Holiday Bikes for Kids

The Holiday Bikes for Kids project got some coverage in the ABH today.

Also, tonight & Wednesday we are preparing for Thursday night's Downtown Parade of Lights. If you can't make it for the prep sessions, be sure to come down to Dougherty St, across from Denney Towers, on Thursday between 6 and 6:30- all walkers and cyclists are welcome to join our float!

Map of campus bike racks

UGA has a campus map indicating the locations of bike racks (pdf).

Thanks, Nina, for the heads up!

Downtown Parade of Lights - Dec. 3rd!

Join the BikeAthens "float" through the annual Downtown Parade of Lights.

Dress as an elf or get otherwise festive...walk or ride your bike, and if you have a unique or interesting bicycle, please ride it!

After the parade, we'll convene at Little Kings for refreshments.

We had a blast last year, and we even won the "best Novelty Float" award. We will be on the LEFT side of Dougherty across from Denny Towers. Please join us by 6:30 pm.

Hope to see you- the more the merrier!

Here are pictires from last year's parade:

On the air! Bike Recycling on the radio

Board member Mike Ely is about to be interviewed on News/Talk 1340. He'll be discussing our Holiday Bikes for Kids project.
Tune in online!

For those who couldn't tune in, Mike discussed our Holiday Bikes for Kids.
Press release below:

Holiday Bikes for Kids

Got an old child-sized bicycle taking up space in the garage? Unclutter your life and support a great cause: BikeAthens' popular Bike Recycling Program is gearing up for the seventh annual Holiday Bikes for Kids project!

Bicycle donations are requested, and volunteers are needed to clean and repair children's bikes for giveaway during the holidays.

The Holiday Bikes for Kids project seeks to provide a happy holiday season to underprivileged youth by providing them with a quality, fully refurbished bicycle. Through the program, volunteers clean, polish and tune up donated youth bicycles. The refurbished bikes are then donated to local agencies and schools for distribution. Last year, over fifty bicycles were presented to children in the Athens community!

To ensure that as many bicycles as possible reach local children in need, BikeAthens encourages the community to donate used children's bicycles, volunteer time, supplies, and money. More donated bicycles and volunteer hours mean more holiday wishes fulfilled! Supporters may also send in shop supplies, such as rags, all-purpose degreasers, very fine steel wool, paper towels, and bicycle lubricant. Cash donations allow for the purchase of needed parts and will offset the cost of the new helmets that are distributed with every bike.

Volunteers will repair bicycles during regular shop hours (Sundays 2-4 PM and Mondays and Wednesdays 6-8 PM) until the week of Christmas. Individuals seeking to donate bicycles, supplies, or other gifts can stop by at these times or contact bicyclerecycling@bikeathens.com.

BikeAthens’ Bike Recycling Program repair shop is located in studio 6 of the Chase Street Warehouse (149 Oneta Street). Additional information and directions available at bikeathens.com/activities/bike_recycling/

Thursday, November 26 (Thanksgiving Day), from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, BikeAthens will formally kick-off the Holiday Bikes for Kids project at the Bike Recycling Program workshop.

Contact: Jason Perry & Mike Ely, bicyclerecycling@bikeathens.com

Reed Alley update

The state Board of Regents won't approve this renovation proposal until next spring.

Bike/ped designs for "Reed Alley"

The University of Georgia's architects have plans to breathe some life into the forlorn alleyway between Sanford Stadium and Memorial & Reed halls. The alley currently serves as a dirty & forgotten loading area, but the paved corridor connects Sanford Dr to East Campus Rd.

Instead of gray concrete and cracked asphalt, pedestrians and bicyclists will travel a covered walk by the stadium with plants and other landscaping features.

"It connects more of our open space and pedestrian pathways; it will facilitate east-west pedestrian and bicycle flow. It's going to create a much nicer kind of pedestrian walkway," [says UGA Campus Architect Danny Sniff].

Before and after images featured in the full article.

Kudos to UGA for once again taking the lead on increasing bicycle and pedestrian connectivity in Athens!

BRP in the news

The Red & Black, UGA's student-run newspaper, profiles our Bike Recycling Program today.

BRP is gearing up for its annual Holiday Bikes for Kids campaign. Want to get involved? Come by the shop during open hours to volunteer:

Sunday, 2:00-4:30 pm
Monday & Wednesday, 6:00-8:30 pm

More deck discussion

Flagpole's Kevan Williams analyzes the downtown parking deck's context in downtown, as well as alternative exterior designs that might liven it up as a valuable component of the streetscape (See James Kunstler for another perspective on the suggested alternative facade.)

Is it cool or an abomination?

Bicycle tour of Athens

After speaking with a writer from Bicycling magazine yesterday (our cycling scene will be profiled in the March issue!), I realized there is no digital resource for visitors who'd like to tour Athens' many sights and destinations by bike.

Take a look at this first stab and let us know what you think. Suggestions most welcome!



View Bicycle Tour of Athens, GA in a larger map

Also, here's a map of a possible ride route.
P.S. this online map would work very well with our soon-to-print 2010 Bike Map. Stay tuned!

Downtown deck approved

A 520-space, mixed-use, downtown parking deck got the go-ahead from the ACC Mayor & Commission. This deck will be built in the lot behind and adjacent to the Georgia Theatre.

ABH provides this artist's rendering of the deck design: