Seventy-five new SoBi bicycles have arrived in Hamilton as the city and Hamilton Bike Share launch a new program that will allow more people to take advantage of the service.
The Everyone Rides Initiative will include the addition of 12 new SoBi hubs, translation services, riding workshops and subsidized memberships.
“Bike share is for everyone, however, not everyone is aware how to access bike share or that it is a resource they could benefit from. The Everyone Rides Initiative is making Hamilton Bike Share more equitable by removing the barriers that may prevent people from accessing the service,” said Thea Jones, Program Manager for Everyone Rides Initiative.
The SoBi Hamilton bike share system launched in 2015 and now has a total of 131 hubs across the city.
The new hubs will be installed at the following locations:
- Barton St E at Lottridge St
- Barton St E at Ottawa St N
- Barton St E at Westinghouse Ave
- Belview Ave at Barton St E
- Cannon St E at Belview Ave
- Dunsmure Rd at Sherman Ave S
- Gage Ave N at Cannon St E
- King St E at Dunsmure Rd
- Maple Ave at Rothsay Ave
- Mars Ave at Wentworth St N
- Ottawa St N at Dunsmure Rd
- Sherman Ave N at Barton St E
The city says the addition of the new hubs will fill in the gaps in the bike share system in key neighborhoods.
“The City of Hamilton continues to demonstrate the success of our bike share program. It is truly a fantastic accomplishment that as a result of exceeding the usage projections, this has led to the expansion with new hubs and additional bicycles. The Everyone Rides Initiative brings the program to more neighbourhoods, and ensures accessibility for everyone in our City as we strive to be a national leader in sustainable transportation,” said Mayor Fred Eisenberger in a news release.
The 75 new bikes will stand out from the existing blue three-speed bikes. They will have a special “inverse” white paint job and eight speeds.
The initiative is funded by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (Green Municipal Fund), with additional funds from the Losani Family Foundation Fund through the Hamilton Community Foundation, and the City of Hamilton.
A community sidewalk mural created in partnership with local artists Lester and Norman Coloma, L’Arche, and Hamilton Bike Share will be unveiled Thursday morning.
