted by the Whitefish School District, Flathead City-County Health Department and the City of Whitefish at 8 a.m.

Friday, Oct. 7

• Armory Park Bike Pump Track fundraiser - Hosted by Flathead Fat Tires at Bonsai Brewery from 4-8 p.m. Visit www.flatheadfattires.com for more information.

Sunday, Oct. 9

• Whitefish Trail Run and Half Marathon – Hosted by Whitefish Legacy Partners, 10 a.m. at Whitefish Bike Retreat. Visit www.whitefishlegacy.org for more information.