Board of Directors
PETE MCDONNELL has been riding on two wheels almost as long as he has been able to walk. A dedicated year-round cycling commuter, when not on his way to work he can be found riding for exercise and enjoyment. Favourite routes take him all around Perth County on his road bike. Occasional trail rides, either in Wildwood or the G2G trail are another favourite pastime. Pete is our club President.
JEANNE GRIER and her husband joined Cycle Stratford in 2019, as a way of meeting local riders before they had even purchased a home here. For 2 years, they drove from Richmond Hill to Stratford to join the Sunday morning group rides. In 2021, they purchased a home in Stratford, shortening their Sunday morning commute to 500 metres. Jeanne is our club VP and social media guru.
HEATHER HOUGHTON has been cycling all her life, from her childhood in Whitby, to the University of Waterloo, and into adulthood. She survived a serious bike accident and head injury in 2007, thanks to her helmet. She did less cycling after moving to Stratford in 2012, but during the pandemic, she and her husband got a Peloton, which reignited her love of cycling. In the spring of 2023, Heather’s exploration of Perth County roads began. Heather is our club Secretary.
FRANCES EVANS loves living in Stratford as much as she loves riding her bike approximately 322 days a year. She has been working at Famme & Co. the last 2 1/2 years, coming back after a 30 year leave of absence. Her love of restaurants finds her a couple days a week at Bluebird as one of Stratford’s happiest waitresses. Frances is the club’s Treasurer
LYLE BEAMAN is a lifelong cyclist, having discovered the freedom of going pretty well wherever he wanted to at a very early age in his hometown of St. Lambert, QC. After many years in the property/casualty insurance industry in Montreal, Toronto, London UK and New York, Lyle is now self-employed as an insurance consultant. He has had a home in Stratford since 2009. Lyle is the club’s Safety Officer.
ROLAND PLUM started cycling as a kid in Germany. He brought his 1988 road bike with him when he came to Stratford in 1994, but it was mainly living room decoration until he joined the cycle club about 7 years ago. Roland is a retired mechanical engineer and worked for a local bearing company. As a few of you might know, modern ball bearings were first developed in the 1880’s for use in bicycles, which shows their importance as a driver of innovation.
KATE SWIFT has been cycling for close to five decades. After moving to the Pacific NW in 1995, she enjoyed the paved shoulders and off-road trails of Washington State. She moved to Stratford in 2017, and joined our board in 2020. For her, a great day of riding includes an early start with a big breakfast, and a long ride somewhere scenic with a stop in the middle. Kate is a member of the Safety Subcommittee.
PAT RANNEY has cycled since she was a kid. She enjoys the exercise and people she has met through Cycle Stratford. Born and raised in Stratford, Pat worked in Toronto as a Project Manager and Strategic Planner, before retiring back in Stratford. She enjoys short jaunts around Stratford and multi-day cycling trips. Pat is the Board’s ATAC Representative.
ALAN KNIGHT recently moved to Stratford with his wife Liz, after living and working in Europe and Africa. They have long been touring cyclists and look forward to joining the Stratford cycling community and learning more about the region.
Bill Cray joined the Cycle Stratford board in 2024.
