So bicycling in Lancaster has just gotten a little bit cooler.
This First Friday, Jan 3, 2014, will mark the launch of a “bicycling hub” in Southern Market on Queen St., driven(pun intended) by Dream Ride Projects, a local non-profit that has “has worked to support a healthier, greener way of life for residents of Lancaster and the Susquehanna Valley, through select Projects, Initiatives and Fundraising Events, in support of local Charities, Air Quality, and Bicycle Friendly Community efforts,” since 1995.
DRP’s hub will provide information and resources for local bicyclists and tourists alike, including a library chock-full of bicycling publications and spaces INDOORS to park your bike. Pretty Rad.
Southern Market is already an incredibly beautiful building, once housing the visitors center and walking tours, but will now cater more to those of us on two wheels. A place to get advice, check in on what the DRP is up to, the bike-friendly initiatives taking place in Lancaster, and provides another venue to explore.
Lancaster is becoming more and more bike friendly, and it’s refreshing to hear about a place and a space for that energy. Lancaster recently won a grant to study and plan bike-friendly infrastructure in Lancaster City, which I’m excited about.
I can say I am one of those who rides to and from work most days, when the weather’s willing. I try to ride safe and be smart, but there’s still a lot of work to do to make this city safe for bicyclists. Awareness, roadways, markings, bike routes. They’re all in the works, my friends, this is just the start.
Meet Mike Ridgeway, read more about Dream Ride Projects and their bicycle hub, here.
I’m not sure if you’re aware, but there’s another committee out there doing us bicyclists good. Coalition for a Bicycle Friendly Lancaster has monthly meetings to discuss initiatives and communicates with the city to provide information about bicycling, and our wants and needs, in Lancaster. There may be a few Transplants and Locals working together here to get things done.