Bloomington Bicycle Club offers grants for safety

Bloomington is inarguably a bike town – cyclists are everywhere. IU is home to the Little 500, and when gas prices rise or the economy slumps, people are more likely to pull out their 10-speeds. 

To keep the positive bicycling atmosphere alive and thriving, the Bloomington Bicycle Club offers annual grants to nonprofit groups, schools and other organizations that are interested in creating cycling-friendly programs in and near Bloomington.

It’s certainly fitting, as Jen Smallwood, chairwoman of the grant committee, said. The BBC is simply “a group of people who like to cycle” of all different ages and skill levels
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According to the BBC’s Web site, the aims of the grant program include encouraging bicycling for various purposes – “recreation, competition, travel and
transportation” – as well as training and educating community members about bikes and bicycling and endorsing bicycle safety.

 The BBC also hopes to “promote better public understanding and respect for the rights of bicyclists and the observance of traffic regulations by bicyclists and drivers.”

Smallwood said that after proposals have been sent in, her committee looks at a number of factors, including how well thought-out the idea is, how many it will benefit and how much money they would need to implement it.

One competitor this year is the Boys and Girls Club of Bloomington. The main club unit director, Chris Tann, said his Club Riders include 11 to 15 year olds.

“I’ve been curious about this grant since I met with Bike Club,” he said.

The Boys and Girls Club takes six Club Riders out each Thursday, accompanied by three adults, for a ride on the B-Line or Clear Creek trails.

“We are still looking for donations of new bicycles,” Tann said. “We do accept a range of donations. People have donated older bikes and written a check as well.”

Tann hopes to expand the program, possibly with the aid of a BBC grant, to include a bike day camp in the summer and an advanced group of riders who could go on weekend bike trips and compete in tournaments.

The program, which offers up to $1,500 in grants, will continue accepting applications through Nov. 2. The BBC will announce the winners in December.

One of last year’s recipients was Rogers Elementary, where principal Mark Conrad said the $384.66 it received allowed the school to add another bike rack for students who cycle to school.

“If you build it, they will come,” he said. “Bigger bike racks – more bikes.”

While he hasn’t counted the bikes parked outside, he said the additional rack was definitely needed. With more spaces for parking, the bikes are no longer lying in the schoolyard.

“We just appreciate the opportunity to write the grant,” Conrad said.

Funds for the grants come from the BBC’s yearly Ride Across Indiana, in which club members can bike together for about 160 miles starting near Illinois’ state line and ending at Ohio’s border.

“They really like bicycles,” Smallwood said with a laugh.