Bicycle Indiana Relocates to Indy Bike Hub YMCA
09/01/2011
Bicycle Indiana is excited to call the Indy Bike Hub YMCA our new home. The Hub's grand opening will be September 14th and Bicycle Indiana will officially be in our new space on September 8th. The staff of BI and INDYCOG will share a small office on the second floor of this facility, which is located in the east wing of the City Market in Indianapolis. This office space was made possible by the team at Bicycle Garage Indy and we're very grateful for their generousity.
For more information about the Indy Bike Hub YMCA and the grand opening INDY BIKE HUB YMCA
Ceremony Marks National Ranking
NEWS RELEASE
April 28, 2011
2 p.m.
South Bend receives Bicycle Friendly Community signage
Contact: Mikki Dobski, Director of Communications & Special Projects, 235-5855 or 876-1564 or Chris Dressel, Bicycle Coordinator, 235-9371
A representative from the League of American Bicyclists today presented Mayor Stephen J. Luecke with official roadway signage designating South Bend as a Bicycle Friendly Community.
The ceremony formally marked South Bend’s entrance into an elite group of 158 U.S. cities in 43 states, so designated for their “remarkable commitment” to bicycling. South Bend is one of four Indiana cities designated and the only Bicycle Friendly Community in northern Indiana.
“The League of American Bicyclists was impressed with many aspects of South Bend’s bicycling community, [including] … the growing bike culture in South Bend. … South Bend is becoming an even better place for cycling,” said Nancy Tibbett, a League representative. Tibbett cited the increased volume of bicycle commuting, the high participation in bicycling events and the proximity of residents to bike routes – nearly 70 percent live within a quarter-mile – as factors in South Bend’s bronze-level designation. “The League looks forward to helping South Bend move up the ranks and become an even better cycling city,” she said.
Luecke also announced that the City of South Bend has recently surpassed his commitment in his 2007 State of the City address to add 50 miles of new bike routes by the end of 2011.
“We’re proud of this national recognition of the progress we’ve made in South Bend with the development of trails along the St. Joseph River and bike lanes in our city streets. The Bicycle Friendly Community logo will become very familiar to bicycling enthusiasts among our residents and visitors,” Luecke said. “I’m happy we also can use this occasion to observe the passing of a milestone – the first 50 miles of new bicycle routes in our community since 2007.
“The Bicycle Friendly Community designation validates the tremendous efforts undertaken by the Bike Michiana Coalition, the City of South Bend and other cyclists to enhance our quality of life,” said Judy Lee, president of the Bike Michiana Coalition, a local nonprofit bicycling advocacy organization. “South Bend is a model to other communities as the region’s clear leader in making bicycling safe and accessible.”
South Bend was among 18 new Bicycle Friendly Communities, which were chosen in fall 2010 from 48 applicants. South Bend received a bronze designation in its second time applying.
The three-year designation (up for renewal in July 2014) is based on a detailed application that provides a comprehensive picture of a community’s commitment to bicycling through engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement, and evaluation/planning. Communities must demonstrate achievements in each of the five categories for designation. Communities with more significant achievements receive superior awards.
“We will continue to work with our partners in the bicycling community, such as the Bike Michiana Coalition and Bike the Bend, to increase bicycling alternatives and make South Bend a more livable community,” Luecke said.
Community representatives said the Bicycle Friendly Community designation impacts the whole community, not only cyclists. “Many homeowners, especially young professionals, are looking for locations that offer easy commuting and recreational opportunities,” said Laurie LaDow, a Realtor with Cressy and Everett. “In my opinion, this designation will help to raise demand for real estate in South Bend and will help increase property values, especially for homes on designated bike routes.”
The designation also can draw visitors and tourist dollars to South Bend, according to Rob DeCleene, executive director of the South Bend/Mishawaka Convention and Visitors Bureau. “South Bend being designated a bicycle-friendly community by the League of American Bicyclists is a huge coup for the community, and the City of South Bend should be commended for their efforts,” DeCleene said. “Bicycling has a very passionate following and represents so many positive aspects of a community — fitness, environmental awareness, family-friendliness, etc. The entire sport just has an unspoken edge to it that is an essential attribute to positioning a destination to a savvy demographic, and will help in any progress we can make in establishing South Bend as a hip collegiate city.”
The designation came in a year in which the first Bike the Bend drew nearly 1,800 recreational bicyclists to the streets of South Bend, Mishawaka and St. Joseph County, and in which South Bend also became Indiana’s leading city for commuting by bicycle, according to 2008 U.S. Census statistics.
In today’s ceremony at Jon Hunt Plaza, Luecke also proclaimed May as bike month and representatives of Bike the Bend and Bike to Work Week detailed plans for upcoming events:
•Bike the Bend is now registering participants for its second annual ride, which takes place from 6:30 to 11:30 a.m. Sunday, May 15. For more information, visit
www.BiketheBend.com
•Michiana Bike to Work Week is encouraging bicycle commuters to ride to work during the week of May 16-20 with a combined goal of having all riders exceed 35,000 total miles. For more information, visit
www.MichianaBiketoWork.org
Bicycle Friendly Awards Ceremony
4/14/11 @ 1:30pm – B-Line Plaza
• Introduction and Opening Remarks by Mayor Mark Kruzan. He will then introduce...
• Nancy Tibbett, Executive Director of Bicycle Indiana, who will speak about bicycling initiatives in the State. She will introduce....
• Bill Nesper, Director of the League of American Bicyclists' Bicycle Friendly America Program. He will discuss the program and individually acknowledge:
• Indiana University as a Bicycle Friendly University. Bill Brown, Director of Sustainability, will add a few remarks;
• Bloomington Bicycle Club as Club of the Year. Keith Vogelsang, President of the Bloomington Bicycle Club, will add a few remarks;
• Bloomingfoods as a Bicycle Friendly Business. Darcy Harvey, Bloomingfoods Administrative Support, will accept the award and George Huntington, Bloomingfoods General Manager, will add a few remarks;
• Bloomington as both a Bicycle Friendly Business and a Bicycle Friendly Community. Mayor Mark Kruzan will accept the award and will introduce Josh Desmond, Assistant Planning Director, who will add a few remarks.