Hey everybody,
I just wanted to send an email and let folks know about an exciting project that Sibley Bike Depot (St. Paul, MN) is beginning. Sibley received funding in full on Tuesday for a $200,000 program to run a Community Partners Bike Library! The funds were approved by Transit for Livable Communities, a not-for-profit transit advocacy group in charge of allocating a $21 million federal Non-motorized Transit Pilot program in the Twin Cities.
This funding will allow Sibley to build up a fleet of 200 bicycles – outfitted for transportation purposes with a rack, fenders, lights, lock, and helmet – to lend out to community members for up to six months. The bike lending will be coordinated through Community Partners – other agencies, such as affordable housing organizations, job placement centers, homeless shelters, and more – who will help identify patrons who will benefit from reliable transportation. Through this program, Sibley hopes to increase the availability of bicycles within working class and poor communities, thus helping to increase access to bicycles and diversify the bicycling movement in the Twin Cities!
I am interested to hear any thoughts/feedback/suggestions from anyone who has 1) coordinated a bike library program; or, 2) handled large federal or other government grants (rumored to be a tremendous pain in the ass).
Jason Tanzman