News release: Community Cycling Center Celebrates 20 Years
June 5, 2014 – Portland, Ore. – The Community Cycling Center, Portland’s first nonprofit bike shop, is celebrating its 20thanniversary this June. This week, the Center launched its anniversary campaign video, featuring their founder, Brian Lacy.
From their humble beginnings on 24th and Alberta Street, to their very first Holiday Bike Drive, Lacy shares his memories of what inspired him to start the Community Cycling Center in 1994. Many of the programs he launched still form the foundation of the Cycling Center’s innovative work today. Since its inception, the Community Cycling Center’s Holiday Bike Drive alone has provided over 7,700 bicycles to children from families living on low incomes.
“We are humbled by the support we have received over the past 20 years,” said Mychal Tetteh, the Community Cycling Center’s CEO. “Our legacy of programming continues to address the primary barrier: access to a bicycle. Today we are celebrating this special milestone and looking ahead to our future.”
What does the future of bicycling in Portland look like?
The Community Cycling Center believes that investing in underserved communities will have the greatest impact on the future of active transportation.
- The nation’s poorest families spend the highest portion of their income (40%) on their commute to work. Low-income communities stand to benefit the most from active transportation.
- The fastest growing demographic for bicycling is among African American, Latino, and Asian American populations (the three groups grew from 16 to 23% of all bike trips in the U.S.).
- Portland’s bicycle economy—valued at over $90 million—represents more than 1,000 jobs in manufacturing, mechanics, retail, tourism, and more. This economy can be a resource for underserved communities if we develop a more inclusive environment for career advancement.
The Community Cycling Center is poised to deliver innovation in job skills training, transportation advocacy, and access to active transportation. In the future, the Cycling Center will:
- Increase job opportunities, training, and networking for economically isolated communities.
- Continue to deliver earn-a-bike programs while offering more experiential and culturally-relevant educational opportunities.
- Develop solutions that will help fill the gaps in our active transportation advocacy networks.
“Bicycling is a powerful tool for addressing the significant social, health and wealth inequalities faced by underserved communities in Portland,” added Tetteh. “With enough support, we can ensure that the next 20 years of active transportation in Portland will benefit the communities that need it the most.”
Help celebrate the Community Cycling Center’s 20th anniversary by making a gift today. All supporters who make a donation in June will be entered to win a Bike Friday cargo bike.
About the Community Cycling Center
The Community Cycling Center is a nonprofit organization founded in 1994 that helps people access their community by bicycle. We partner with communities on neighborhood-based projects and programs. We believe that all Portlanders—regardless of their income, education, or ethnic background—should have the opportunity to choose healthy, active transportation.
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(Click to view full-size historical milestones graphic)