SLCBC 2006 Annual Report

Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective 2006 Annual Report

(title page, pictures, logo)

Building community with bicycles

Director’s Report 2006

This was the year of the Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective. To quote an award given by Cycling Utah, “The Salt Lake Bicycle Collective (www.slcbikecollective.org) runs on one gear. Fast.” Thanks to our wonderful volunteers, partnerships, donors, and general community support we are celebrating significant achievements in 2006, milestones that have set the stage for a powerful 2007.

The most noteworthy accomplishments were the hiring of the first full-time employee, launching Utah’s first BikeEd program, becoming the free helmet distribution point, spearheading a national network of community bicycle organizations, and offering more youth programs than ever before. Fueled with more volunteers, participants and programs than ever before this deceivingly small organization is poised to transform bicycling in Salt Lake, and be a driving force in turning it into a Bicycle Friendly City.

Community Bicycle Shop

Since moving to our new location at 2312 South West Temple, the community bike shop has developed into a “community hub.” Hosting the new YouthCity ArtCycle Apprenticeship program, the YouthCity Bike Bonanza Earn-a-Bike course, the classroom portion of Bike Ed courses, weekly volunteer nights, and open shop hours for the general public.

During the summer open shop hours were offered from 6-9pm on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, and during the winter from 5-9pm on Thursdays. The public demand was so great it would best be described as a frenzy, always bristling with similar and new faces in upwards of 40 people a night. Under the guidance of dedicated volunteer mechanics helping folks find parts and the necessary tools to assemble their bike -- everyone worked together and had fun.

However, the demand for volunteering was so great we had to dedicate a new separate night for just volunteers on Mondays from 5-9pm. This turned out to be a huge success not only for refurbishing bicycles, but also for developing community and regular volunteers. On most volunteer nights there wouldn’t be enough work stands. Everyone came to hang out, learn, get their hands dirty, and even share their different musical tastes over the shop radio.