HomeMy Public PortalAboutCOTI_PR20130904_BikeRack.docPRESS RELEASE: Contact: Tybee Island City Hall
For immediate release (912) 786-4573
New Bike Rack Is Green, and Yellow and Red and Blue and Purple
Tybee Island, Ga. – (September 4 , 2013) The Department of Public Works for the City of Tybee Island has come up with a unique recycling strategy for discarded bicycle frames! After
observing in a city park art made from an old bicycle frame functioning as a bicycle rack in Florida, Tybee Island City Manager Diane Schleicher suggested to Danny Carpenter, DPW Supervisor,
that used bicycle frames might make a great material for a bicycle rack on Tybee Island. Mr. Carpenter’s DPW staff took on the challenge to design and construct a bicycle rack out of
multiple frames of bicycles that had been dropped at the DPW transfer station for recycling. This effort is an excellent example of reuse versus recycling and saved the city on the
cost of a similar-sized, factory-built bicycle rack.
The City of Tybee Island’s distinctive position on a barrier island has given special focus to green initiatives of many sorts. The city received its Bronze Bicycle Friendly Community
award in 2012. Residential recycling efforts began in the fall of 2004, followed by recycle bins on the beaches. Tree City USA status was conferred in 2011, and Water First Community
status was achieved in 2005. The Tybee Beautification Association runs beach sweeps and adopt-a-highway clean-up efforts year round, and Tybee’s Main Street program, in partnership
with NOAA and the Georgia DNR, runs publicity programs and coordinates efforts to prevent littering, to support recycling, and to reduce problems created for marine life by beach litter.
In 2011, City Hall was outfitted with all new, low-power lighting fixtures, and a geothermal heating-and-cooling system was installed, saving the city coffers an estimated 25% over
previous years’ power usage.
It’s only fitting that the city’s Department of Public Works continue these traditions by recovering discarded bicycles from the city’s waste stream to custom-build bicycle racks and
encourage more bicycling on the island.
Viewing the bright display, Mayor Jason Buelterman said, “This is a great example of teamwork amongst our staff. I am very proud of this creative solution our staff devised and constructed
to meet the need for additional bike racks on our island.”
Once the project was kicked off, the team worked between scheduled tasks to recover bike frames, design the final product, and do the soldering and painting to bring the idea, colorfully,
to life. This bike rack has been located in front of Tybee City Hall at 403 Butler Avenue.
About Tybee Island, GA.: The City of Tybee Island, Georgia is on the outermost barrier island off the Savannah area coast. With a wild bird sanctuary, over three miles of ocean beaches,
and salt marshes on the back river, outdoor recreation activities abound for visitors to the island. As a key defense point to the important Savannah port, Tybee’s Fort Screven, Tybee
Post Theater, Fort Pulaski, and the Tybee Island and Cockspur Lighthouses combine with the unique architectures of the island’s raised cottages to form a rich backdrop for history buffs.
Attracting a strong artistic community, there are several local supporting art galleries. Keeping the island interesting year round are several arts festivals, the Annual Pirate Fest,
the Beach Bum Parade, St Patrick’s Day celebrations, the Hot Rod Run, the Beach Bash, and the Christmas Parade, as well as fireworks displays on Independence and New Year’s Days off
the Walter W. Parker Pier and Pavilion. The Marine Science Center cooperates with Georgia’s DNR to protect threatened sea turtle species by searching for nests, protecting their eggs,
and making sure hatchlings make it to sea. For visitor information, stop by http://www.tybeevisit.com/, and to find more about the City of Tybee Island, visit our web site at http://www.cityoftybee.
org/.
From left to right are City of Tybee Island employees: Michael Shuler, Barry Caldwell, Robert Laxton, Daniel Imler, and Danny Carpenter.
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