BikePGH Message Board Archive

Alert! Indiana County In Need of Community Support

Guys - I'm in town for a bit because I'm hanging with fam and between jobs on the coasts. In the meantime I'm doing some political and community work in Indiana County where I grew up. Recently a really great young progressive political strategist helped moneyball the last borough council election and got 7 new, young, progressive people elected and they're amazing! These folks have energy, ideas and they are committed to making Indiana and the surrounding area a great place to live. However - I'm sure you all know that with each promising glimmer of progressive advance there is opposition that shows up --literally with "Don't Tread On Me" flags and a range of other weirdness worthy of a very special episode of Parks and Rec. That said - one particular issue that has raised the hackles of some Tea Party favorites is a proposed bike route that connects two particular corridors - money has already been earmarked for the cause but people are already going bonkerooni about the issue claiming that maintenance will bankrupt the town somehow. They are mean and vitriolic in ways that are sad and frustrating. I've been attending meetings and talking to people and it seems that both the council and the loosely organized bike community out there could really use some support in the following ways. - Write to the comment sections of their overblown letters to the editor - they're blowing up a lot of fake facts about cycling in rural communities - these need to be refuted - gather groups to show up to local borough council meetings talking about regional support of regular biking, bike tourism and the economics of cycling, both to provide support for income inequality --and generating revenue from those with disposable income. - help connect to a council person and the biking community in Indiana in order to provide additional support to the University, and existing community out there. They are excited they just need help and encouragement. Thanks everyone. I really hope that I can help get some much needed regional support to Indiana so that the biking community can grow and flourish out there.

trailerhitch

2016-02-03 13:46:29

Have you reached out to any facebook groups? https://www.facebook.com/West-Penn-Trail-315640345984/?fref=ts Maybe start an email list and hang a flier at trail sites during the riding season? I think there's a board in Dilltown at the pavilion. You may also want to consider contacting http://www.transalleghenytrails.com/ Let them know what's going on. Groups like rails-to-trails (.org) have mail lists and politically active sub groups that they could possibly put you in touch with. If the politically active groups that generally fight this opposition are unaware of the goings-on, that could be problematic. I appreciate your call for help, but it generally is more productive to have specific targets/meetings/etc. Perhaps you can keep this thread updated when anything crosses your radar?

headloss

2016-02-06 00:54:36