business – GEARs

This article was originally published in the City of Eugene InMotion Newsletter; a great resource for local active transportation information. Subscribe here!

LiveMove and the City of Eugene would like to invite you to join us for a visit by April Economides, a nationally recognized expert on how bicycling can contribute to a thriving local economy as well as a safer and healthier community. April will be in town sharing her knowledge with our community next Thursday, February 7th.

April Economides is principal of Green Octopus Consulting and General Manager of Bike Nation’s Long Beach bike share program, which will launch this year. She created the nation’s first Bike-Friendly Business District program for the City of Long Beach and helped launch similar efforts in San Diego and other cities around North America. She speaks throughout the U.S. and Canada on “The Business Case for Bicycling” and “Bike-Friendly Business Districts.”

A Bicycle-Friendly Business District integrates bicycling into its operations, events and promotions to encourage people to bike to an area to shop and dine. Merchants and employees also ride bicycles to run errands and make deliveries.

Below is April’s schedule for her visit. Feel free to join us for one or both of the activities listed below. Please feel free to share this information with others who might be interested.

Bicycle Ride of Eugene’s Bikeable and Walkable Business Districts
Date: Thursday, February 7th, 2013
Time: 3:30 – 4:30 PM
Location: Meet outside the Wells Fargo Building (99 E. Broadway).
Description: The bike ride will take guests through several retail districts in Eugene and highlight some of the current infrastructure already in place to our guest speaker.

Public Presentation on how Bikes Mean Business
Date: Thursday, February 7th, 2013
Time: 4:30pm Social Hour, 5:30pm Presentation
Location: Downtown Athletic Club, 3rd Floor, Ballroom A
Description: April Economides will give a presentation on how increasing cycling in a community can stimulate the local economy and improve health and safety.

The City of Eugene is excited for April’s visit and thankful for the University of Oregon’s LiveMove student group for sponsoring her trip to Eugene.

And how to get around town on a bike.

May 10, 6:30 to 8pm. Hilyard Community Center (directions)

Are you trying to find out if riding a bike might be right for you? Or are you just getting started and need some great tips and safety guidance from some experienced helpful people? If yes is the answer to either of the above, you will not want to miss this “Nite Out!”.

GEARs is pleased to have Paul Adkins present an evening that both teaches and reinforces good cycling. He’ll have a short presentation with information about proper gear and clothing, riding skills, technique, cycling laws, street confidence, and bicycle maintenance.

A very diverse panel of six women (see below for bios) will take over and share their personal stories. They’ll talk about their fears and barriers to getting around by bike and how they have overcome them. Then you can ask them questions.

And for those that want to stay, we’ll give a lesson on fixing a flat tire.

The Panelists

	Cortney Mild: As a dancer, Cortney started commuting by bike so that she could squeeze triathlon training into her active schedule. One thing led to another and she ended up at the University of Oregon as a masters student in planning with a focus on bicycle transportation.
	Caroline Forell: Caroline is Professor of Bike Law at the University of Oregon. She has commuted by bike to the UO for 30 plus years as well as in San Francisco, Honolulu, Iowa City, and Hobart and Brisbane, Australia.
	Kathryn Wells: “I hadn’t ridden a bike in 20 years. My husband got one for me when I had the chance to ride to work, and after a very wobbly start, a class, and some practice, I’m really enjoying my commute!”
	Emily Swenson: Emily is the parent of two young children and a part-time teacher. She and her family went car-light in the spring of 2010, and she gets around town primarily by bike, but also on foot and by bus. She writes a family cycling blog, mamafiets.blogspot.com.
	Claire Dannenbaum: Claire has been riding a bike as part of everyday life for over 20 years. She has integrated biking into parenting, work life, and all manner of daily chores and errands from groceries to gardening.
	Holly McRae: Holly is a mother, advocate and self proclaimed dirt worshipping tree hugger. She sits on the City of Eugene’s Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee and has worked at WREN as the Environmental Education Coordinator.

This evening is a great way to get you ready for the summer and to gear up to participate in the Business Commuter Challenge that starts the week of May 14-20. Businesses, schools, offices, and factories all around Eugene will be encouraged to bike, walk, and take a bus or carpool during that time. Our aim is to get people on bicycles and and help them to enjoy that experience enough to keep it going.

GEARs found good partners to work with on this event!