QUEENS — Long Island City‘s on a roll.
Kids from the neighborhood can have their bikes repaired and decorated during a cycling extravaganza at the Socrates Sculpture Park this weekend, capped with a parade on Vernon Boulevard.
“It’s a really nice collaboration of a lot of different bike enthusiasts’ community groups,” said Ellen Staller, the park’s director of development and communications. “It’s focused on children from the neighborhood and their families.”
Cycling enthusiasts from Recycle-A-Bicycle will help children make minor repairs to their bikes if they’re needed.
Kids will also get free helmets and fittings from The Department of Transportation and participate in educational workshops about bike safety. Finally, they will be able to decorate their bikes with the assistance of artists associated with the park.
Natalie Jeremijenko, an artist from the NYU’s Environmental Health Clinic, will also show her Newsmotion Bike Messengers, an LED wheel display for bicycles that visually broadcasts information, such as traffic fatalities at each intersection and block.
“It transforms your bike into a moving civic media display,” Jeremijenko said.
Afterward, participants will line-up to march along Vernon Boulevard, with the Chinatown Community Young Lions leading the way.
Vernon Boulevard will temporarily close for the parade, which will end with a waterfront after party at Queensbridge Park.
The workshops start at 11 a.m. and the parade begins at 3 p.m.
