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Arts4BikePaths
"Arts4BikePaths
" is an alliance of environmentalists, bicyclists and artists.
Arts4BikePaths' mission is to coordinate art shows and other
events to raise money for future multi-use trail and infrastructure
projects in the greater Charlottesville area.
Local artists
donate their art works to this cause. Events from the previous
two years included a silent auction hosted by The Bridge, a
reception at the McGuffey Art Center and the Community Space,
and open exhibits at many galleries, such as Bozart, Les Yeux
Du Monde, the John Russeau Gallery, La Galleria, Creature Gallery,
Art Upstairs, and Betty's at Belmont.
Great
Potential for Transportation Alternatives in Our Community
Currently, the Charlottesville area has few trails
with limited accessibility for bicycle transportation. Most of the
Rivanna Trail is not designed for bicycles. The bicycle lanes in the
city represent a proactive attitude on the part of local government,
but are often unsafe and discontinuous and therefore uninviting for
many bicyclists. This is unfortunate in a college town with a thriving
downtown, where most residents value active lifestyles and the
potential is great for bicycle transportation.
Growing
Environmental Concerns
With growing concerns about traffic, air quality,
global warming, sustainable development, neighborhood models, gasoline
prices, and public health, more attention is being paid to creating and
maintaining bicycling programs. The Arts4BikePaths coalition is a
year-round local fundraiser which promotes, supports, and contributes
to this purpose.
Arts4BikePaths
Organizers
Linda Capacchione,
local cyclist, artist, psychotherapist, and coordinator for
Arts4BikePaths, states, "It is amazing how willing everyone
has been to become involved in this movement, and it just shows
how excited people are for more bicycle facilities." Zachary
Shahan, Executive Director of ACCT, says, "We worked with
hundreds of local citizens in the past year to prioritize future
bicycle projects in the area. This program helps to raise the
money that is needed to implement some of these projects."
Federal Policy Clears the Path for Biking and Walking
The $286 billion highway transportation bill signed
in August 2005 dedicates $4.5 billion to bicycling and walking
projects, a sharp increase of 2 billion from the $2.5 billion spent
under the previous transportation law. To access this
federal grant money, however, cities must be able to "match" federal
dollars with local funds.
"This is a very positive time for bicycling in this
country. A lot of things are coming together," states director of Bikes
Belong, a national industry group.
Dear Community of Charlottesville,
Many of
us citizens believe that it is essential that our community unite
together to support the development of walking and bicycle routes. Are
you aware that the bicycling industry is becoming more effective in its
lobbying efforts in Washington? Together, we could make a difference in
our Charlottesville community and become a local and global model for
utilizing environmental-friendly natural energy resources for
transportation and recreation.
Thank
you for your support,
Linda Capacchione
Chair, Art4BikePaths
How
to get involved:
Come to one of our events, buy some beautiful
art, and know that you are helping Charlottesville to become more
bike-friendly! ACCT sends out monthly e-mails to keep people posted on
current events, which will included art shows and charity concerts for
Arts4BikePaths. If you would like to receive these e-mails, contact Zachary Shahan
at ACCT.
Arts4BikePaths is completely volunteer-driven.
Please consider joining our committee. We do important work and always
have a good time! To join, e-mail Linda Capacchione.
How
to donate money:
Donations to Arts4BikePaths are
tax-deductible. Write personal checks to: ACCT and write
"Arts4BikePaths Fund" in the memo. Please mail donation checks to:
ACCT
P.O. Box 1582
Charlottesville, VA 22902
How
to donate art:
Because
ACCT is a registered non-profit organization, donations
of art are tax deductible. If you want information about
donating some of your origial art work to benefit Arts4BikePaths,
please contact Linda
Capacchione, (434) 296-1338.
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Arts4BikePaths
is a project of the Alliance for Community Choice in Transportation
(ACCT). Monies from this fund will be raised and spent to
match city, county, state, and federal grant monies for bicycle bridge
and/or bicycle path construction expenses.
For additional information, email Zachary Shahan,
ACCT Executive Director, or
call him at (434)285.6554
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