East Side Riders BC

The East Side Riders Bike Club (ESR) is an all-volunteer, grassroots bicycle club founded in 2008. The purpose of the ESR is to prevent youth from joining gangs and/or taking drugs, but also engage youth who have a desire to enrich the community through recreational activities, specifically focusing on bicycle riding. Youth have been introduced to bike safety, healthy eating and active living, the importance of giving back to the community, and are able to participate in community riding events hosted by ESR.

ESR aims to provide a comprehensive youth program that seeks to positively impact the following community needs: Inadequate Organized Recreational Outlets for local youth in the Watts area, a community that is rife with high rates of child obesity, asthma and other respiratory challenges amongst youth. This program encourages physical activity through bike riding for youth and their families; Lack of Safe Passage and Travel Routes: while Watts is a very small community, there are clear gang-related boundaries and territories that limit the movement of local youth based on where they reside; Youth Personal Development - teach local youth lifelong personal development skills based on their own self-interest, in a way that is interactive and fun. Youth learn bike safety, repair, maintenance, and design; Lack of Resources- families lack the resources to purchase bikes, safety gear, and/or other necessary equipment. This program allows local youth to learn and strengthen their physical activity skills, while developing new knowledge on health and wellness. ESR was established in 2008.