Bike Month Challenge

Hey Ritchie, you know what June is - the Community League Bike Month Challenge!!

Get your bikes tuned and your neighbors to join our STRAVA group over the next couple weeks so we are ready to roll… We’ve got an undefeated title to defend!

Ritchie community members can join the fun by either logging kilometers as part of the Ritchie United STRAVA group or emailing their totals for the week to ritchie-united@ritchie-league.com after your last ride for the week on Sunday.

WHAT IS BIKE MONTH?

The BIke Month Challenge is an annual Edmonton event, taking over our streets and our hearts every June.

Community leagues track their members’ kilometres, and this year there will be more prizes in more categories! Ritchie founded the challenge in 2020 but EFCL and leagues across the city have adopted the challenge as a fun way to promote active transportation and recreation in their neighbourhoods through a little friendly competition.

Ritchie has been the undefeated champion of the bike challenge since its origination in 2020.

More information at EFCL Bike Month Challenge

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

There are a few easy ways to participate in the Edmonton-wide Bike Month Challenge this June:

1. Download Strava, join the Ritchie United group and start tracking your KMs automagically

2. On Sunday morining, email your KMs from the whole week to ritchie-united@ritchie-league.com

3. Join in a Ritchie GROUP RIDE throughout the month, hosted by our fabulous volunteers. (Keep scrolling for the list)

4. Participate in EFCL’s Scavenger Hunt for the opportunity to win even more prizes!

Strava TIPS AND TRICKS

1) You can MANUALLY input activities into Strava even if you track your distance with a different device, just look for the plus sign [+].

• On mobile, this is found on the “Feed” screen.

• On a computer, go to the Strava website, set up or sign in to your Strava account and choose the “Training” dropdown menu. Select “Activities” and find the plus symbol [+] in the top right corner by your profile picture.)

2) For those without access to the Strava app: submit your total distance (in kilometres) by e-mail: Ritchie-united@ritchie-league.com.

3) If you take your family out for a ride, your children’s distance counts as well! So if your family of four takes a four-kilometre spin, you can report 16 km total!

GROUP RIDES

Some amazing RCL volunteers have stepped up this year to host a few group rides throughout Bike Month. The goal of these rides is to rack up some KMs, connect riders of Ritchie, and to enjoy exploring our neighbourhood on bikes! All levels of cyclists welcome and encouraged to join in!

Rides will be cancelled in case of inclement weather.. That includes rain and smoke.

Protect your bike

Bike theft is a problem. They are taken from fenced yards, locked garages and bike racks in front of stores and schools. But there are things you can do to DECREASE the chance a thief will target your bike…and, if does go missing, INCREASE your chance of getting it back.

More information on how to keep your bike safe.

Commonwealth Rec Centre (Free Access)

SATURDAYS, 3 - 5 pm
SUNDAYS, 1 - 3 PM

Show your Ritchie membership card on entry.

What can you do at Commonwealth Rec Centre?

• swim in the pools

• run the track

• work out on the equipment

• shoot some hoops in the gym

• kick a soccer ball around the field house.

Community swims do not take place on Statutory Holidays or days the facilities close early.

Commonwealth Closures

Closed June 20, 2026 for Elks game - no access

Closed June 29 through September 4, 2026 for maintenance. Members can use Bonnie Doon Leisure Centre instead. NEW times are as follows:

• Saturday, 5-7pm

• Sunday, 4:15-5:45pm

Discounted admission to ALL city rec centres!

If Saturday and Sundays just aren’t enough, RCL members can use the Community League Wellness Program to purchase memberships and passes to city recreation centres at up to 20% off regular prices.

Personal Self Defence Edmonton

Ages 13-must have an accompanying adult participating

RCL is teaming up again in 2026 - Starts again in March.

Please check the Ritchie Calendar to confirm dates, times, and cancelations.

This is a two-day course that runs on a Saturday and Sunday, from 9 am - 4:30 pm.

Visit PSD Edmonton homepagefor more information

Who is delivering the courses?

PSD (formerly named RAD) is an international non-profit organization that offers affordable and practical self-defence for women ages 13-100 (ages 13-15 must be accompanied with a participating adult)

This course is for all abilities and available to those who have already taken RAD (free of charge).

The Edmonton chapter coordinators is collaborating with the Ritchie Community League to ensure an affordable and impactful course.

The coordinators volunteer their time to screen and vet volunteer instructors. Volunteers are Edmonton Police Service civilian staff and officers and other front line emergency responders. They wear full-body protective gear so you can unleash and know what you’re capable of.

What to Expect

Saturday

• The first part of the course is to build understanding and awareness of personal safety and knowledge in what to look for.

Sunday

• The second part of the course is teaching skills, fit-to-participant that will get themselves out of a harmful situation.

• The skill building part of the course is tailored to the individual meaning there are multiple tools available and can accommodate most mobility issues.

• There is also an optional scenario part of the course where skills are practiced in meaningful practice. The scenarios teach women how to get passed the panic state of mind and into action.

• There are always female instructors in each course. Male volunteers in the scenarios wear a fully padded suit so you can unleash your full potential.

Ages and Requirements

• For ages 12-15 year olds, a participating guardian must also be enrolled in the course.

  (This is because of the content being introduced.)

• For ages 16-18 year olds, participation requires guardian approval but the guardian does not need to enroll

• Suitable for different ages and abilities

Cost: $41.50

Registration:

Sign up to get a notification when the registration is open. For Ritchie members, a minimal number of spots be reserved per month and then released a week prior to the course start date.

Visit PSD homepage for more information or email infor@radedmonton.ca

Pub Nights

Please check the Ritchie Calendar to confirm dates, times, and cancelations.

Come down to the Ritchie Hall on the last Saturday of the month for drinks, snacks, games and tunes. Bring your neighbour!

Check each month (see below) for special music guests, special games night (like Bingo or Crib night) or special activities (like re-gift exchange).

Is it family friendly? Children and teens are welcome to join pub night, seated at tables. If your kid needs a place to run around, pub night, it’s not set up for that inside, but we sure do have a playground outside!

Is there live music? Sometimes. Pub Nights are for the community by the community. Sometimes it’s games or solo artists or just chill vibes and a great playlist.

Do we only serve beer? Each month we add something or try something different. We now offer cider, wine on request, and Edna’s premium mocktails (easily converted to cocktails 😉). 

Do we serve food? We don’t have full food service, but we do serve pizza by the slice and other snacks.

Upcoming Pub Nights

June: Trivia

July: Patio Lanterns

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DETAILS:

• FREE admission

• Bent Stick brews, cider option, NA options; all $5

• Snacks for purchase: pizza by the slice, Hawkins Cheezies

• There will be music, sometimes live and sometimes special playlists

For Community. By Community. Come and Help Out. Meet your neighbours.

• Set-up the seating / entry / games on tables

• Entry table for ticket and memberships and door watching

• Sell drinks and food (pro-serve not required)

• Pro-server to supervise event (all night) and serve when bar gets busy

• Tear down and clean up with help from friends

Questions? Ask the team: pubnights@ritchie-league.com