Preface

THE CITY OF NEW YORK
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN MUNICIPAL BUILDING
NEW YORK, N.Y. 10007
(212) 669-8300

RUTH W. MESSINGER
BOROUGH PRESIDENT

I am proud to have worked closely with Transportation Alternatives to make our shared vision a reality: turning trashed or abandoned bicycles into an opportunity for learning and environmental improvement.

"Recycle-A-Bicycle" is precisely the type of project needed to help our city's youth and the environment. Students learn how to repair and maintain bicycles, how to ride safely, and how to help clean up the environment by repairing and reusing discarded bikes. They also experience the value and rewards of work and contributing to their community.

Participating students have the opportunity to earn their own bicycle through per- forming extra repair work on discarded bicycles, which can then be distributed to interested community organizations. By putting thrown-away bicycles back on the road, the students in the program do all of us a service: preventing waste and providing a non-polluting form of transportation.

I have been consistently impressed with the program's accomplishments. I am proud that with funds I provided. Transportation Alternatives with the Children's Aid Society established the first "Recycle-A-Bicycle" program at Intermediate School 218 in Washington Heights in 1994. I have continued to support the operation and expansion of this innovative program to P.S. 109 in East Harlem, Eastern District High School in Williamsburg and the Park Slope Mini-School.

This guide is the next step toward helping the "Recycle-A-Bicycle" program grow. I hope to see more such programs launched in New York City and anywhere there are young people, junked bikes, and the desire to learn.

Ruth W. Messinger

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