Busy BikeAlameda volunteers parked a record 117 bicycles in seven hours Saturday during the second annual Peanut Butter Jam Festival on Webster Street, the most ever for a one-day event.
"Our Valet Bike Parking service had the biggest turnout for a one-day event in our four year history of parking bikes," said Lucy Gigli, President and co-founder of BikeAlameda. "Our volunteers were really busy, parking one bike every three minutes."
BikeAlameda offers "free and secure" Valet Bike Parking for Earth Day, the Crab Cove concerts, Art in the Park, and other Alameda events "to promote safe and convenient bicycle transportation in Alameda" and to educate the community. Bicycles often account for 2-10% of the total trips made to these celebrations
BikeAlameda members credited the West Alameda Business Association's "great" event publicity for the bike parking record. "Valet Bike Parking was mentioned everywhere in their ads and posters," according to Dan Wood, the bicycle group's co-founder, who helped park the 117 bikes. "More people ride their bikes to these events when they know we'll be there."
On August 2, BikeAlameda parked 96 bicycles, their previous one-day record, during the Park Street Art & Wine Festival. But they had not parked more than 100 bicycles in one day until Saturday's Peanut Butter Jam.
"It was great to see so many people using bikes, and we hope to see more next year," said Gigli. "The air is smelling cleaner already!"
posted: Mon, 15 Sep 2003