Cycling and making friends since 2010
The Northumberland Hills Cycling Club, formerly known as the Northumberland Hills Cycling Community was founded in Spring of 2010 by members of the citizens group Sustainable Cobourg, in response to observation there was a need for a recreational cycling club for cyclists of any skill level. Together, an informal ride was planned for late April of 2010 to see how much interest the group might generate.
The inaugural ride was a phenomenal success. Fifteen eager people of all ages showed up and there was no looking back. What began as an informal group of cyclists meeting weekly for a ride around the Northumberland Hills area soon grew into a group of keenly interested cyclists who enjoyed the casual and recreational nature of the rides.
Soon the Northumberland Hills Cycling Community website went live, bringing the cyclists an opportunity to communicate with others and plan routes and rides.
Nobody Gets Left Behind
In keeping with the original intent of encouraging people of any ability to cycle, a Nobody gets left behind policy evolved. There was no racing—just folks cycling for fun, fitness, and making new friends. Routes and speeds were governed by consensus of the participants. In the spirit of community, experienced cyclists offered encouragement for beginners. The culture of the group attracted cyclists of all sorts: recreational riders, experienced racers, beginners both young and old, utilitarian cyclists, and those just wanting to keep fit.
Community evolves into Club
The wonderfully open format of the Club allowed for anyone to participate free of charge, without requiring a membership. However, as organization and structure began to take shape, questions arose about the risk vs. benefit of rides not being being an insured Club. In April of 2011 it was decided that the Northumberland Hills Cycling Community would formally organize into a fully insured and organized group and become what is now known as the Northumberland Hills Cycling Club.
Our first ride as the “official” NHCC, May 1, 2011
In 2011 Get Out There outdoor adventure magazine awarded the NHCC with the Reader’s Choice award for Best Cycling Club in Eastern Canada. It turns out that the NHCC is full of enthusiastic cyclists full of spirit and support for the new club. Not bad for one year in operation as a “club”!
NHCC: Mighty Growth and Incorporation
Fifteen people grew to almost a hundred in 2012. Turns out, people quite like the recreational nature of the NHCC! People brought friends, family and neighbours. Never wanting to cap membership numbers, the executive recognized the importance and value of growth and made a decision to incorporate. As of February 2, 2012, the NHCC became an officially incorporated not-for-profit organization in the province of Ontario.
2018: More rides, more people, more activity!
The NHCC continues to go strong! In 2018 the Club expanded the number of regularly scheduled weekly rides to 8 in order to accommodate the growing numbers and the desire to ride more often. Membership topped 150 strong in the summer of 2018. With well-established off-season activities that include x-country skiing, daytime and evening hikes and occasional snowshoeing there is always something happening. NHCC Membership delivers more than just cycling!