sbbike's quickrelease summer 2014
DESCRIPTION
Building our Future: look back on the growth of Bici Centro and SBBIKE and look forward as together we purchase our facility and build our future!TRANSCRIPT
Summer 2014 • Volume 24 / No. 2
BuildingOur Future
SANTA BARBARA BICYCLE COALITION
SBSANTA BARBARA BICYCLE COALITION
BIKEHelp build our future / pg 11
A community cycling center for Santa Barbara
QuickRelease
2 Quick Release Summer 2014
BOARDMichael Chiacos, PresidentCarmen Lozano, Vice PresidentCourtney Dietz, Vice PresidentDavid Bourgeois, TreasurerByron BeckRobert CaizaHector GonzalezTim BurgessJohn HygelundMike VergeerDavid HodgesSue Carmody
STAFFEd France, Executive [email protected]
Christine Bourgeois, Education [email protected]
Shawn Von Biela, Shop [email protected]
Howard Booth, Membership/Volunteer [email protected]
Omari Fuller and Sam Franklin, Connecting Our Community [email protected]; [email protected]
GOVT. LIAISONS & ADVISORSMatt Dobberteen, AdvisorCounty of Santa [email protected]
Kent Epperson, AdvisorTraffic [email protected]
Teresa Lopes, AdvisorCity of [email protected]
Ralph Fertig, President [email protected]
GRAPHIC DESIGNCynthia Stahl, [email protected]
EDITORHolly Starley, [email protected]
CONTACT US506 E. Haley St.Santa Barbara, CA 93103
PO Box 92047Santa Barbara, CA 93190
www.sbbike.org617-3255
CONTRIBUTEYour time: www.bicicentro.org/volunteerIn-kind: www.bicicentro.org/wishlistFinancially: www.bicicentro.org/donate
Our Vision
The Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition (SBBIKE) vision is that Santa Barbara will be a
leader in creating a bicycle-friendly community and transportation system. Extensive
on-road and separated bikeways, a coordinated transit system, parking, and amenities
allow us to enjoy a culture where the majority of daily trips include a bicycle.
As a result, our community is healthier and encourages balanced living within our
resources. Universal cycling education for all ages supports the development of
safe and respectful road behaviors from both motorists and cyclists. Widespread
community and political support for bicycling is in place. By 2040, because it is a
cycling-centered county, Santa Barbara is both a great place to live and work and a
nationally acclaimed cycling destination, boasting a year-round calendar of successful,
fun, and inclusive events.
COVER PHOTO AND BACK IMAGE: Junior High Summer Camp participants gather at SBBIKE’s
Haley Street home to learn bike maintenance before heading out for a street ride. Photos by
Daniel Girard.
Letter from the Editor
P utting together this issue was a trek through the history of
Bici Centro that elaborated the stupendous growth and
beauty of vision that seeded today’s Bici and SBBIKE.
From a lemonade stand-esque sign in 2007 offering bike repair
help has grown a thriving, multi-armed coalition. From its
store-front headquarters on Haley Street, SBBIKE offers political
advocacy, outreach, and education, constantly expanding and innovating to get
the bikes, skillsets, and safety equipment to those who need them and to improve
infrastructure. Its DIY repair shop/bike store is booming, saving seven hundred
bicycles annually and offering cyclists a place to gather and fix their bikes at low cost.
When, recently, SBBIKE faced a new challenge, its leaders, true to form, transformed
it into an incredible opportunity. The headquarters was for sale. This meant the
coalition would risk needing to find a new home or rent increases it couldn’t control.
Or SBBIKE could purchase the building. With loans and donations from its own
community, the organization has gathered nearly 75 percent of the necessary funds.
Shop manager Shawn von Beila’s excitement about the prospect of ownership is
contagious. In his goose bump-inducing words, this would be only the beginning;
“Anything we dream up, we can make happen.”
I believe that. In this issue, see how joy and vision and extraordinary effort have
combined over the past seven years to become the tour de force that is Santa
Barbara’s cycling hub, bringing so many dreams to fruition. Read about SBBIKE’s
strides in advocating to connect the South Coast’s bikeways and its rapidly increasing
ability to reach more and more community members. Partake in an adventure told
by an unusual storyteller. Meet a new cyclist from City Hall. Learn how you can help
SBBIKE realize its dream of owning its headquarters. And imagine, together as a
cycling community, what we can dream up next.
Happy dreaming,
Holly Starley, QR editor
www.SBBIKE.org 3
I n May, SBBIKE membership hit 600, our projected
goal for this spring. If you’re not yet a member (or
know a friend or loved one who’d love to be a part of
real, inclusive, long-term change in the community; get
great discounts; and join a great group of environment-
and health-minded folks), join now. Be a part of the
tremendous forward momentum that’s sweeping us
toward a connected coast where everyone can ride!
Find a membership form online at www.sbbike.org.
Bronze and Steel Members
Hazards Cycle SportPacific Pedalers/ Santa Barbara PedicabHoffman ArchitectureMesa Business AssociationService ObjectsHorny ToadPedal Born PicturesMesa ArchitectsREI
Marcia Burtt Gallery
Isla Vista Food Coop We Bike ElectricTailwinds Bicycle Club of Santa MariaRevolution Coaching LLCEbike Santa BarbaraThe Dirt Club Jones Precision WheelsKendrick ConsultingHelloHarvest
Chatenever CeramicsRincon Cycle
SBBIKE Membership Mushrooms!
projected Dec. 2014 850
June 2014 600
projected April 2015 1,000
Membership and projected
membership levels represented by the heads of Volunteer
Coordinator Howard Booth and Education
Director Christine Bourgeois. Let’s make
Christine’s head explode! See more stats, pages 6 and 7.
PLATINUM MEMBERS
GOLD & CARBON FIBER MEMBERS
TITANIUM MEMBERS
Santa Barbara Cruisers
SILVER & ALUMINUM MEMBERS
DIAMOND MEMBERS
The Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition would like to thank all our supporters and
business members.
Want to read more and participate in the discussion? Visit sbbikelab.org.
SB LABSANTA BARBARA BICYCLE COALITION
BIKESBBC INTERACTIVE
4 Quick Release Summer 2014
BUILDING OUR FUTURE
T he Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition (SBBIKE) has reached an
important crossroads. Its current building—home of the Bici
Centro shop and community cycling center—is up for sale. In
order to build the future of the coalition’s work in the community,
SBBIKE’s board and leaders plan to purchase the building.
Not purchasing would mean risks, such as uncontrolled rent or
halting programming while relocating to a new space. More than
risks, though, the board sees tremendous opportunity. Here at its
current home (where SBBIKE moved just last year), the coalition has
seen its programs flourishing and growth booming. Here they see
the building of Santa Barbara’s cycling community’s future. “We
must have a viable site to operate and grow our programs,” they
decided. “This is the best opportunity to purchase a permanent
facility for our community offerings.”
Why purchase this building?
Years of research confirm
that SBBIKE’s store-front
home on Haley is the most
affordable and functional
space available to meet the
needs of the dynamic, growing
community cycling center
that is Bici Centro. The center
provides education programs
for thousands of students
throughout the county. It
houses classroom space,
advocacy and outreach offices, and a DIY bike repair shop serving
over 1,200 patrons and refurbishing 700 bikes each year.
SBBIKE TO PURCHASE THE BICI CENTRO BUILDING
WORK TO DATE• We have raised $700,000 in low interest loans
and $300,000 in cash donations toward a $1.2
million purchase.
• We have secured, pro-bono, a real estate
attorney-broker, Bret Stone of Palladin Law,
to represent us in the transaction.
• We have developed a business plan that
stabilizes rents and utilizes a minority of the
facility for a commercial tenant.
• Over time, the coalition will build equity and
actually reduce our facility expenses to focus
our efforts on growing operations.
• We have presented our plan to Tom Parker
of the Hutton Parker Foundation. He has
endorsed our effort and challenged us to raise
our down payment and close the remaining
financial gap.
506 E. Haley Street.
We must have a viable site to operate and grow our programs. This is the best opportunity to purchase a permanent facility for our community offerings.
We need your support
In order to build the future of SBBIKE and Bici Centro,
we need your support to help purchase the building
that is key to our existence. To donate, see page 11 or
go to sbbike.org and click on Donate. For questions or
comments about this project, please contact Ed France,
executive director, 805-252-9064, [email protected].
www.SBBIKE.org 5
BUILDING OUR FUTURE
F rom within the walls of SBBIKE’s home on Haley
Street come these programs:
For Adults:
• Four monthly Street Skills clinics
• Lunch and Learn for the workplace (offered
bilingually)
• Learn Your Bike! An eight-week series teaching
bike mechanics and repairs
• Bike education with Center for Lifelong
Learning
For Youth:
• Youth Earn-A-Bike program (Pedal Power):
Eighteen hours of “bicycle driver” training for
students
• June Cycling Camps: Kids age ten and up get
ready to ride to school!
• SBici (Santa Barbara High’s Bike Club): The
club wrenches bicycles and enjoys group rides.
In 2014, two youth and a mentor traveled to
New York City for the Youth Bike Summit.
• Service learning opportunities for youth
groups hosted at Bici Centro
• Bike education with use of a fleet of fifteen
bicycles
For Community/Family:
• SB Sports Drive: Bilingual education and
donation of refurbished bikes
• Bici Familia Events (Health Fair, Eastside
Rides, Family Bike Night): Bilingual education,
use of bike fleet, and donation of refurbished
bikes
• A Bike 4 Christmas: Bilingual education and
donation of refurbished bikes
• Monthly Safe Routes to School/Bike
Education committee meeting
To learn more about or sign up for any of these
programs, visit sbbike.org or contact education
coordinator Christine Bourgeois at [email protected].
HELP BUILD THE FUTURE OF SBBIKE PROGRAMS
TOP: A Bike 4 Christmas, 2013 MIDDLE: Saving bikes, Fixing bikes. Photos by Christine BourgeoisBOTTOM: Summer Campers ready to ride. Photo by Daniel Girard.
6 Quick Release Summer 2014
THE BICI/SBBIKE STORY
How Far We’ve Come
2007 2008 2009 2010A strong vision and a lot of enthusiasm—the seeds of the Bici Centro story—were planted. With no space yet and using their own tools, founders (among them Ed France, now SBBIKE director; Dave Bourgeois and Robert Caiza, now board members; Erika Lindemann, former board president; and Joanna Kaufman) set out to help people fix their bikes and promote cycling. This motley crew set out a sign and wrenched on Saturday afternoons. This work was 100 percent volunteer. No money was exchanged.
Bici Centro had its grand opening at the space next to Casa de la Raza that would be the DIY shop’s home for the next five hears. Das Williams (then SB city council member, now state assembly member) attended and worked on his bike. Bourgeois set up the cash register. From the beginning, the shop was always busy.
The group turned its focus to education, hosting Bici’s first Pedal Power program (youth earn-a-bike skills class) at La Cumbre Junior High in the spring and putting on its first summer camp. In December, the education coordinator position was established, filled by Christine Bourgeois.
Bici Centro was going strong, but these wrenchers come advocators/educators faced high demand and limited resources. In 2010, CycleMAYnia was born, Bici Centro merged with SBBIKE, and France became SBBIKE’s executive director.
Classroom – SBBIKE’s Education and Meeting Room
May 2014: Family Bike Night at Adams Elementary School:
2012: 550
2013: 1,200
Bici Centro – SBBIKE’s DIY Repair and Bicycle Shop
Open Shop Patrons
Project for 2014: 1,500Bikes Saved/Recycled
2012: 300
2013: 500+ (sold 300, given to kids 200)
Project for 2014: 700Open/Volunteer Shop Days
2012: 164
2013: 250Projected for 2014: 300 11 new LCIs trained in April 2014
Events held at SBBIKE headquarters
2012: 210
2013: 425(education planning, classes, committee and board meetings, shops, Crane School, Open Streets meetings, Bike Builds, etc.)
Project for 2014: 500Kids who learned skills and/or earned bikes through Pedal Power and Summer Camps
2012: 140
2013: 247Project for 2014: 300Adults served through cycling skills and mechanics classes
2012: 83
2013: 353Projected for 2014: 400
Active LCIs serving our community: 35
Outreach/Advocacy Offices
Lights distributed
2012: 400 sets
2013: 700 sets
Projected for 2014: 800
Number of people who completed a Connecting Our Community postcard at Earth Day & other events
278Participants at Bilingual Bici Familia family events
May 2013: Eastside Ride: 57September 2013: Health Fair: 97
www.SBBIKE.org 7
How Far We’ll Go
THE BICI/SBBIKE STORY
2012 2013 2014
Enter the Spanish Language Outreach Committee. Building on the founding vision of reaching out to the Spanish-speaking community, volunteers built the Taller Móvil (Mobile Bike Shop), which offered wrenching on the go. This year also saw the creation of Bike World, Bici’s booth at the Earth Day Festival, with bike-powered stage and valet parking. SBici, Santa Barbara High School’s bike club, was born. In Thanksgiving, some thirty volunteers gathered to build bikes for kids for a Christmas giveaway (the seed that would become the Bikes 4 Kids program).
Education was in need of help, as SBBIKE tried to keep up with the demand of both the community and its long-term vision and focused on helping SBici flourish.
Both an exciting and scary year for SBBIKE, 2013 saw Bici’s move from the former space to its new location on Haley Street (rent jumped from $1,000 to $3,200). Bici opened a shop manager position, filled by Shawn von Beila, and volunteers went to work on the new home.
This year, all of SBBIKE’s arms—Bici Centro, education, advocacy and the Connecting Our Community campaign, SBici, outreach—are exploding. The shop looks awesome. And numbers in every category are flying off the charts! Another nerve-wracking but thrilling opportunity has presented itself—SBBIKE’s new building is for sale.
SBSANTA BARBARA BICYCLE COALITION
BIKEBici Centro506 E. Haley St. • sbbike.org
In 2013, Bici and SBBIKE moved into their new home. Now, the building is up for sale, and the organization that started seven years ago with no budget, no space, borrowed tools, and a far-reaching vision plans to purchase the $1.2 million community center.
In its new home, says Bici shop manager Shawn von Beila, the coalition is making a much bigger impact in the community. “We went from a floor with holes in it to a solid foundation, multiuse space that not only fulfills all our needs but serves the needs of so many other organizations.
“I can’t wait to see what we can do with this space,” he adds. “Owning it is the tip of the iceberg. Whatever we can dream up, we can make that happen.”
Not purchasing could mean a blow to SBBIKE’s many ongoing projects, the risk of losing the space hard to fathom, the opportunities of buying tremendous. The coalition is well toward its $300,000 goal, the amount needed to secure the deal. SBBIKE is asking community members to help by donating to the purchase. To do so, visit sbbike.org or see page 11.
May 2014: Family Bike Night at Adams Elementary School:
Projected for 2014: 850
2011
Outreach/Advocacy Offices
Lights distributed
2012: 400 sets
2013: 700 sets
Projected for 2014: 800
Number of people who completed a Connecting Our Community postcard at Earth Day & other events
Participants at Bilingual Bici Familia family events
May 2013: Eastside Ride: 57September 2013: Health Fair: 97
250
Volunteers and Members – the unique individuals who are the true power behind SBBIKE
Volunteers
2011: 150
2012: 200
2013: 300Projected for 2014: 350Members
2011: 200
2012: 250
2013: 300
New logo based on John Hygelund’s design
8 Quick Release Summer 2014
ADVOCACY
S ince the launch of Connecting Our Community
(Connect) in January, the campaign has done much
to increase public awareness and engagement and create
the political pressure needed to improve the bicycle
network of Santa Barbara’s South Coast.
This summer, Connect will lead the 2014 Santa Barbara
South Coast Bicycle Count, the twelfth time since 1997
that SBBIKE volunteers have done a June bike count. It’s
been three years since our last count, but trends suggest
bicycling has increased, and we’ll be counting bicyclists at
thirty-seven intersections, near UCSB and in Goleta, Santa
Barbara, and Carpinteria. Although cities regularly do
traffic counts on cars, SBBIKE is the only organization that
has consistently done bike counts. Other entities regularly
request this data in support of their project analyses and
grant applications.
Upcoming Connect projects include:
• Helping businesses realize bike corrals, improving
accessibility and economic gain
• Working with graphic design students of the Brooks
Institute in Ventura to create a range of bicycle
infographics
• Publishing a library of useful bicycle data and maps
• Organizing a series of bicycle lectures
• Hosting Winning Campaigns Training with our
partners at COAST
WE HIT $100K!On May 20, SBBIKE’s Connecting Our
Communities campaign met its $100,000
year one advocacy program funding goal,
with a $25,000 contribution from the McCune
Foundation.
TO CITY HALL
H ead from the West Side to City Hall and you may see
a familiar face waving from her new bike. SB City
Councilwoman Cathy Murillo is now commuting by bicycle.
Environmental responsibility was a prime impetus for her decision.
The change hasn’t been without challenges. For one, though she
does yoga and dances for exercise, “Sometimes, I have to stop and
rest,” she said. “And I’m not embarrassed to say that.” After all, she’s
no longer a single driver making a daily trip in a car.
Needing to dress up is another challenge she’s handled like a ride
in the park. She brings a second pair of shoes, has learned to avoid
brushing up against the chain guard, and keeps a curling iron at
work. Murillo says these minor troubles are worth it. “I just feel so
much better. And I’m getting in shape.”
Cycling also better positions the councilwoman to help
constituents. She understands when people talk to her about
the challenges of commuting and is even more committed to
creating an alternative transportation-friendly city. “We need more
crosstown bikeways,” she says, noting the city’s small streets
present challenges. “But we will find ways to implement the
improvements we need.”
SB Councilmember Cathy Murillo heads out for her daily commute.
CAMPAIGN
www.SBBIKE.org 9
ADVOCACY
“C leaner air, happier citizens,” “to see wildlife,” “so my
daughter can walk or bike to school more safely,” “for my
health”—just a few of the reasons South Coast residents are asking
for better cycling infrastructure.
On May 31, elected officials heard their requests. SBBIKE and
Traffic Solutions hosted “Connecting Our Communities in
Tandem,” a thirty-seven-mile ride along the Coastal Bike Route
from Goleta to Rincon at the Ventura County line. At two- to four-
mile segments, a representative or dignitary climbed aboard the
back of a tandem.
Electeds received nearly three hundred handwritten postcards
from constituents who are choosing bicycling and asking for the
infrastructure to keep up.
At the halfway point, Congresswoman Lois Capps, First District
Supervisor Salud Carbajal, Assembly Member Das Williams, and
Santa Barbara Councilmembers Gregg Hart and Cathy Murillo
gathered around Connect’s eighteen-foot long, interactive map of
the South Coast. During CycleMAYnia, residents had drawn in their
routes and highlighted trouble areas. Traffic Solutions director Kent
Epperson was thrilled to see the electives “bragging about new
bike facilities” and “challenging each other to help build more.”
SBBIKE director Ed France appreciated the public showing of
support (some sixty community members joined the ride). France
hopes In Tandem, which symbolized the need for jurisdictions to
work “in tandem,” solidified the importance of coherent, complete
infrastructure and highlighted “what a resource these routes are
not just for our residents but for visitors—for our tourism industry.”
Joining the ride, along with Carbajal, Williams, Hart, and Murillo,
were Goleta Councilmembers Paula Perotte and Jim Farr, Planning
Commissioner Meg West, and Mayor Michael Bennett; UCSB
representatives Dennis Whelan and Stephen Conner; Assistant SB
County CEO Dennis Bozanich; Carpinteria Councilmember Gregg
Carty; Ventura County Supervisor Steve Bennett; and several city
staffers, transportation engineer Derrick Bailey, Rebecca Bjork,
and Rob Dayton from Santa Barbara, Teresa Lopes from Goleta,
and Jim Kemp from the Santa Barbara County Association of
Governments. Also along was a group from the county’s Air
Pollution Control District.
ELECTEDS RIDE “IN TANDEM”
Congresswoman Lois Capps receives Connect’s 278 postcards from constituents.
SBBIKE director Ed France and Assembly Member Das Williams ride in tandem.
Elected officials discuss bikeway updates, using the 18-foot Connect map. Photos by Daniel Girard.
CycleMAYnia, started five years ago by SBBIKE and Traffic Solutions, is a month-long celebration of cycling—events and rides that connect us as a cycling community.
10 Quick Release Summer 2014
By Moo Cow
S o, I’m on the property,
chilling with the roosters
and pig. All of a sudden,
these humans roll in on two-
wheeled contraptions called
bicycles.
Soon, there’s like thirty of them, all grins and raving about the
fabulous views and strenuous climbs of the day. Apparently,
they’d hopped on a train in Santa Barbara to Guadalupe, from
which some of them saw whales breaching for the first time
(call me jealous!). Then they rode to my caretakers’ [Nate and
Bekki Siemens] land, around thirty-five miles, each carrying all
they needed for the weekend on bags attached to their bikes
called panniers. Some had fancy, bright yellow ones [donated
by Ortlieb]. And they were more pumped than Sugar when Nate
and Bekki give her steak leftovers.
Next thing I know, this gorgeous woman (taken, go figure; she’s
the tour organizer’s [Mike Vergeer] wife [Maggie]—and a few
studly men head to the kitchen and cook up a delicious feast of
fish tacos and salad [fish donated by SB Fish Market].
The rest unload their gear and set up canvas contraptions, which
they go inside. I tried to ask one of them what he was doing in
there, but he didn’t seem to understand.
That evening, the group gathered around a fire, roasting sticky,
gooey white balls on sticks; chatting; and playing beautiful
music before climbing inside their canvas nests and falling
asleep.
The morning started with more delicious-smelling food. The
humans were excited about the sixty some miles of scenery,
climbs, and exhilarating downhill stretches that awaited them.
FEATURE
TOUR DE TENTERS RIDE A CENTURY
Thank You 2014 Tour de Tent Sponsors
LEFT: The thirty plus riders of Tour de Tent 2014 prepare to head out, day RIGHT: On the Road. Photos by Christine Bourgeois.
Earth Trine Farm and B. D. Dautch (veggies)
SB Fish Market (fish)
Ortlieb and Jeff Scully (panniers)
Old Man Mountain and Channing Hammond (racks)
Fat Uncle Farms and Nate Siemens (facility/truck use)
Trader Joes (groceries)
Traffic Solutions
SBBIKE
Thanks also to Nate and Bekki Siemens for allowing the
Tour de Tenters to set up camp on their property.
Tou
r de Tent
When I heard they’d be stopping at Refugio Beach, where
more cycling friends would join them for the ride home, I
decided I’d join. How big are those panniers anyway?
I discovered—joy of joys—I was already going in a way.
The cyclists donned their Tour de Tent T-shirts [designed
by Cynthia Stahl and printed by Table Salt Screen Printing].
Guess who was featured? None other than yours truly. I
gave them my cheeriest farewell and sent them on their
way. Moooo!
Will someone call me for next year’s ride, please?
Photo by Kyle Richards
www.SBBIKE.org 11
HELP BUILD OUR FUTURE
SBSANTA BARBARA BICYCLE COALITION
BIKE
Contribute to SBBIKE’s purchase of its headquarters
name
(organization)
address
city,state,zip
phone
Make check payable to the Santa Barbara Bicycle CoalitionPO Box 92047Santa Barbara, CA 93190-2047www.sbbike.org
The Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation, so donations are tax deductable as allowed by law.
Help Build Our Future: The Bici Centro Building
O Level One Contribution, $50O Level Two Contribution, $250O Level Three Contribution, $500O Level Four Contribution, $1,000O Other Amount
Largest Bilingual Family Event Yet
1. A bilingual class – For more than 250 students and parents at Adams Elementary School. 2. On the blacktop – Kids practice safety avoidance skills 3. Free tune-ups – Courtesy of volunteer mechanics from Bici Centro and SBici. 4. For the first time – Ten learn to ride. 5. Grand Finale giveaway – Eighteen kids receive brand-new rides courtesy of Deckers (See Deckers Decks Out Bikes at sbbike.org.) Photos by John Rousseau.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Santa Barbara Bicycle CoalitionPO Box 92047Santa Barbara, CA 93190-2047
SBSANTA BARBARA BICYCLE COALITION
BIKE