(Press Release provided by Norte!)
TRAVERSE CITY: We are thrilled to announce that Norte! has been selected by The Michigan Fitness Foundation and Michigan Department of Transportation to receive a $25,000 Safe Routes To School grant for the Traverse City Area Public Schools. This grant will help fund The Great Traverse City Bike Train Experiment; a Norte! program dedicated to empowering students to actively transport themselves to school in a fun and safe environment.
In partnership with Eastern, Central Grade, Traverse Heights, TCAPS Montessori, Willow Hill and West Middle, Norte! will expand its city-wide Bike Train network to connect more Traverse City neighborhoods to more Traverse City neighborhood schools to allow more Traverse City youth to bike to school.
These adult-led groups encourage elementary and middle school students to bike together while learning how to safely operate their bicycles on neighborhood streets and urban pathways. Students will become confident cyclists, learn independence, gain self-esteem and arrive to school alert and ready to learn.
Our Bike Trains will provide social connections to friends and neighbors, help reduce motor vehicle traffic congestion and air polluting emissions near schools and build a stronger, better connected Traverse City.
This Safe Routes To School grant will also help fund a collaboration with East Middle and Cherry Knoll to support their at-school bicycle related activities including bike repair education and bike handling skills training.
While The Great Traverse City Bike Train Experiment does not officially launch until fall, Norte! has a lot happening this spring:
The Bike Más Project, our experienced-based after school program, will be at Traverse Heights Elementary and aims to develop the next generation of active, healthy, engaged young leaders in Traverse City through bike repair, education, safety and adventure.
Our current Bike Trains will continue to roll weekly for Bike To School Fridays. Be awesome. Win Pie!
The inaugural Traverse City Bikes To School Day is a community-wide, multi-school celebration of National Bike To School Day on Wednesday, May 6th. Click here for details on what could quite possibly be the most awesome day of kids on bikes in Traverse City history.
We’re teaming up with Remember To Love and the Cherry Capital Cycling Club to host the 2nd annual Traverse City Bike Rodeo. It’s on Saturday, May 16th at Central High School. A free day of fun, bike skills and education for all elementary aged youth.
Bike Happy. Bike Más. Bike TC.
