The idea first rolled into the minds of a few high school students gathered together in Jim Hartman's Ecology class last fall at Ashland Senior High. It started when Jim Hartman asked his students to find a meaningful way to improve their local ecological environment. He asked them what could be done to increase the use of alternative transportation and reduce air pollution in the local environment. Programs like this one helped Portland earn its rating as best city in the U.S. for cycling last year, and Ashland seemed like the perfect place to try it out next. Good ideas show possibility and stand up to strong criticism.
Great ideas are good ideas that can actually be put into action.
So Jim Hartman challenged this ambitious young group to put their ideas to the test and present them to the city, which meant drawing up a plan that would stand up to the inevitable barrage of questions and criticisms. A board was promptly formed to carry out the logistical necessities and the idea was bravely presented to the Ashland City Council, where it was warmly received. City council member Ken Hagen even joined the board to act as city liaison. Within weeks orphaned bikes began to turn up. Little by little support grew, though, and bikes started turning up all over town as word got out.