Rogers Bike Program Seeks More Riders

— A joint community bicycle venture between Northwest Arkansas Emerging Leaders and the city Parks and Recreation Commission continues despite setbacks.

Emerging Leaders is a loosely organized program through the Roger-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce.

“Anybody who wants to get involved in the community can join the program,” said Michael Lindsey, chamber senior vice president for government affairs. “All you have to do is pay $25 and then get involved in any ongoing or new project you would like to do in the community.”

The program involves placing bikes at locations in the city for residents to ride trails or around town. It began last year at the behest of Emerging Leaders and was approved by parks and recreation commissioners.

Clay Kendall, a member of Emerging Leaders, said recently the program hasn’t gone as expected, but is progressing.

“We had planned to have inmates at the Benton County Jail assemble and repair the bikes we would place at trailheads around town, but that didn’t work out,” Kendall said.

The group gets bicycles through a program at the Rogers Police Department. The bikes are repaired and adorned with black and yellow-striped tape by Youth Strategies in Springdale. Youth Strategies provides resources, opportunities and environments to help young people and organizations working with young people to reach their potential, according to its website.

The bikes are at trailheads near Horsebarn Park and Rogers High School.

“We have around seven or eight bikes in the program right now. We hope to have more in the near future,” Kendall said.

There is no way to monitor how often the bikes are used or by whom, Kendall said.

“We know the bikes are being ridden because sometimes the bikes aren’t in the rack and later they are back, but really can’t determine how often the bikes are being ridden,” Kendall said.

He said the program probably hasn’t been promoted enough to be as successful as others.

“We’re working on that. I think more people would use the program if they knew about it,” Kendall said.

Emerging Leaders sponsored two bike events at the recent Frisco Festival to raise awareness of biking for pleasure and fitness.

Greg Lindley, Parks and Recreation Commission chairman, said he continues to support the program.

“I pass by Horsebarn Park and notice the bikes are there and the next time I drive past the bikes are gone, so I know they are being ridden. I think it’s a good program for the city,” Lindley said.

Bentonville has bike rental program through its Parks and Recreation Department, said David Wright, park director.

“We had a free program last year, but the bikes kept getting stolen so we stopped that program,” Wright said. The program was replaced with a rental program.

“We bought 30 bikes, a mix of road and mountain bikes. We rent the bikes for $5 for four hours or $10 a day. We have enough different size bikes so we can fit everyone from 6 feet tall to 3 feet tall,” Wright said.

Rental is sporadic, from heavy to almost none.

“There’s no way to tell. One week we’ll rent 20 bikes and the next week maybe one bike. There doesn’t seem to be any pattern, rhyme or reason to when people rent bikes,” Wright said.

Bentonville sponsors a spring and fall mountain bike course for children as a way to increase fitness and fun.

“That’s the only time we come close to running out of bikes,” Wright said. “I think its a good program for recreation and for physical fitness.”

R.C. Cowand, manager of the Boston Mountain Cycles, 204 W. Walnut St., said he is aware of the Rogers program.

“I’ve seen bike programs work in many places. Denver has a great bike program that’s very popular,” Cowand said.

“Having free or low price rental bikes allows everybody to participate in a variety programs sponsored the city of Denver. I think we are going to see more bike riding in Northwest Arkansas as it catches on. There is no doubt in my mind more people are riding bikes,” Cowand said.

At A Glance

Rogers Bike Program

Northwest Arkansas Emerging Leaders, with the approval of the Rogers Parks and Recreation Commission, has placed specially marked bikes at trailheads near Rogers High School and at Horsebarn Park for residents to use on city trails or around town. The program is free.

Source: Staff Report

Upcoming Events