Police program to outfit Iowa City kids with bikes

IOWA CITY - Iowa City has a lot to see and do, but it's hard to experience it all when you're a kid without a set of wheels.

Henri Harper, community outreach assistant at the Iowa City Police Department, wants to change that.

He's working with David Schwindt, the department's downtown liaison officer, to start a program that gets bikes to about 15 kids in the community later this year. The goal, Harper said, is not only to teach them safe riding techniques, but also 'getting them to understand they live in a great community and there's great things they can experience.”

'This is a way we can give back to youth in the community,” Harper added. 'We have a lot of great trails and parks in this community.”

The bikes themselves are to come from the inventory of abandoned bikes recovered by the city and refurbished through a partnership with Iowa City bike shop World of Bikes.

Previously, Schwindt said once a fleet of recovered bikes was built up, the city would publish a legal notice indicating the bikes have gone unclaimed and the owner has 90 days to come forward. Under city code, after 90 days, the police department had the option of auctioning the bikes or donating them to a nonprofit. Schwindt said 25 percent of the bicycles typically went to the Iowa City Bike Library and the rest went to Working Bikes, a Chicago-based company that sent bikes and parts to Africa.

Last month, however, the Iowa City Council approved the first reading of a resolution that would allow the police department to donate some bikes directly to individuals, with the rest still going to nonprofits. The City Council is to again discuss the project at its meeting set for 7 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 410 E. Washington St.

Schwindt said the owners of his current group of unclaimed bicycles have until the end of the month to claim them. Then he will go through and start determining which ones could work as donations.

'This is going to be a learning curve,” he said. 'I have not gone through and looked though the inventory at all yet. I don't know what we have available. We'll go through and pick the best ones.”

But, even the best ones might need a little work. That's where World of Bikes comes in. Schwindt said the staff there has agreed to donate time and labor to refurbish the bikes. Replacement parts will be covered by a grant, Schwindt said.

World of Bikes owner Ryan Baker said he has been on board with the program from the get-go.

'When Dave approached us about the idea and told us what the back story is and what they're trying to accomplish, we just thought it was a good idea,” Baker said. 'It's a great way to get some kids on some decent bikes.”

The value of having a bicycle of your own as a kid is 'tremendous,” Baker added.

'It just gives kids the freedom to be able to kind of live on their own, I guess is a good way to put it,” he said. 'To have the ability to go to friends' houses, to school, to practices, to the movies, without needing a ride from their parents or older siblings or taking the bus.”

In addition to providing kids with a bike, Schwindt said they'll also make sure they're outfitted with proper safety equipment, including lights and a helmet. The recipients will learn about bike safety and maintenance and rides will be organized to teach the kids how to get around town safely.

'I'm interested in getting a bike, riding with the kids on the trails, creating a ride-to-school day,” said Harper.

Harper said he'll rely on connections he's made with students and families in the city and school referrals to determine where the first bikes go. He said he wants a commitment from parents, as well.

'We expect you as a parent to make sure they ride safe and make sure they're doing what they need to be doing on the bikes,” he said.

Harper said he's excited about showing kids in the area there are parts of the city outside of their own neighborhoods worth experiencing and facilitating that experience.

l Comments: (319) 398-8238; lee.hermiston@thegazette.com