Friends of the Circle-Heights Bike Network: Meeting five minutes

Meeting date: November 11, 2003, 6:30 p.m.
Location: Macs Bacs bookstore, basement meeting room Attendees: Lee Chilcote, Dan Feinstein, Dominic Liberatore, Vineet Kapur, Mike McGraw, Marc Lefkowitz, Ryan McKenzie, and Rip Ruhlman

Street Hazards Project
Revisions to the final reports from the Rolling Block Party (hazard ride divided by community) and cover letters to mayors and service directors were reviewed.

Wayfinding Signage Project
Next, Ryan and Marc gave a report on the meeting between the Friends group and the Cleveland Institute of Art Community Graphics class led by professor Bob Kelemen, the result of which was an agreement to collaborate on the design of a wayfinding sign program for the network as part of the class' Winter term. The next step will be working with the cities in the network to gain their input and approval throughout the entire process, from design, budgeting, fabrication, to placement. Many thanks to Greg Donley for his volunteer efforts and leadership.

The Friends group has had contact with Cleveland Heights' planning department regarding sign fabrication. Ryan offered to set up a field trip for members of the Friends group and the CIA graphics class to the Cleveland Heights sign shop in order to better understand the process. Simultaneously, Dan and Ryan will work to set up a meeting with the appropriate decision makers at Shaker, Cleveland Heights, University Heights and Cleveland to introduce the wayfinding sign concept and gain from their leadership and input.

Your help is requested to identify where wayfinding signs might go. Consider opportunities for the signs to point out distances to multiple destinations, and that each municipality may want to limit the total number of signs (i.e. —let's find crucial locations of wayfinding decisions).

Bicycle Parking Project
Next, the group discussed its next network-wide event— The Holiday Hop and Shop. On December 13th from 2-4 p.m., come out and support your local merchants as we conduct an inventory of existing bike parking facilities and needs at retail and commercial districts in the Circle-Heights network. Ride your bike (weather permitting) or drive to Shaker Square, Cedar-Lee, Euclid Avenue, University Corners, and on.

Lee, Dom and John McGovern will coordinate the locations and distribute a card at the next meeting to help us evaluate the bike parking situation. If you'd like to volunteer to evaluate bike parking in a specific retail district, email Lee.

Community Partnerships Update
Marc mentioned that Coventry Village and Heights Arts Collaborative have agreed to partner with the Friends group in promoting bicycle friendly activities and efforts in the Circle-Heights district. As a result, an article on the Friends will appear in the next Coventry Times. Other press items include Lee's editorial on the Circle-Heights, which appeared in Crain's, Cool Cleveland and will appear in the Sun Press.

Next Meeting
The next Circle-Heights Bike Network meeting is Tuesday, December 9 at 6:00 p.m. at The Coventry Road Library [NOTE: NEW TIME AND LOCATION!]. If you have any questions, email or call 216-961-5020.

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