Cyclists to cross Peace Bridge in October for CanAm Freedom Ride

Cyclists from Buffalo and Fort Erie will cross the Peace Bridge together on October 4 to celebrate cross-border friendship and remember the freedom seekers who once made the same journey along the Underground Railroad.

The CanAm Freedom Ride will depart from Freedom Park in Buffalo at 10 a.m., taking participants over the bridge for a stop at Fort Erie’s park by the same name before returning along a 14-kilometre route.

“It highlights the friendship between the U.S. and Canada because we think that’s really important,” said Erin Griffis, communications and program coordinator for Niagara River Greenway.

The ride commemorates the historic journey of enslaved people who escaped to freedom on the Underground Railroad, crossing by ferry from Buffalo’s Freedom Park to Fort Erie, their final stop on Canadian soil.

Griffis said last year’s inaugural ride showed the value of cross-border community events.

“Last year, it was really powerful and emotional,” she told Fort Erie Radio.

About 100 to 200 cyclists are expected, with the Rotary Club of Fort Erie providing snacks and Niagara River Greenway offering coffee at the Fort Erie stop.

Cyclists will have the rare chance to cross the Peace Bridge without vehicle traffic. The Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority is assisting with safety and directing riders through the crossing.

“We hope to expand it every year and make it an annual ride,” Griffis said.

Participants must be 18 or older and carry valid travel documents to cross the border. Registration is available online through Eventbrite.

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