Red Shed Bike Programs
Growing Woony River Heroes on Wheels
Overview
The Red Shed is the home of the WRWC Bike Education Programs. The goal of the Red Shed is to grow more Woony River Heroes – making biking accessible to kids and families in neighborhoods along the Woony River Greenway and beyond. We work with cyclists of all ages and skill levels, from first time riders, to those with years of experience. Red Shed gives our students, neighbors, and fellow Rhode Islanders, the skills and information they need to be safe and confident cyclists so that they can enjoy nature close to home. These programs are accessible to all Rhode Islanders, regardless of income, education, or background. Learn about our various programs for youth and adults. Interested in bringing our programs to your school, business, or community group? Contact us to make it happen. The Red Shed is located at Riverside Park in Olneyville, right next to the Woonasquatucket River Greenway. Wave to us when you ride by on the bike path! Learn more here about how to support WRWC’s efforts to continue growing Woony River Heroes!
For more information:
Donny Green
dgreen@wrwc.org
Kids on Bikes
At the Red Shed, we run bike camp programs in the spring and summer. During the rest of the year, we partner with local schools and community groups to run many other bike programs including field trips, community events and after-school programs. In all of them, we teach the Do’s & Don’ts of the Woonasquatucket River, watershed and storm water education, and play environmental games.
At Red Shed Bike Camp, kids ages 8-13 spend a fun-filled week in the summer exploring the watershed on two wheels! Through the week, campers enjoy daily bike rides. They also learn safe riding skills, basic bike maintenance, and watershed stewardship. After a bike-filled week at camp, our campers leave with the freedom and independence of riding a bike safely and confidently, a new way to enjoy the natural beauty along the Greenway, and a sense of pride from learning new skills. The Red Shed offers special scholarships to qualified campers, providing access for all no matter their income.
Girls Bike Camp
Girls Bike Camp, for girls 8-13 years of age, and takes place over April school break. We started Girls Bike Camp when we learned that a number of girls from the neighborhood were told bike riding wasn’t for girls, that they shouldn’t or couldn’t ride bikes. We created a special camp to say, “Yes, you can!” At Girls Bike Camp, many campers learn to ride a bike for the first time, and everyone learns how to ride confidently and safely. As in Red Shed Bike Camp, campers enjoy daily bike rides and learn safe riding skills, basic bike maintenance, and watershed stewardship.
At the end of the week, campers are given bikes of their own, along with a helmet and lock. They also leave with the freedom and independence of being able to ride a bike, a new way to enjoy the natural beauty along the Greenway, and the sense of pride that comes from learning a new skill. We partner with local organizations and schools to recruit young girls with limited, if any, experience riding a bike. Through the generous support of WRWC donors, we offer this program free of cost.
After School & Beyond
The Red Shed delivers youth bike education programs in a variety of settings outside of camp, including field trips, after school programs and community events. We travel to schools and community centers, and invite groups to come to the Red Shed at Riverside Park. We empower students to be safe and confident cyclists anywhere they want to ride.
Our core After School & Beyond Bike Education Program, is a multi-part bike safety course. Our students learn the basic rules of the road: helmet safety, on-bike skills practice, and beginner bicycle maintenance. Our program is designed with elementary and middle school students in mind. Contact us if you’re interested in bringing Red Shed programs to your school, community group or organization.
Adults on Bikes
At the Red Shed, we believe every cyclist should be equipped with the knowledge, skills and confidence to bike safely and legally in traffic or on the trail. We offer free classes and workshops to adults where we teach bike handling skills, rules of the road, and traffic laws for cyclists. We partner with local organizations, businesses, and community centers to bring bike education classes to the region. To learn more, check out our events calendar to see and to sign up for upcoming classes. Contact us if you’d like to bring our Bike Education programs to your business or group.
No bike? No problem.
Bikes and helmets will be provided to all participants who need them for the duration of any class.
Don’t know how to ride? Reach out.
We’re developing adult learn-to-ride programs and we want to hear from you.
Bike Donations/Support the Red Shed
The Red Shed happily accepts donations of used bikes!
Learn more here about how to support WRWC’s efforts to continue growing Woony River Heroes on wheels!
Red Shed History
Opened in 2009, in an effort to get people on bikes and keep bikes out of the Woony River, The Red Shed is made of two 30-foot, bright red shipping containers at Riverside Park. Originally, the Red Shed provided bike maintenance and repair workshops for local youth and adults, low cost bike repairs, cheap rentals, and used bikes for sale. Since then, WRWC’s focus for Red Shed has shifted to what the community says it needs from us: more bike programming, offering camps and classes to help people use and enjoy the Woonasquatucket River Greenway Bike Path, Providence’s only paved off-road bike path. Now, over 100 youth learn to ride or improve riding skills each year through the Red Shed, and we’re helping more adults every season!
