April 26, 1999		City of Oberlin to be Named Bicycle Friendly Community Media Contact: Betty Gabrielli
	A Historical sketch of bicycling in Oberlin		OBERLIN, OHIO--Signs declaring Oberlin a Bike Friendly Community (BFC) will be in place this summer--just in time to welcome the 250,000 cyclists expected to visit Oberlin via the North Coast Inland Trail bike path. Oberlin is one of the first three cities in the region, with Avon Lake and Mentor, to be so designated. The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) will issue a proclamation announcing the BFC designation on May 14. NOACA selected Oberlin according to guidelines established by the League of American Bicyclists. To celebrate Oberlin's new status, four events will be held from May through August. During May, National Bicycle Month, a "Bike to Work Day" is scheduled for Monday, May 17 and a Bike Festival for May 22. On "Bike to Work Day," residents are invited to leave their cars at home and use their non-fossil-fuel vehicles to travel to and from work, says Sadhu Johnston, a board member of the Oberlin Bike Co-op. The student and community organization is spearheading local bicycling advocacy. The 1999 Oberlin Bike Festival will be held on Saturday, May 22 in partnership with community and civic groups. NOACA will present the BFC signs at a 4 p.m. ceremony on Tappan Square. Also, two related programs will be held in the summer with funds provided by a Stocker Foundation grant: a course in bike repair and maintenance for community youth and weekend workshops for adults. The City of Oberlin continues to support bicycling, says City Manager Rob DeSpirito. The police department's bike patrol is being expanded from two to three officers, with a "beat" that includes the city's section of the Kipton-Elyria bike path; two sections of the bike path within the city also will be finished. By June, a pedestrian-activated traffic signal will be installed at the intersection of Edison and Main streets near Oberlin's 3.2 mile section of the North Coast Inland Trail bike path. Applications are being made for funds to establish a cyclist visitors' center and park at the nearby Clark Round House, located between McDonald's and Missler's Supermarket. The Round House also is being championed by Rep. Sherrod Brown, who is seeking funds to develop the site as a museum honoring the city's contribution to the Underground Railroad. The 2,500 sq. ft. structure and surrounding acreage are less than a mile from downtown Oberlin.