Allston-Brighton bikes

The Helmets in Play (HIP) program of the Joseph M. Smith Community Health Center (JMSCHC) is one of the grantees of the Allston-Brighton/Boston College Community Fund recognized at an award ceremony held May 7, 2009. HIP, a partnership of JMSCHC and Allston-Brighton bikes (a/k/a A-Bbikes), will offer free bike and/or skate helmets to MassHealth eligible Allston-Brighton youth. Vouchers will be distributed by JMSCHC through its Allston clinic and satellite community health center sites at the Jackson-Mann complex and Gardner Pilot Academy. International Bicycle Centers will assist with fitting and supplying helmets through HIP. MassHealth eligible youth get a free helmet while supplies last! For more information contact: Francisca Guevara (JMSCHC Community Health Manager) at 617-208-1562 or fguevara@jmschc.org

Helmets in Play is part of A-Bbikes’ and its partners’ efforts to increase local youth access to bikes, helmets and bike education. A-Bbikes encourages local schools to take advantage of the bicycle education and other resources available through the Massachusetts Safe Routes to Schools program. Supported by funds from Ron Gluck (of the Boston law firm Breakstone, White & Gluck) additional bike education opportunities will be provided by MassBike to Allston-Brighton youth through West End House Boys and Girls Club and JMSCHC. Gluck’s donations will also be used to help maintain a fleet of bikes and helmets donated for use at the West End House by International Bicycle Centers and other A-Bbikes donors.

We’re planning to start an A-B based Earn a Bike program, and Bikes not Bombs offered 5 spots in their upcoming training course for A-BbikesKIDZ (future) instructors. Two A-Bbikers have already signed up… there are 3 spots left so don’t wait too long! Applications are online at http://www.bikesnotbombs.org/involved … please be sure to indicate that you are applying for the A-BbikesKIDZ spots.

January 17-March 21 2009, every Saturday, 11am-2pm

Jan 17: Intro to BNB, Mechanics and Bike Safety
Jan 24: Flat Fixing, Safety Rodeo, Safety Video
Jan 31: Bottom Brackets
Feb 7: Front and Rear Hubs
Feb 14: Headsets
Feb 21: Behavior Management (mandatory)
Feb 28: Brakes
Mar 7: Derailleurs
Mar 14: Gender Sensitivity (mandatory)
Mar 21: Ride Preparation

A-Bbikes now has a Google group about all things bike for kids in Allston-Brighton, MA (and those who work with A-Bbikes on youth issues and programs). Check it out and spread the word! visit A-BbikesKIDZ

subscribe (type YOUR email):

If you know a kid in Allston-Brighton who wants to participate (and can get a guardian/parent’s permission) but needs a bike, helmet and/or ride to the event, please let us know at ABbikes @gmail.com and we’ll try to help out!

Check out http://www.gbnemba.org/kidsday2008.php for all of the updated 411!

TKMTB Day 2008 is part of the MA Department of Conservation and Recreationʼs (DCR) “No Child Left Inside” initiative and sponsored by the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) and Greater Boston New England Mountain Bike Association (GBNEMBA)

before A-Bbikerz and A-Bbikerkidz can ride the really fun parts o Ringer, we need to get rid of the broken glass, hypo needles, and other debris! volunteer to help clean up to prevent flat tires and injuries, and let Joan know you want to focus on the paths in the rocky area and you’re helping as part of A-Bbikes!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR ANNUAL FUN FALL CLEAN UP OF RINGER PARK OCTOBER 4, 2008 – 9:00A.M. – 1:00P.M.

The Parents & Community Build Group, Inc.(501c3) and The Ringer Park Partnership Group are seeking volunteers for our Annual Fun Fall Clean Up of the 12.38 acres of Ringer Park on Saturday, October 4th from 9:00-1:00p.m. Volunteer and Join the Fun – Breakfast, Lunch, Refreshments, Work Gloves, Tools, etc. are provided. Volunteers can work any time that they choose. Ringer Park is MBTA accesible by Bus # 57 from Kenmore Station, #66 from Harvard and Dudley Stations to the Cambridge St./Union Square Stop, and the Green Line from the Allston Street Stop. Please Contact:JOAN PASQUALE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PGBG,INC. – RPPG, 617-254-0632, 617-254-7091 FAX, pcbginc@verizon.net, www.parentsandcommunitybuildgroup.org

A-Bbikes has been talking with the Boston Parks Dept., Greater Boston New England Mountain Bike Association, West End Boys and Girls Club, local bike retailers and others about developing a proposal for youth programming in Ringer Park in the rocky outcropping area that would include urban (bmx and mountain) bike programming. We’re very excited about working through new partnerships to explore how we can better utilize this area of our local park… stay tuned! If you’re interested in working with us on this project, please let us know at ABbikes@gmail.com (and please spread the word to others who may be interested and encourage them to contact us)!

August 27, 2008 – Allston, MA. Two Joseph M. Smith Community Health Center patients won free bicycle packages in a raffle sponsored by Neighborhood Health Plan and JMSCHC. The bikes were awarded to the two winners (five and eleven year old boys) at the JMSCHC clinic location in Allston, MA. A-Bbikes helped assemble the packages using funds from NHP and additional donations by International Bicycle Centers (IBC) in Boston and Newton, Allston-Brighton bikes, Boston Bikes and MassBike. Each winner received a Trek bicycle selected by IBC specifically for him together with a Bell helmet, a lock, a water bottle and cage, a T-shirt and bike safety accessories and educational materials. As you can see in the pics, the winners jumped right on to try out their new bikes! Photos by Galen M. Mook

We’re very excited to announce that we are in the process of developing a proposed pilot program to procure and distribute discounted and/or free helmets to children in A-B! A generous prospective donor has offered to fund the pilot, and we are currently in the process of obtaining per unit pricing information from prospective retail partners and helmet suppliers. For the pilot, we are currently planning to distribute helmets at local schools using staff who are trained in fitting bicycle helmets.

Stay tuned for details about this new program as it develops and please contact Chris D. if you’d like to get involved!

Hey folks… here’s a brief update on what’s been happening recently with A-B bikes…

At our last formal meeting held June 24th… unfortunately our meeting was a bit shorter than expected as we got started late because of the weather (lots of storms that day!) There were some new folks so we spent a decent chunk of our time doing (re)introductions, bringing folks up to speed on the the last meeting and what we’ve been doing since. We also spent some time discussing specific groups/projects, including our online map of bike parking/racks in A-B (thanks again to Zach!), interest in some organized rides, and youth initiatives.

Chris (R.) from Citizen School(s) at the Edison school is the lead on the bike apprenticeship program planned for the fall, and is coordinating the group of volunteers from A-B bikes who are interested in being instructors or otherwise supporting the apprenticeship. He was also soliciting bike and helmet donations, but I understand from him and Nicole that since our last meeting the City of Boston has agreed to lend a number of bikes for the program. See the postings on our website under “Youth” for more detailed information and updates.

Zach’s Rax – thanks again to Zach for his efforts and time and creating the annotated, interactive google map of bike racks in A-B! We’re still looking for a volunteer(s) to complete the small portion of Allston that Zach did not cover… please post on our website to let us know if you’re interested in helping out!

Nicole was unable to attend our last meeting, but provided us with an update on what Boston Bikes (City of Boston) is doing/planning that would be of interest to A-B bikers… The biggest projects she is working on that effect A-B include: installing racks, pushing for bike lanes, creating the Boston Bikes map and launching Bike Fridays (cycling convoys plus breakfasts on City Hall) similar to Bike Week. Here’s more detail from Nicole:

INSTALLING RACKS – Nicole is still accepting any specific requests and anybody from A-B bikes who wants to do so should send her a request. She needs the street address and shop in particular. To make a request, all you have to do is send back the appropriate form(s) (provided by Nicole and to be posted on our website soon – in the meantime please feel free to email Chris D. to get an electronic copy).

BIKE LANES Nicole’s identifying requests for roads that right now could fit a bike lane with minimal work (i.e. just adding lines). The road needs to be at least 46 feet wide (if parking and 1 travel lane) and 68 if two travel lanes. Requests can be emailed directly to Nicole.

BIKE MAP – Nicole would love to have A-B bikers comment on the map draft we have and get their input. The best way to do this is at our next meeting. Nicole can bring a map and have people manually make comments.

BIKE FRIDAYS – Nicole has provided information regarding the event which will be posted separately under “news” and “events” on our website. Nicole would like A-B bikers’ help recruiting 3 ride leaders for the Allston convoy, plus our help in recruiting as many riders as possible for this ride. If A-B bikers are able/willing to flyer Allston/Brighton again (like we do for meetings, etc.), Nicole’s office can pay for the flyers and get them to us. The first “Bike Fridays” event is July 25th, the 2nd is August 22nd. Nicole is working on a police escort which will make the ride really cool!

You can contact Nicole at:

Nicole Freedman
Director of Bicycle Programs
One City Hall Square, Suite 932
Boston, MA 02201
617.429.8440
Nicole.Freedman.bra@CityofBoston.gov

That’s the update for now… stay tuned for more information about our next meeting and other events… and in the meantime, ride safe!