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Lakeview Summerfest Recap, Bike Jam Kick-off

We make Mondays better by putting kids on bikes! The staff of Bike Cleveland spent Monday afternoon at Lakeview Summerfest – a community event for residents of Lakeview Terrace in Ohio City. Residents gathered for free music, food, and wellness information in and around the community center. We added a bike component to the event that we called Lakeview Bike Jam in partnership with Joy Machines Bike Shop, Trust for Public Land, and Ohio City Incorporated.

We were situated at the far end of the festivities, and Joy Machines Bike Shop was on hand to take care of bike issues for the residents, and work began as soon as the event got underway. We also gave away bike locks, helmets, and talked with folks about safe biking. But there was no missing the highlight we had to offer that afternoon – – we had 16 brand new bikes donated by Buckeye Partners to give away! Those eager to win placed their raffle tickets into the brightly colored buckets with fingers crossed. The bikes were assembled by volunteers at Buckeye Partners, then tuned and prepared by Joy Machines and the Bike Cleveland staff in the weeks leading up to the event.

At 3pm sharp, everyone gathered around the DJ as the winners were announced. Residents of all ages won bikes, but it was the kids that really lit up with the joy only a new bike can bring. After a quick set of adjustments and helmet fittings – they were off and rolling around the grounds. Once everything was gathered up and loaded away, we all headed out on a little adventure with some of the bike winners to Edgewater Park. Trail access across to Wendy Park and beyond is right at their front door.

We’ll be back at Lakeview (see flyer and dates below) a few more times this summer, and at other locations doing programming for riders of all ages and abilities. If you want to support the work we do on behalf of all riders, you can join the movement, donate, or volunteer. Special thanks to CMHA and the Lakeview Staff for having us, Buckeye Partners (for donating bikes), Ohio City Incorporated, Trust for Public Land and all of the volunteers from Cargill that came together to make this afternoon work.