It Takes a Village...

[Rick Dubrow]

Have you seen the finished Community Bicycle Repair & Information Station, or C-BRIS, that we designed and built on our property on Northwest Avenue?  Better yet, have you used it?

It’s here for you; built for you… hoping to help you get on your bike more and more.  And with plenty of information and maps for walking, hiking and riding the bus, the C-BRIS is all about getting you more active; leaving behind your car.

Before I send you on to our website posting that’s all about the C-BRIS… from KING-5’s video coverage, to Southside Living Magazine‘s article about it, to cool time-lapse photography of its construction… I have a special request for you, as a member of our village.

Vandalism has been an issue from day 1. Yeah, we figured as much… but not THIS much!  And we need all eyes and ears watching the C-BRIS, and shutting down any misuse that you see going on as you cycle, walk or drive by.  If need be, call 911.  Or simply park right next to it for a bit and watch the lowlifes scatter!

The C-BRIS contains two large bike repair manuals, costing over $30 each. Five manuals have already been stolen. Each one has been attached to a shelf with stainless steel cable; each time with thicker and thicker cable.

Someone chewed through the hose end that terminates into the valve to pump up one’s tires… and stole the valve.

Folks have used the electrical outlet to charge their cell phones while sitting behind the C-BRIS smoking dope.

The slab has been pissed on.

The suggestion box’s pad of paper and pen have been stolen.

It took a village to design and build this thing, and it’ll clearly take a village is protect it!

So please do what you can do to make this puppy live here a long, long time.

The other side of this double-edged sword is the overwhelming, positive energy that has come our way as a result of this structure.  Allow me to share just 3 of the 65 notes we’ve gotten prior to 9-23-15 in our suggestion box:

“This is one of the coolest things I have ever seen. Being a lifelong biker from Bellingham… 4th generation… I appreciate what biking can do for everyone, on a local and global scale.  So thank you to everyone involved… so much!” – Josh Blake

“FANTASTIC/AMAZING… A-1 and Rick Dubrow rock the bike community in Bellingham.  Better and more comprehensive a facility than I’ve seen anywhere in the nation/world… and my wife and I have been bike touring since 1980 (Although never biked in Europe).  What did you not think of…” – Ron and Donna Merlino

“Today I rode past and noticed you added a comment box.  This is not a suggestion; it is a THANK YOU.  Not only has your bike station been a huge, huge help to myself and others in this community, your genius and selflessness are an absolute inspration to me.  Thank you from my heart.” – Heather Paton (written, and snail-mailed to us, on a custom made cardboard postcard!)

Know that the suggestion box has offered up many an idea.  One of them we’re running with is the installation of a ground-level bike stand… coming soon.  This will help those without a kick stand to rest their bike before, or instead of, needing to lift one’s bike up onto the bike rack.  Or, if 2 bikers show up at the same time, this ground-mounted stand will allow a batter’s box for who’s on deck to work on their bike.

Other suggestions… like providing lube and grease; or a water fountain; providing additional tools besides the most commonly needed tools which are already there; providing a porta-potty… stretch us beyond our capacity. And because of how often folks are using it to charge their cell phones, we’ve had to cover up the electrical outlet with a blank cover plate.

Like most everything in life, the C-BRIS brings out the best and worst in people.  We need you and the rest of the village to help us filter out those capable of damaging this gem.

The good shall prevail.  The C-BRIS shall live. Please help make it so!

Now, for the rest of the C-BRIS story, go HERE.