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This article was published 15/5/2018 (861 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

DOWNTOWN Winnipeg BIZ is launching a bike-share program.

The program, called Pedal in the Peg, has been in the testing phase for several years, but organizers admit it’s been little-known and under-utilized so far.

"We haven’t done the best job of promoting it. It’s not as utilized as we would have liked or expected in the past, and we think there’s been some confusion about who it’s for and who it’s available to," Downtown Winnipeg BIZ spokeswoman Tineke de Jong said.

The program features 22 bikes that are rented out of five locations downtown, including city hall, the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ offices and three hotels — the Alt Hotel, the Delta Hotel and the Holiday Inn & Suites — where people can fill out a form and be given a bicycle, helmet, bike lock and cycling map.

Three of the locations offer free rentals, while a fee is charged at two of the hotels. When finished with the bike, it must be returned to the same location it was rented from.

"I think it brings the opportunity to explore cycling in our city, and this program can make that accessible to people who might not otherwise have the chance," de Jong said.

"There’s a large network of cycling paths downtown for someone to explore. And when you take out a bike, you’re handed everything you need to go on a cycling adventure."

It’s not clear how many people have been taking advantage of the program while it’s been tested, as organizers haven’t kept a close eye on that data, she said. But Downtown Winnipeg BIZ hopes that once the program is officially launched, people will start lining up to rent out a bike and take a spin around the city.

"We’ve refreshed all of the bikes. We’ve got them tuned up for the new year and we want to make sure people are aware that this is out there," de Jong said.

The official launch of the program will be announced at a press conference this morning at city hall.

ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca