gurlBIKE is thrilled to work with the teens and tweens from the MGR Foundation’s Positive Spin program at the Arsenal School this winter. We’re teaming up with Free Ride’s Brian Sink to put on a series of workshops on bike mechanics for the eager participants who have been hounding program director Julie Mallis for weeks about when they would “get to fix bikes.” The answer is NOW!
We kicked off the series last Tuesday, a freezing January afternoon, with a tour of the space at Free Ride in Point Breeze. Brian Sink explained what goes on inside the cavernous area in the back corner of Construction Junction. The Positive Spin group had tons of questions for Mr. Sink, wanting to know everything from the financial workings of Free Ride to the source of all those bikes on the wall. One participant commented that just being in the space made him feel very happy. That’s a good sign for the future of Pittsburgh!
Next week, we’ll head over to the Arsenal School in Lawrenceville for the first hands-on workshop. Brian plans to explain headsets to the group. We’ll be working closely with the kids, seeing what resonates with them and noting what concepts seem tough for them. gurlBIKE’s BFF Bike Book, currently in production, is geared towards teens and tweens and the Positive Spin participants are helping us make sure that our final product is right on target.
Imagine what Pittsburgh would be like if kids grew up thinking that riding a bike was the best way to get around the city. So exciting to think of what our city could be like with more bike riders than car drivers in it.