The open house will share the City of Eugene’s adaptive bike fleet with students throughout the region who would benefit from their use. Typical users of adaptive bikes are those with an injury or who are alter-abled such that their motor function or balance is affected. The City of Eugene’s adaptive bike program is a national model and this event is meant to showcase the program to our community’s youth.
Event Details
- What: Safe Routes to School Adaptive Bicycle Open House
- When: Tuesday, April 16, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
- Where: Hilyard Community Center, 2580 Hilyard St., Eugene
The event will be hosted through a partnership between Eugene School District 4J’s Safe Routes to School program and the City of Eugene Adaptive Recreation Program. The City of Eugene owns a fleet of more than 20 adaptive bicycles that can be rented for recreational use by adults and youth. The unique fleet of adaptive equipment includes recumbent trikes, tandems, hand-cycles and all-terrain wheelchairs. For example, an individual who lacks the balance or motor skills to ride a two-wheel bike could ride one of many trikes in the fleet. There are several styles of tandem bikes to accommodate someone who is not able to ride independently due to vision, brain or motor function, but who can still add power to the ride by pedaling.
This event will be opportunity for students to be fitted to a suitable cycle for free (fittings usually cost $5). There is a brand new Peace Health Bike-Share Station at neighboring Amazon Pool in the case that siblings or parents wish to go along for a test ride. The close proximity to the Amazon path system will allow students and family member to test the range of bicycles in a safe, car-free environment.
This event builds upon an existing partnership between Eugene School District 4J’s Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program and the City of Eugene Adaptive Recreation Program. Eugene School District 4J and Bethel SRTS programs contract with the City of Eugene’s Outdoor Program to teach a two-week Bike Safety classes to 6th and 5th graders, respectively. Those classes use the City’s adaptive bikes for students who need the bikes because of injury and longer-term condition, or because they have not sufficiently mastered riding a two-wheel bike but would still like to participate in the group rides and traffic safety components of the class.