To be bicyclist-friendly, a community needs designated places to securely park bicycles at popular destinations. The Village of Dryden in rural Tompkins County is easily traveled by bicycle and adjacent to the Dryden Rail Trail, but due to a lack of bike racks, many residents of the village and of the surrounding Town of Dryden have long chosen to travel by car, even for short trips. Dryden resident Kate McKee observed this issue and, in April 2023, received a Neighborhood Mini-Grant from Sustainable Finger Lakes to buy four bike racks for the village.
McKee installed the racks at small businesses throughout the village – Clark’s Shurfine Food Mart, Mavin Hair and Beauty, The Corner Brew, and Pine Ridge Grocery — and equipped them with cables and locks. All four are now used regularly, and more Dryden residents are choosing to visit those businesses by bicycle instead of driving. The village has gained locally-owned businesses in recent years, becoming increasingly able to meet residents’ needs, and bicycling infrastructure is an essential part of building its resilience and self-sufficiency.
McKee says: “I have noticed that the best way to get the community more involved with sustainable transportation, is to be visible with it. The bike racks are a great visual reminder that we can make sustainable travel choices every day, and it’s easy to do within the Village of Dryden. Our community is becoming more sustainable in this way every year and I appreciated the chance to help make it possible through the [Sustainable Finger Lakes] Neighborhood Mini-Grant.”
The Neighborhood Mini-Grant Program provides seed money to diverse initiatives to build environmental, economic, and social resilience and well-being in Tompkins County. The program is supported by Craig Riecke, the Park Foundation, and local donors. The next deadline to apply for a Mini-Grant is October 1, 2024. To request an application or learn more, email sasha@sustainablefingerlakes.org.
