Bikes Belong grants awarded throughout US

Bikes Belong awarded six summer grants investing in paths, trails, parks, and advocacy initiatives. Several mountain bike venues are the lucky beneficiaries of some of the total US$46,935 in grants. To date, Bikes Belong has supported 150 projects throughout the US.

The Cape Fear Cyclists received a US$9,435 grant to complete a mountain bike trail and begin building a BMX track at the Blue Clay Bike Park in Wilmington, North Carolina. This new facility includes the only legal trails for mountain bikers in the area, and is one of the few places where young people can ride in a car-free environment. When complete, the bike park will also include a skills area and pump track. This new facility includes the only legal trails for mountain bikers in the area, and is one of the few places where young people can ride in a car-free environment. When complete, the bike park will also include a skills area and pump track.

The Chicago Area Mountain Bikers in Illinois were awarded a US$10,000 grant to help its western chapter construct Plainfield Bike Park. The recent closure of a private bike park and BMX bans at several skateparks motivated CAMBr West to seek a legal place for BMX riders, mountain bikers, and freeriders to ride in the Chicago Metro area.

The Friends of the Wissahickon will apply their US$10,000 toward the ongoing Sustainable Trails Initiative. The 57-mile trail network in the Philadelphia's Fairmount Park is a haven for local riders. The project aims to create an ecologically, physically and socially sustainable trail system will reduce user conflict and erosion problems while preserving well-loved singletrack.

Other awards went to the Bay Area Bicycle Coalition in California for their RTP Advocacy Initiative, the Johnson County Trails Association for their Laurel Creek Trail project in northeastern Tennessee and the Aboite New Trails organization for their efforts to complete their Central Loop connecting all major bike paths in Fort Wayne, Indiana.