Less Screen Time, More Kids Being Kids: A Letter to Maple Ridge PACs

If you're a Maple Ridge parent wondering what to do with kids who would rather stay on a screen, this letter is for you. Our General Manager, Josh Straat, wrote it to local school PACs, and we're sharing it here for every family in our community.

What to do with kids in Maple Ridge instead of screens

Good evening,

I'm reaching out about North Shore Bike Park, and first I want to clarify something that I think is really important:

North Shore Bike Park is in Maple Ridge!

I'm a dad myself, and I know how easy it is for kids to spend hours on phones, iPads, video games and YouTube. As parents, we can tell them to get off their screens all we want, but I think the bigger challenge is giving them somewhere they actually want to go instead.

That's one of the reasons I've become so passionate about getting more Maple Ridge families to know about the bike park.

Despite the name, it isn't just for serious bikers. It's an indoor, all-wheels park for all ages and all skill levels. Kids come with bikes, scooters, skateboards and other wheels, and there are also activities like fingerboards and an RC rock crawler course.

What I really love about it as a parent is the environment.

Kids don't have to be amazing riders or know anyone when they arrive. They can come at whatever skill level they're at, learn from each other, make friends, build confidence and just have fun.

For busy parents, it's also somewhere kids can be dropped off to spend time being active rather than sitting at home on a screen.

As kids get a little older and start wanting more independence, I think having a local place where they can go and do something positive is incredibly valuable.

They're getting exercise without thinking of it as exercise. They're learning new skills, falling down and trying again, encouraging each other and interacting with other kids face-to-face.

And they're doing all of that while their phones are in their pockets.

Unfortunately, because of the name "North Shore Bike Park," many families still assume we're located in North Vancouver. We're actually right here in Maple Ridge, and I think there are so many local kids and parents who simply don't know we're here.

For me, this is about more than promoting a bike park. It's about giving our kids another option.

Less screen time. More movement. More confidence. More friendships. More kids actually being kids.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and for everything you do for the kids and families in our community.

Josh Straat

General Manager • Head Builder • Ramp Camp

All Wheels • All Ages • All Skill Levels • Everyone Welcome

More for parents

Questions? Email us at Info@NorthShoreBikePark.ca.

Riders aged 8 to 11 can be dropped off once a parent checks them in at the front desk. Our drop-off policy has the details. Planning a class trip? See our group rates, or check day pass pricing for your next family visit.