McGill Libraries
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Identity area
Type of entity
Corporate body
Authorized form of name
Canadian Wheelman's Association
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
1881-1968
History
The Canadian Wheelman’s Association (CWA) was founded in St. Thomas, Ontario, in 1881 by an avid cyclist, Dr. Perry Doolittle (1861-1933). It was incorporated in 1882. CWA was Canada’s first national cycling association. Its goal was to promote, organize and represent cycling in Canada, discover touring routes and preserve the bicyclist’s right to the road. The Forest City Bicycle Club was the first club to join the CWA and hosted its first annual meet in London, Ontario, on July 22, 1883. During the 1890s, the bicycle became increasingly popular, and the CWA’s annual meets drew thousands of people from across Canada. Dr. Doolittle served as CWA President from 1895 to 1896 and compiled and edited at least one of the touring guides the CWA produced in the 1890s. In 1968, the Canadian Wheelman’s Association changed its name to the Canadian Cycling Association and still operates today as Canada’s oldest sport governing body.