CASTLE ROCK, Colo. — The Castle Rock Police Department’s bike unit has spent the last couple weeks teaching adults with special needs how to ride a bicycle.
The police department partnered with the Wellspring Community, which provides work, enrichment and education for adults with special needs, to help six individuals learn how the ins and outs of riding a bike.
The six men and women started with varying degrees of comfort on a bicycle — some had ridden before, some were fine-tuning their skills and some had never been on a bike in their life.
Monday marks the final week of the three-week program. Each day, they spent about two hours with the Castle Rock Police Bike Unit learning how to ride.
The first week focused on balance and control, and in the second week, the group advanced to riding distances of varying difficulty.
“Our goal is to promote independence to a group of adults who are otherwise dependent,” said Castle Rock police spokesman Joe Cybert. “This is not only providing the riders with a form of recreation and exercise, it is empowering them to be independent, providing each with the skills needed to get themselves around town.”
This week, the Wellspring Community riders will learn how to safely commute on a bike, how to lock it up and basic maintenance.
