OBD AWARDS NEIGHBORHOOD LEAF TO COMMUNITY BICYCLE SHOP OMAHA
September 05, 2008
September 5, 2008
OBD AWARDS NEIGHBORHOOD LEAF TO COMMUNITY BICYCLE SHOP OMAHA
OMAHA – One of the anchors of the Gifford Park Neighborhood Association is the 2008 recipient of Omaha by Design’s annual neighborhood award.
The Neighborhood Leaf – which recognizes an individual, organization or business that has worked to preserve and enhance the metropolitan area’s neighborhoods – was presented to the Community Bicycle Shop Omaha Sept. 4 in conjunction with the fifth annual Neighborhood Summit sponsored by Bank of the West.
The shop, located at 525 N. 33rd St., opened its doors to the public in the spring of 2007. Founded by a group of individuals who are passionate about cycling and improving their community, its mission is to provide a positive environment for learning the basics of bicycle mechanics, repair and distribute pre-owned bicycles, build community, and promote cycling and safe riding.
Anyone with a bad tire can stop by and learn how to patch a flat. For those without bikes, one can be earned by completing a program of three hours of community service and six hours of bicycle-related service. The shop organizes a neighborhood bicycle rodeo each year where children learn safe riding skills and receive a free helmet. Kids who stop by the shop to fix their brakes also have the chance to talk with volunteers who care. Building mentoring relationships with neighborhood youth via the how-tos of bicycle mechanics is one of the shop’s most important by-products.“The shop is a local example of how, in the words of Margaret Mead, a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world,” said Rex Fisher, president of Qwest Nebraska and chair of the Omaha by Design Advisory Committee. “The Gifford Park neighborhood is a better place because of its efforts.”
The Neighborhood Leaf is part of a trio of Omaha by Design awards recognizing the goals of the city’s Urban Design Element, a planning tool that lays out a framework for changing the quality of development in Omaha while protecting and enhancing the city’s natural environment. Each is presented annually in addition to Omaha by Design’s highest honor, the Laurels Award, which recognizes an individual, organization or business for significant contributions to great public spaces in the City of Omaha.
For more information about the Community Bicycle Shop Omaha, visit www.omahabike.org. For more information about the Gifford Park Neighborhood Association, visit www.giffordparkomaha.org. For more information about Omaha by Design, visit www.omahabydesign.org.