Los Alamos County Engineer Eric Martiez, left, and County Recreation Manager Dan Erickson, right, accept a proclamation from Councilor David Izraelevitz Tuesday evening. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com
BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com
Los Alamos County is celebrating Bike to Work Week May 13-17 with special Bike to Work Day events Friday, May 17.
County Engineer Eric Martinez and County Recreation Manager Dan Erickson announced at Tuesday’s Los Alamos County Council meeting that on May 17 from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. free drinks, hot coffee snacks and County swag will be offered near Sullivan Field at the corner of Diamond Drive and Canyon Road.
Later in the day, a Community Bike Party is slated from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Ashley Pond. The event will include a kids’ bike rodeo and demonstrations of how to use the Atomic City Transit bike racks. Hot dogs and drinks will be served.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Martinez and Erickson thanked the Council for taking the time to recognize Bike Month and Bike to Work Week with a proclamation saying it is an important step with the growth of the biking population in the community.
The proclamation reads as follows:
WHEREAS: On November 30, 2017, Los Alamos was designated as a Bronze status “Bicycle Friendly Community” by the League of American Bicyclists, and Los Alamos makes every effort to maintain this status; and
WHEREAS: The bicycle is a viable and environmentally sound form of transportation and excellent form of recreation; May has been named National Bike Month for the past 56 years, celebrated by offering educational programs, races, commuting events, trail work days, helmet promotion, or encouraging individuals to “go for a ride”; and
WHEREAS: Los Alamos’ trail network attracts hundreds of bicyclists each year, providing economic, health and scenic benefits to our community and the world; bicycling activities and attractions have great potential to impact our economy and tourism industry and stimulate economic development by making Los Alamos attractive to businesses and citizens who enjoy the outdoors and healthy lifestyles; and
WHEREAS: Creating bicycle-friendly communities can improve citizen’s health, well-being and quality of life – it can boost community spirit, improve traffic safety and reduce pollution and congestion – and education is key in providing a quality experience for everyone involved;
NOW, THEREFORE, on behalf of the Council of the Incorporated County of Los Alamos, I do hereby proclaim the Month of May 2019 as “BIKE MONTH” in Los Alamos County, and the week of May 13-17, 2019 as “BIKE TO WORK WEEK”
We encourage our citizens to participate in planned events, and to share the road safely.