White Oak Bicycle Co-Op, a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing public health, access to bicycles, improving alternative transportation, and promoting bicycle safety throughout the region, embraces the help of the Chattanooga Bicycle Club to make bicycle safety a top priority in Red Bank and Chattanooga.
In February, White Oak Bicycle agreed with the city of Red Bank to install a “traffic garden” to provide a safe training ground for young riders. A traffic garden is a scaled-down street network where children and new riders practice biking and road safety in a car-free space. Installation of the Red Bank traffic garden is set to begin this month, creating a new resource for the community. Following the Red Bank installment, WOBC will collaborate with the city of Chattanooga to install a traffic garden at the South Chattanooga Community Center, expanding access to safe cycling education in the region.
To support the development of these safe spaces, the Chattanooga Bicycle Club has donated $2,500 to White Oak to fund the development of the space.
“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with the Chattanooga Bicycle Club," said Blake Pierce, executive director of White Oak Bicycle. "The club is the foundation of cycling in Chattanooga and has been at the forefront of bicycle advocacy for decades."
"The Board of the Chattanooga Bicycle Club is thrilled to be supporting this effort to help youngsters build their skills for riding in a safe environment before we see them on the road," said Tom Hand, Board President of the Chattanooga Bicycle Club, which promotes bicycle riding by providing riding
opportunities throughout the year. "We are growing the next generation of riders in this garden. The club’s cycling education and safety efforts include support of the League of American Bicyclists, a national organization that works for the interests of the cycling community and local efforts like the new traffic gardens.”