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CITY, APSU TEAM UP TO ADD BCYCLES ON CAMPUS

New Release
Date: 8/31/18

Clarksville, Tenn. -- The City of Clarksville and Austin Peay State University have partnered to offer the popular Clarksville BCycle bike-sharing program on campus. 


As a result, currently enrolled APSU students are eligible for free annual bike-share memberships that give them access to bikes on campus and at the City’s BCycle stations at Liberty Park, Cumberland Riverwalk, Downtown at Public Square and the Clarksville Greenway’s Pollard Road Trailhead.

Mayor Kim McMillan and APSU President Alisa White cut the ribbon Thursday, Aug. 30 at the Foy Recreation Center on 10 new BCycles and a docking station.

The partnership grew out of an award-winning "Great Green Idea" by former SGA President Frank Burns. It gained support of the Student Government Association and the Sustainable Campus Fee Committee.

“This is a true partnership that creates opportunities for transportation and healthy recreation options, and also will connect Austin Peay students with our downtown, parks and greenways,” Clarksville Mayor Kim McMillan said. “We hope this will be the first of many BCycle stations on campus.“

The bikes, adorned with APSU symbols and slogans, were paid for by the APSU Sustainability fee and will be maintained and operated by the Clarksville Parks & Recreation Department.

“This is a wonderful step toward the University’s strategic goals for sustainability,” President White said. “In addition, the BCycle station provides access to additional forms of recreation and entertainment, especially in the historic downtown area, which also brings enhanced economic impact to area businesses. We appreciate the opportunity to partner with the City on this project, and I am confident the bicycles will be enjoyed by our students.”

For information or to register for bike sharing, visit clarksville.bcycle.com/apsu or call (931) 645-7476.

About Clarksville BCycle The Clarksville BCycle system includes five stations and 52 bikes throughout Clarksville. Bikes rented from one station may be returned to any of the other stations.

Clarksville BCycle 24 Hour memberships start at $3, and entle the rider to unlimited 60 minute bike rides during the membership period. Rides lasting longer than an hour incur a $1 usage fee for each additional 30 minutes. Individuals can purchase monthly and annual memberships online that allow the rider to skip the kiosk and checkout bikes directly from the dock using the app or personal B-card. Learn more at Clarksville.BCycle.com.

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New! Bicycle Tours in Downtown Clarksville

October 3, 2017

Clarksville’s popular bike sharing system, Clarksville BCycle, is excited to host two bike tours this fall. Bike tours are a great way to discover downtown Clarksville.

  • Tour Historic Downtown Clarksville -- 3 to 5 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 14: This two-mile tour will take participants through downtown stopping at 1950's and 1960's points of interest. The group will rest briefly at 5-8 stops where interpreters will tell stories about locations such as Newts Records, Ely's Feed, Woolworths, Capitol Theater, Collin's Music and more.  The cost is $10 per person.  Registration is open to the first 10 participants and is available online through Thursday, Oct. 12 (or until it sells out).

  • Tour Haunted Clarksville  -- 6 to 8 p.m., Friday, Nov. 10:  This ghost tour will guide participants through downtown stopping at locations with dark pasts.  Interpreters will be located at stops along the two-mile route to share stories of ghostly incidents or documented occurrences.  The event will conclude at Roux’s Speakeasy where participants will be provided doubloons worth $2 off beverages.  The cost is $20 per person.  Registration is open to the first 15 participants and is available online through Wednesday, Nov. 8 (or until it sells out).

Both tours will be led by William Parker, Historical Interpreter at Fort Defiance Interpretive Center & Civil War Park.  Each participant will be provided a BCycle and a safety vest. Participants are encouraged to bring their own bicycle helmet. 

City Opens Two New BCycle Stations


Date: 05/08/2017
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. -- Mayor Kim McMillan cut a ribbon Monday to open one of Clarksville’s two new bike share stations. 

The ceremony, at the Pollard Road trailhead on the Clarksville Greenway, included Clarksville Academy students, Community Health Foundation board members and Clarksville Parks & Recreation Department leaders. 

A second new station, at Public Square and Franklin Street in Downtown Clarksville, also opened Monday. 

“We want to offer healthy opportunities to help our citizens live the best life possible,” Mayor McMillan said. “And this fantastic partnership involving students, our local health foundation and Clarksville’s Parks & Recreation Department allows us to do that. We’re moving toward our goal of making Clarksville the healthiest City in America.”

The bike-share program, which now has four stations in operation, is the result of grant proposals written by students in the Clarksville Academy’s Challenge Based Learning program. The requests were approved by the Clarksville-Montgomery County Community Health Foundation, which was created in 2006 to promote health initiatives and manage property and assets generated from the sale of the community’s public hospital.

Joanne Askew, director of Challenge Based Learning at Clarksville Academy, said the group of students involved in the bike share grants gained plenty of real-world experience that will help them in their academic careers and beyond.

B2“These students were involved throughout the whole process, from grant writing, managing correspondence with the foundation, to helping assemble the bikes,” Askew said. “This was truly what we call cross-curricular content.”A survey asked riders where they would like to see additional stations, and they indicated a preference for adding BCycle on the Clarksville Greenway and in Downtown Clarksville. The new 10-bike stations dedicated Monday are similar to the ones opened in January 2016 at Liberty Park and the Cumberland Riverwalk. 

Jennifer Letourneau, director of Clarksville Parks & Recreation, said she expects the two new station to build on the early success of the BCycle program.

“The goal of this grant was to get Clarksvillians active,” Let
ourneau said. “I can say without doubt that it has succeeded. Since February, BCycle has had 3,000 users, who have taken more than 7,000 trips, covering 48,000 miles. And these riders burned almost 2 million calories. With these additional stations, those numbers should skyrocket.”

The Clarksville BCycle bike-share system allows riders to check-out BCycles from kiosks or through a cell phone app. The program offers 24-hour memberships for $3; 30-day memberships for $15; and annual memberships for $50. Memberships entitle the rider to unlimited 60 minute bike trips. Usage fees are applied to trips lasting more than an hour. Riders may check-out bikes from one location and dock them at the next station. 

For information about Clarksville BCycle, visit www.clarksville.bcycle.com or contact Clarksville Parks & Recreation at (931) 645-7476.

About Clarksville Parks
The mission of the Clarksville Parks & Recreation Department is to provide a variety of positive recreational experiences to enhance life values for the City’s diverse individuals and families. To learn more, visit www.cityofclarksville.com, like on Facebook, or call (931) 645-7476. 

Clarksville BCycle to Grow


News Release
Date: 1/23/2017

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Thanks to a group of Clarksville Academy students, a grant from the Clarksville-Montgomery County Community Health Foundation and a partnership with the City of Clarksville, two more bike-share stations are coming to Clarksville. 

The group of students researched and wrote a grant proposal as part of Clarksville Academy’s Challenge Based Learning (CBL) for two additional Clarksville BCycle stations. Based on feedback received from community members, the two new stations will be located at the Clarksville Greenway at the Pollard Road Trailhead, and downtown at the corner of Public Square and Franklin Street.  Stations are expected to be installed this Spring.

“The City of Clarksville is delighted to partner with Clarksville Academy students to provide more bike-sharing in downtown and at the Greenway, and we appreciate their efforts and the Health Foundation grant,” Mayor Kim McMillan said. “Bikes fit our mission to provide more fitness and recreation opportunities for our residents and visitors, so this is a welcome addition.”

Similar to the  other two stations at Liberty Park and Cumberland Riverwalk, each station will house 10 BCycles. Bikes rented from one station may be returned to any of the other stations. Clarksville BCycle 24 Hour memberships start at $3, and entitle the rider to unlimited 60 minute bike rides.  Rides lasting longer than an hour incur $1 usage fee for each additional 30 minutes.  Individuals can purchase weekly, monthly, and annual memberships online that allow the rider to skip the kiosk and checkout bikes directly from the dock using the app or personal B-card. 

Complete our Survey!

Clarksville Academy CBL student have prepared a survey to better gauge citizen use of equipment in our parks.  Please take a couple minutes to complete the survey (Linked below).  Thank you in advance for your feedback. 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1TORFnEQCVluYF0wLtbWMtYlwwSYOTis9k9HXdxk5UTE/viewform?c=0&w=1

About the Challenge Based Learning Program (CBL)
The Challenge Based Learning (CBL) program at Clarksville Academy challenged students with ways in which they could improve their community.  The CBL classroom shifts the typical setting in which one instructor teaches set curriculum to multiple students. CBL reverses that model, allowing the challenge to be formulated and investigated, consulting with experts in varying fields as resources, defining guiding questions, and resulting in a sustainable solution all led by the students. 

 

Ribbon Cutting Scheduled

by Candice Tillman / January 4, 2016

GrandOpening
Clarksville, TN – Thanks to a group of Clarksville Academy students, a grant from the Clarksville-Montgomery County Community Health Foundation and a partnership with the city of Clarksville, a bicycle share program will soon come to Liberty and McGregor parks.

The group, comprised of about eight Clarksville students each year, researched and wrote a grant proposal as part of  Clarksville Academy’s Challenge Based Learning (CBL). They ultimately chose B-cycle, and then wrote a grant proposal. After being awarded the grant from the Community Health Foundation, students then began work with the city to identify locations for the bike stations. Once the program is in place, they’ll continue to monitor how often the bikes are used and study how they are making a difference.

Each station, both located along the Cumberland River, will house 10 B-cycles each. Bicycles rented from one station can be returned to the other station. Clarksville B-cycle riders must purchase an access pass for $3 that allows riders access to the bike for 24 hours. The first hour is free but then riders must pay $1 for each additional 30 minutes that a bike is out. Individuals can purchase daily passes or memberships, including weekly, monthly, and one-year options.

A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, January 15 at Liberty Park with honored guests Clarksville Mayor Kim McMillan, Kay Drew, Head of School at Clarksville Academy,  and Sarah Schwartz, Grant Coordinator for Clarksville-Montgomery County Community Health Foundation.

About the Challenge Based Learning Program (CBL)
The Challenge Based Learning (CBL) program at Clarksville Academy challenged students with ways in which they could improve their community.  The CBL classroom shifts the typical setting in which one instructor teaches set curriculum to multiple students. CBL reverses that model, allowing the challenge to be formulated and investigated, consulting with experts in varying fields as resources, defining guiding questions, and resulting in a sustainable solution all led by the students. 

 

Clarksville to take a ride on the healthy side

by Stephanie Ingersoll | Nov 03, 2015

10 Best Bike Share for 2/27 - Austin

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Building a healthier Clarksville may be as easy as a ride in the park.

Thanks to a group of Clarksville Academy students, a grant from the Clarksville-Montgomery County Community Health Foundation and a partnership with the city of Clarksville, a bicycle share program will soon come to Liberty and McGregor parks.

The Clarksville City Council approved second reading of an ordinance Thursday night to amend the Parks and Recreation budget to accept a $118,000 donation from Clarksville Academy for two B-cycle bicycle rental stations.

B-Cycle is the same company that operates bicycle ride share programs in Nashville and a number of other cities across the United States. The details of how much a membership will cost have not been set for Clarksville, but the city is working with B-cycle to get a contract in place and order the bicycle stations, said city spokeswoman Jennifer Rawls.

Once the contract is signed, Clarksville could get two stations, each with space to hold 10 bikes, and14 bicycles within six to eight weeks, she said. One station will be at Liberty Park, and the other will be placed at McGregor Park. Bicycles rented from one station can be returned to the other station, she said.

It’s just one more way the city can help encourage fitness, an initiative Clarksville Mayor Kim McMillan has been passionate about since taking office.

“This program is another step in helping Clarksvillians maintain a healthy lifestyle and have a lot of fun at the same time,” she said. “We are really happy we were able to work out this partnership to provide this service in Clarksville.”

It’s a partnership that may not have been possible without the efforts of a determined group of students at Clarksville Academy.

As part of the academy’s challenge-based learning program, students are encouraged to look at real-life challenges and then work in teams to find solutions, said Clarksville Academy Head of School Kay Drew.

Guidance counselor Denise Walker works with students who choose to work together as a team to address fitness goals. Over the past two years, a team of high school students has been working to get a bike ride sharing program for Clarksville, Drew said.

The group — made up of about eight students each year — spent one year on research, talking to a number of companies before settling on B-cycle, and then wrote a grant proposal. After receiving a grant from the Community Health Foundation, students then began work with the city to identify locations for the bike stations and turn over the money to the city. Once the program is in place, they’ll continue to monitor how often the bikes are used and study how they are making a difference.

Another group of students from the academy was responsible for bringing outdoor fitness equipment to Liberty Park in the past, and that has been so successful that they’ve continued to seek and get grant money, she said.

 
They’ve recently even been asked by Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett to possibly work on getting a grant to bring a bike share program to the county too, Drew said.

The group’s makeup may change some from one year to the next and includes students in grades nine through 12. She said the experience gives students a unique chance to make an impact on their city and go through a process that includes planning, building strategies, budgeting, data collection and giving presentations.

“I’m so proud of them,” Drew said Friday. “I think it’s just a wonderful achievement.”

Rawls said the program will be run through B-cycle, which will provide the bikes and stations, but that the city will be responsible for flat tires and other such maintenance.

People who want to participate will be able to go online and sign up for a membership, she said. Then they will go to one of the stations at one of the parks and use their credit card to take out a bike.

If the program in Nashville is any indication of what to expect in Clarksville, riders probably will get to pick daily, weekly, monthly or annual memberships. Nashville B-cycle members get the first hour free but then pay $1.50 for each additional 30 minutes that a bike is out. That’s to encourage frequent ridership with a high turnover, according to the company’s website. They also can get a 24-hour membership by paying directly at a kiosk.

B-cycle will keep all membership fees, and the city will keep the rental monies to help pay for maintenance, Rawls said.

Drew said students hope to see the ride share program in place by fall.

Stephanie Ingersoll, 245-0267

Breaking news reporter

singersoll@theleafchronicle.com

Twitter: @StephLeaf

http://www.theleafchronicle.com/story/news/local/clarksville/2015/06/05/clarksville-take-ride-healthy-side/28573651/
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