Coconut Grove BID Sponsors the 12th Biannual Walk, Bike and Roll to School Day, Nov. 15

The Coconut Grove Business Improvement District (BID) sponsors the 12th biannual Coconut Grove Walk, Bike, and Roll to School day on Wednesday, Nov. 15. The event, designed to encourage an eco-friendly and physically beneficial school-commute alternative for children and teens, will take place from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. This is a community effort led by the Coconut Grove Business Improvement District (BID), Friends of the Commodore Trail, the University of Miami BikeSafe Program, the Miami Police Department, and Bike Coconut Grove. It was created to bring awareness to the need for “safe streets,” streets made safe for kids and families to walk, ride, scoot, and roll on every day.

According to Cynthia Seymour, acting executive director of the BID, the growing need for promoting safer and more accessible ways to commute to school is a testament to the growth of Coconut Grove.? The engagement and collaboration between schools, businesses, and local organizations is unique here in Miami and something to be proud of. Together, Coconut Grove partners envision an exemplary neighborhood that models connective, safe mobility for the entire community, continuing its trajectory as a desirable place to both live and work.??

Similar to the previous Bike event, over 70 children and parents are expected to ride together as part of a group, “Bike Bus,” to Coconut Grove Elementary. Many more are expected to use the pop-up protected bike lanes to reach the six schools that are situated along Main Highway. Francis S Tucker Elementary, Coconut Grove Montessori, La Piazza, and MCA Academy are all situated along other thoroughfares in Coconut Grove, so there will be many more families on bikes throughout the entire neighborhood. For those families who live out of town and commute in, two designated Park-and-Ride locations have been generously provided by the Miami Parking Authority at Regatta Park (Lot 62) and the National Tropical Botanic Garden at The Kampong.?

“We are ecstatic to sponsor Walk, Bike, and Roll to School Day in Coconut Grove for its 12th event! Our top priority is to ensure the safety of our local students. The City of Miami Police Department will provide additional police presence at all the requested intersections and crosswalks. The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine BikeSafe WalkSafe program supports the community in painting and setting up the pop-up protected bike lane that will run the length of Matilda St., across Fuller St., over Main Hwy, and onto the Commodore Trail. This will provide a protected route for all students who attend Coconut Grove Elementary School and those schools on Main Hwy. The BID will provide hydration stations on Fuller St., and together, we welcome additional sponsors to join us in greeting and encouraging students as they walk and bike to school.” said Seymour.

“It’s safe to say that we prioritize fun and community kinship, which is why we invite participation in the painting party,” notes Seymour. The painting party will take place Tuesday, November 14, on Fuller St. at 2 p.m. and Matilda St. at 4.15 p.m. Yearly, the party sees children, parents, and local officials join in to celebrate the constantly improving transportation infrastructure of Coconut Grove by painting the streets. The party involves painting the protected bike lane that links Fuller and Matilda St. in green. This change to familiar streets will make biking and walking safer for everyone in the community.

Safety in quality and safety in numbers will be on full display with police involvement, protected connectivity to the Commodore Trail, and supervision by several of this year’s sponsors, such as No Boundaries Sport, Mack Cycle, and Bike305, which will be hosting giveaways to equip better and inform students on riding two-wheels to school.?

“Walk, Bike, and Roll to School Day as a whole is a sign of our ethos here at Coconut Grove. We want our children to thrive because they are the bedrock of our community. To provide ways for them to commute safely, efficiently – and with a positive impact on the environment we treasure – is one way we help them on their path to success,” added Seymour.??

Coconut Grove’s BID Marketing staff and Operations team work on behalf of local businesses to create unique initiatives, activations, and promotions that continually elevate the profile of Coconut Grove and keep visitors and residents coming back all year round.

To sign up for parking at the park-and-ride locations at Regatta Park and the Kampong, Nov. 15 for Walk, Bike, and Roll Day, for the painting party on Nov. 14, or to provide input on how to improve your family’s bike or walk commute, please scan the QR code (below), alternatively find the event on Eventbrite.com by searching for “Protected Bike Lane Painting Party @ Grove Elementary - November ‘23.” or by visiting https://www.eventbrite.com/e/protected-bike-lane-painting-party-grove-elementary-november-23-tickets-724000664477. All participants are encouraged to upload their photos onto social media with #BikeGrove2023.

Upcoming quarterly initiatives include Grove Heritage Holiday Tree Lighting on Saturday, Dec. 2; Pinta Miami 2023 Dec. 6-10; and Mango Strut on Jan. 7.?

About the Coconut Grove BID

Boosting the vitality of the Grove’s Downtown District and the people who live, work, play, and visit here is at the very core of the mission of the BID. Not only does the BID keep local businesses in the spotlight with innovative marketing and publicity tools and operations support that directly benefit each member organization, but also by hosting creative programs and seasonal initiatives that continually elevate the profile of Coconut Grove – while generating high levels of foot traffic into the district.

Coconut Grove BID Administrative Offices are located at 3250 Mary St., Suite 305, Coconut Grove, FL 33133. For information call 305-462-5506 or visit www.coconutgrove.com.

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