Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve seen different ways people have thanked health care workers, from banging pots and pans nightly to donating meals for overworked front line staff.
But a group of Montreal cyclists found a new way to show their appreciation for health care workers, which is very on-brand. About 100 cyclists honked their horns and rang their bells as they cheered on staff outside the Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital after a nine km bike ride this Saturday.
“We’re all seeing that they’re doing, an amazing, amazing job and it’s really just to try to show them support for all that they’re doing,” Montreal Active Mobility Coalition Spokesperson Dan Lambert said.
The tribute ride started in Square Saint-Louis in Montreal’s Plateau-Mont-Royal borough around 11 a.m. and took around one hour for the group to ride to the hospital. They rode north along Saint-Denis using Montreal’s express bike network, then east along Bellechasse street’s bike line before arriving at the emergency entrance.
Cyclists bundled up wearing goggles and extra layers to stay warm in the below zero temperatures. Some cyclists had babies in tow, others even had special dog carriers so their furry friends could tag along.
Organizer Jacques Nacouzi originally hoped the ride would boost people’s moods during the pandemic, but it turned into something greater.
“We said let’s give ourselves an objective and let’s go and support the health workers…they need our support,” he said.
When the cyclists arrived at the hospital, there was no staff waiting outside but it didn’t stop them from making noise they hope could be heard inside.