Bike Lock
Johnson said that people in the community have heard of Arcata Library Bikes’ new location on Alliance. “They’re like, ‘Yeah! That’s the place I can dump a bike’,” he said. But Johnson said he doesn’t mind that reputation. He encourages it. The more bikes that are returned, he said, the more bikes can get fixed and dispersed back into the community.
As it is now, the Arcata Bike Library is more of a community gathering place than a huge money-making enterprise. Johnson said he charges up to $50 for a bike but he never really expects it to come back. When and if they do, it’s months later and the bikes aren’t in good shape.
“No one comes back with a good bike,” he said.
That was one of the issues for Bill Burton when he operated the old Arcata Library Bikes. When he rode by the Journal office last week on his bike, he carried a large box of envelopes with him. Each envelope had a name on it of someone who had rented out a bicycle at Arcata Library Bikes when it was open. But none of those names on the envelopes had actually returned the bike. Burton estimates that there are over 4,000 bikes still out in Arcata today. He says he doesn’t care because that means fewer cars on the road.
For the past couple of months, Burton has been traveling to different cities promoting bike-library awareness. Currently, he is one of three contenders for the control and implementation of a new bike library in Portland. But it will be no easy battle. One of his competitors is Clear Channel Outdoors, a multi-billion dollar corporation that already has a bike library in Washington, D.C.
Burton said if he doesn’t win the war in Portland, he hasn’t given up on the idea of opening a bike library back in Arcata. He has roots here still and is in the area often. But again, he said he would need a steady flow of money from the city of Arcata to support that endeavor the second time around.
“I am waiting for Arcata and Humboldt County to be ready,” he said. “I am not giving up. I’m ready. When is Arcata going to be ready?”
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44th Annual Kinetic Grand Championship Race
STAFF PICK / events, art, outdoors, sports, for kids, free / 9 a.m.-6 p.m. A 3-day, 42-mile kinetic sculpture race over land, sand, mud and water! LeMans start at the Noon Whistle on the Arcata Plaza. Follow the race through Manila, Eureka and into Ferndale on Memorial Day for the Glorious Finish. kineticgrandchampionship.com. 889-3024.
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STAFF PICK / events / 8 p.m. Arcata Theatre Lounge, 1036 G St. Student designed and produced clothing. Fundraiser for Arcata Arts Institute. $35/$25 students. artsinstitute.net. 822-1220.
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events / 8 a.m.-noon. Woodside Preschool, 900 Hodgson St, Eureka. www.woodsidepreschool.com. 445-9132.
Lanphere Dunes Restoration
STAFF PICK / outdoors / 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Meet at Pacific Union School. Help remove non-native invasives at the Lanphere Dunes Unit of the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Tools and gloves provided, wear work clothes and bring water. Carpool to the protected site. 444-1397.
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ONE Comments
Comment / By john doe / April 5, 2009, 8:27 p.m.
Bill Burton is a crook and should NOT be involved in any City plans to redevelop a bike library