Dear Bike Walk Tompkins supporter,
The past three weeks have taken us all by surprise. We have upended our routines, work plans, and life arrangements in the essential effort to protect our most vulnerable family members, friends, and neighbors from the spread of COVID-19. If you or someone you love is currently affected by the virus, we send our deepest wishes for a speedy and successful recovery. The staff at Bike Walk Tompkins and The Center for Community Transportation are currently and thankfully all healthy, and we have taken the following actions to support physical distancing guidelines:
The BWT and CCT office is closed and staff have been working from home since March 16, but we are still reachable by phone, email, Zoom, etc.
We have cancelled the April Streets Alive! Ithaca and Bicycling for Everyone Open House and are working on substitute events at a later date and in a different format.
While it’s been tough to cancel anticipated and beloved community events, we are impressed by the clear importance of walking and bicycling for essential trips and well-being. Our work to support your transportation and health, as well as your sense of hope and community continues:
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram where we’ve been posting the inspirational ways that walking and bicycling are helping during this crisis. We also post updates and news of our developing online activities and events. Stay tuned!
Check out the Streets Alive! Film Fest archive and watch your favorite videos from the past events from your own home. This year’s lineup is also there, so don’t miss out.
Keep up with the operating hours of local bike shops and services on our website. Related news: thanks to state-wide advocacy efforts, bicycle repair shops are considered essential businesses in New York State.
Ithaca Carshare remains available for essential trips with measures taken to safeguard public health while keeping this service available to members and enabling new uses that support our community in the current crisis.
We are working with transportation providers and TCHD to develop options to reach the drive-thru testing site, opening up testing options to transportation-vulnerable people and car-free families. We will keep you updated as progress continues.
We look forward to engaging with you online very soon, and in person when it is OK to do so. ‘Til then, we encourage you to enjoy walking and biking to recharge your batteries, fill your soul, do your essential trips, and find comfort by being outdoors (all with appropriate physical distancing, of course). Let this new energy embolden you to face our current challenge, and carry all of us through to when we take bold action to make walking, biking, and rolling safer and more convenient for everyone.
Be well,
The Bike Walk Tompkins team