Barrie Conrod memorial ride

After the tragic death of Barrie Conrod, cyclists and citizens alike have formed together in memory of the 52-year-old man. Conrod was biking with his wife, Heather, last Sunday, when he was struck by a vehicle and killed on Herrgot Road in Wellesley Township.

Mel Roman, an organizer for the Memorial Ride for Barrie, told 570 News that “When that happened a lot of us started talking and many of us felt we really wanted to do something.” Roman didn’t know Conrod personally, but explained, “People in the cycling community have been really moved by what has happened. A lot of us ride the same roads as he did and he was struck doing what he loved and we feel that we’ve lost one of our own.”

The Ride has participants from many cycling groups around the tri-cities including The Waterloo Cycling Club, The Waterloo Wanderers and the Kitchener Easy Riders, but Roman added it isn’t just for experienced cyclists. People from the community have been reacting as well. “And people just from the larger community coming forward and saying that they want to be a part of this. That’s really great to see.”

Everyone is invited to participate in today’s Memorial Ride for Barrie Conrod. It starts in Hawkesville at 3 o’clock, at Countryside Mennonite Church on Hergott. It will then travel to the site of the accident, where they will set up a ghost bike, before heading back.

“The ghost bike is a tradition in the cycling community. When a cyclist is struck down, like in this way, it’s traditional to erect a ghost bike, which is a bike that has been painted completely white placed at the site of the accident,” Roman explained, “So everyone who passes that spot remembers what happened there.”

Participants in the Memorial Ride are asked to wear a white t-shirt to show unity, as well as wear helmets and abide by the rules of the road.

News570@rogers.com

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