Dustin Garrick’s Water Cycles takes group bike rides to the Grand River with Six Nations partners

Water Cycles Expeditions grew from an idea of students and partners supported by Dr. Dustin Garrick, a professor in the Faculty of Environment: put people on bikes to reconnect them with water. The project blends social enterprise, experiential education and community science. Its hypothesis is that riding in groups near water builds empathy, then learning, then community action on managing it.

The latest pilot, Two Row by the Grand, was co-led by Garrick and Spring Carter of Six Nations Tourism, with a Reconciliation-focused ride along the Grand River planned beside the annual Two Row on the Grand paddling event. Wildfire smoke from northwestern Ontario led Environment and Climate Change Canada to issue an orange-level warning in mid-July, so activities moved indoors. The ride did not happen, but the teachings did, starting with the Two Row Wampum.

Water Cycles says it has led 15 rides since 2022, with 500 participants in Canada, the United States and Kenya. Next come a Waterloo course on cycling for sustainability, a scavenger hunt for school students and, with Canada Foundation for Innovation funding, a fleet of 30 bikes for a bike-share program. A public Water Cycles Thanksgiving event was scheduled in Belwood on October 3.