Sandbanks Provincial Park staff will be on the move this summer thanks to a donation by a local electric bike company based in Bloomfield.

Pedego Prince Edward County has donated half the cost of a new Stretch electric cargo bike for  usage by park staff this summer.

“We’re pretty excited. Sandbanks is a special place and we think the step to buy an electric cargo bike for its staff will have a huge benefit,” says Gillian Maloney, owner of Pedego Prince Edward County.

The Pedego Stretch has 400 pounds carrying capacity, a low center of gravity, and handles all shapes of cargo and even passengers. It is used for staff transportation, camper education, site monitoring and all types of errands and jobs for Sandbanks employees.

Park superintendent Robin Reilly commented that he sees electric bikes as “a wonderful solution for many transportation needs within the park.”

Gillian’s husband Patrick (Bear) Maloney agrees

“An electric bike has so many advantages over a vehicle. Students can ride it, it is ecologically friendly, it has less impact on the ground and can travel along narrower paths. It is a much more flexible form of transport,” he said.

The Maloneys are no strangers to biking in Sandbanks Provincial Park. They first cycled there with the Toronto Cycling Club in 1976, and they regard it as the premier cycling destination in Ontario.

Sandbanks does not have dedicated bicycle trails but cyclists can explore the park along campground roads. Prince Edward County, beyond the boundaries of the park, is a favourite destination for bicycle touring.

“Sandbanks Provincial Park is the cornerstone of tourism in Prince Edward County, the county wouldn’t exist as it does today without it,” he says.“Funding for parks is always tight, and it has been a pleasure to help such an important cause,” added Gillian.

-Staff