As Boston continues to improve the way it accommodates cyclists and the safety measures surrounding them, not every local neighborhood is privy to the same upgrades. In fact, some have taken it into their own hands to make their community more bike-friendly by harnessing the power of crowdfunding. One Dorchester resident has done exactly that, launching a new Indiegogo campaign to bring bike repair equipment to one of Dot’s toughest areas.
The Bowdoin-Geneva part of Dorchester was referred to by the Boston Globe in 2012 as one where “The path to prison is too well-worn, especially in this neighborhood.” On May 14 of this year, Noah Hicks launched a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo to bring a bike repair shop, and offer cycling classes and tutorials, to the area.
According to the campaign page, Noah was homeless and unemployed when he found solace in a battered Huffy. After repairing the bike himself, he came to realize this kind of work was the vehicle for pulling himself out of impoverishment.
“I became a shop-trained bicycle mechanic, restoring and selling classic bicycles on my free time,” writes Noah on the Indiegogo page. “I was able to turn my hobby into serious money and turn that money into serious opportunity. Cycling has changed my life.”
Now Noah wants the people of Bowdoin-Geneva to experience the same tranformation he did by affording them the opportunity to enjoy dependable bikes.
“This project isn’t about importing cycling culture into the Bowdoin-Geneva neighborhood,” Hicks told BostInno in an email. “It is about bringing it back. We need transit choices now more than ever.”
Already Noah has hosted small, local events in which he simply brought his tools down to the Bowdoin-Geneva Community Hub and engaged with residents who either took apt advantage of his generosity or poked their heads in to stymie their curiosity. Either way, as Noah puts it, “The response was TREMENDOUS.”
With your financial help, Noah is hoping to open a brick-and-mortar bike shop and cafe by Spring 2015. Immediate needs include parts (inner tubes, lights, locks, helmets, brakes, tires, etc.), tools, food for mechanics and other volunteers as they have no monetary compensation at this point, and rent to shelter them until they’re able to settle down permanently.
But even if launching a retail bike shop doesn’t pan out, the ultimate goal remains the same: to get more butts on bikes.
“More bicycles on the road would mean more demand for businesses that sell and service bicycle-related products,” added Hicks in his email. “More businesses would mean more well-paying jobs, and more well-paying jobs would mean more money being spent right here in out backyard. That’s a cycle we can all celebrate.”
To date, the campaign has already banked $1,435 of its $10,000 goal and still has 54 days left to raise the additional funds. The initiative will close on July 13 so be sure to contribute as much, and as soon, as you can.
[UPDATE]: Any earlier version of this story appeared without direct quotes from Noah Hicks and the second image.
Image via Shutterstock
