BTA donates 20 bicycles to New Columbia
On a Friday in early January, Joel Holly and Sheilagh Griffin opened the doors to the Bicycle Transportation Alliance’s bike storage space in SE Portland to roll out 20 bicycles from their retired bike fleet. The bikes, generously donated by the BTA, are destined for the bicycle repair hub and skills park that we’re developing in partnership with local leaders in the North Portland community of New Columbia.
Last summer, Egbevado Ananouko and We All Can Ride, a community bicycling group in New Columbia, borrowed bicycles from Portland Bureau of Transportation’s Safe Routes to School program to lead a summer riding group for kids and adults in the neighborhood. The rides were fun and well-attended, and this infusion of bicycles will only make the program stronger. We All Can Ride plans to fix up the donated bicycles and maintain them as a loaner fleet for kids to use for rides this upcoming summer.
The bicycles are an initial step toward the vision of creating a resource hub to support the growing number of riders at New Columbia. We have been planning this project with community members for nearly a year, and we officially kicked off the process this month by bringing together the core group of partners who will be contributing resources, time and expertise. This all-star team, including We All Can Ride, Village Gardens, Home Forward, and Northwest Trails Alliance, has some great ideas and energy, and the BTA’s bicycle donation is a wonderful boost to the project.
We will store the bicycles through the rainy season, and we’re looking forward to bringing them to New Columbia when this year’s summer programming kicks off.
Thanks to the BTA for their generous support!
Photo by Joel Schneier