Claudia Jansen, Social Worker at De Stuw, talks about the collaboration between Gewoon Actief Gezond from the municipality and De Stuw. “Together, we looked at which locations would be best for the bikes to encourage as much social interaction as possible.”

From community centers to exercise spots

They also considered where Bike Labyrinth would be less suitable. “At the physiotherapist, there are already plenty of exercise options. We mainly want to use Bike Labyrinth as a meeting point, so we found community centers or local support points to be a better fit.”

Snacking, cycling, and collecting stamps

Not every resident knows that the Bike Labyrinth systems in the municipality are open to the public. That’s why they came up with the ‘Snacking and Virtual Cycling’ event. “For five days, participants cycled through Morocco, France, Norway, Italy, and the Netherlands. Each day featured themed snacks and decorations from that country. With a stamp card, cyclists could track their progress,” Claudia explains.

Connecting with others

The event clearly raised awareness. A 91-year-old woman shared how happy she was with the initiative. “She loves that she can now cycle together with others. She also knows exactly how Bike Labyrinth works now and plans to come by every week to keep cycling,” Claudia says.

Other participants also showed what Bike Labyrinth can mean. One woman now cycles with it every day. “Because of the risk of falling, she can no longer go out alone,” says Claudia. “With the duo bike, she can still ride, but she depends on others. Now with Bike Labyrinth, she can cycle independently again. She loves it and feels a great sense of freedom.”

Early enthusiastic cyclists

To make organization easier, one location connected a timer to Bike Labyrinth. That way, the system turns on in the morning and off in the evening. “After we heard that one resident wanted to cycle early, we simply set the timer an hour earlier so that these enthusiastic cyclists could also enjoy their rides,” Claudia continues.

At the end of the week, all participants received a bouquet as thanks for their participation. “One of the ladies even wanted to join again the following week. Fortunately, she can still use Bike Labyrinth - even without the event week,” Claudia concludes.