Bikes, kids, sun and music made Greenbridge Plaza a community happening Wednesday evening. Three bicycle repair stations were set up in the plaza and Cascade Bicycle Club furnished helmets. Youngsters and adults kept bicycle mechanics busy repairing flat tires, lubing hubs, and adjusting brakes. Nearly two dozen youngsters rode away with new helmets. Local pizzeria, Proletariat Pizza furnished an exceptional array of pizza for hungry volunteers.
King County and Cascade Bicycle Club have recognized that southern greater Seattle has been underserved by bicycle facilities and advocates. Through Cascade’s founding of the Major Taylor Project, focus has been directed toward teens who have had little experience bicycling. Ed Ewing, Director of the Major Taylor Club was an enthusiastic presence at Wednesday’s event, talking with children and parents, fitting helmets and repairing bikes. Through the work of such collaborations as the Major Taylor Project, the Yes! Foundation of White Center and King County Food and Fitness, these underserved populations are being reached.
Wednesday’s event was a collaborative effort of nine different organizations. It’s success was primarily orchestrated by Ellie Weiss of DubSea Bikes so named for DubSea Coffee located on Greenbridge Plaza. Concerned about the lack of bicycle repair shops available to residents of White Center and South Park (Residents must go to either West Seattle or Burien for bike shop service, too great a distance for a largely transit-using population.), Weiss collaborated with King County’s In Motion Project, Yes! Foundation of White Center and other sponsoring organizations to pull off the event. Bike repair was made possible through the participation of Bike Works, Alki Bike and Board and the Major Taylor Project.
Tunes&Tune-ups brought together a community. As children rode bikes, were fitted for helmets, or had their bikes repaired, music played. Families ate, visited and danced enjoying August sun and neighborly camaraderie.
Event Sponsors:
Alta Planning & Design, Bike Works, Cascade Bicycle Club's Major Taylor Project, DubSea Bikes, King County Food & Fitness, Proletariat Pizza, Sustainable West Seattle, White Center Community Development Association, Yes! Foundation
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