A group of Short North Businesses including Tigertree, Sandbox, and Paradise Garage jointly announced today that they’re launching the first ever bikeshare program for Columbus: EveryoneBikes. Ten brand new Africa Bikes will be available as of 5pm today for riders to borrow for errands, tours, exercise and other types of short trips around the city.
Their goal is to soon have fifty bikes available throughout Downtown, the Arena District, and the Short North neighborhoods. The bikes will be on display in front of Tigertree during tomorrow’s Gallery Hop.
The group chose to stock their fleet with Africa Bikes not only because of their ease of use, but also due to their ethical business practices. “For every two bikes sold, one bike is provided to an aide worker in Africa which allows to make a difference not only here Central Ohio, but also around the world.” says David Hunegnaw of Sandbox.
EveryoneBikes also aims to help further the “green” transformation taking place in Columbus by providing an alternative transportation alternative for locals. “This innovative approach to Bikeshare will give residents and visitors an option to use a carbon-neutral mode of transportation to navigate our city” says Josh Quinn, owner of Tigertree.
More information can be found online at EveryoneBikes.org.
This is very cool.
One suggestion though:
The EveryoneBikes website should list the participating businesses and maybe include a map of where the bikes are available and where they can be returned.
I’m sure it will soon. Sounds like this idea was put together pretty quickly. Really cool to see things like this come out of nowhere.
Maybe they should just paint these lost bikes a bright color and use them to augment the EveryoneBikes program.
Dispatch coverage:
http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/08/09/bikeshare.ART_ART_08-09-09_B3_63ENGGK.html?sid=101