South Side Ciclovia MKE On Sunday

The second installation of the Ciclovia MKE 2016 summer series will take place in Clarke Square on August 14, 2016 from noon to 4 p.m. Attendees will enjoy a car-free route that stretches from Cesar Chavez Drive through Milwaukee’s Clarke Square neighborhood and into the Hank Aaron State Trail’s Three Bridges Park and hosts a variety of food, activities, and entertainment.

The Clarke Square event will be the third Ciclovia MKE hosted in partnership with the FARM Project, an initiative dedicated to cultivating Cesar E. Chavez Drive as a destination for economic and cultural endeavors through programming and art. Ciclovia attendees are therefore encouraged to explore Cesar E. Chavez Drive and the surrounding community by bike and other active transportation.

“Ciclovia MKE demonstrates Milwaukee’s potential to be a truly livable city,” said Juan Lopez, Farm Project Coordinator at Clarke Square Neighborhood Initiative. “By removing cars, participants are able to enjoy their neighborhoods, and explore areas they may be less familiar with, in colorful and active ways.”

Ciclovia MKE partners with local businesses and organizations to provide attendees with the equipment they need to embrace active transportation. The August 14th event will feature bicycle and scooter raffles and a 200 helmet giveaway (thanks to AAA!). The June Ciclovia MKE raffled off over 500 refurbished bicycles to participants.

The first Ciclovia was held in Bogota, Colombia in 1975 as a tool to try to balance class inequality and citizens fed up with the domination of the automobile, and to promote healthy living. The popular event has spread around the world, with some well-established events drawing up to 4 million attendees weekly.

The rise of the Ciclovia worldwide is proof that, when given the choice, urban-dwellers will embrace active transportation,” said Mirtha Sosa, of the Wisconsin Bike Federation. “We chose to include the Hank Aaron Trail’s Three Bridges Park on the route because we wanted attendees to be able to enjoy both the organic and structural beauty that comes with being active in the city.”

Ciclovia MKE is made possible in part by funds raised through community sponsors. Proud sponsoring organizations include CH2M Hill, Masterlock , Rebel Wipes, Colectivo Coffee, Coast In Bikes, People for Bikes, Gruber Law Offices LLC,  Children’s Community Health Plan,  Zilber Family Foundation, Planet Bikes, and Wisconsin Public Radio. Presenting Partners include the Wisconsin Bike Federation, Clarke Square Neighborhood Initiative, Schwinn, Walker’s Point Association, Walker Square Neighborhood, Cesar Chavez Drive Business Improvement District and the City of Milwaukee.

For more information about Ciclovia MKE visit cicloviamke.org. To see event updates and join the conversation about active transportation “like” Ciclovia MKE on Facebook, RSVP to this Sunday, August 14th’s event or explore #MovementMovement and #CicloviaMKE.

About Ciclovia MKE

Ciclovia MKE is an Open Streets initiative that promotes positive social, health, environmental, and economic growth by opening the streets for non-automobile use (walking, biking, running, dancing, rolling) to connect Milwaukee’s diverse neighborhoods.

Guest post by Marley Flueger of Maldonado and Morgan.