Update 7/25: we made a correction to this story, since we were told that the Mayor is only taking personal training sessions at Fuerte Fitness, and is not contributing toward the purchase of a bike rack in any way.
When Fuerte Fitness owner Adriana Medina asked the City to install a bike rack in front of the gym, she was surprised that SDOT turned her down. Under SDOT’s “Bicycle Spot Improvement Program” business owners can apply for a free bike rack to be installed in front of their business; but due to the current budget shortfall, that funding has run dry.
So, Medina will be using proceeds from classes scheduled at Fuerte Fitness for the remainder of July and all of August in order to raise the money for a bike rack. Here’s what Medina wrote:
Fuerte Fitness is holding a fundraiser, independently, to help the neighborhood install a bike rack near my community gym. Proceeds from fitness classes offered at my gym in July & August, as well as any donations from gym members or members of the community will go towards a purchasing a bike rack that everyone in Wallingford can use. The drop-in classes are open to the public. Check out our class schedule.
Monday 6pm Abs/Core 25 minute class
Monday 6:30pm Kickboxing 45 minute class
Tuesday 6pm Kettlebell Training 30 minute class
*Only this Tuesday at 6:30pm. Self Defense Class with Officer Mahoney 1 hour.
Wednesday 6:30pm P.E. for Adults Outside BootCamp 45mins.
Thursday 6pm Gluteus Maximus Class 30minute class
Next Tuesday night, Fuerte Fitness is holding a special self defense class taught by Officer Mahoney of SPD’s North Precinct. The class begins at 6:30, and the $10 class fee will also go toward the bike rack fund.
“Fuerte Fitness is committed to our community and our members have been extremely generous and proud to help,” Medina wrote in an email to me; but even when they’ve collected enough funds for a bike rack, they still have to deal with obtaining a permit to install one on their own. “At this point,” she added, “we remain hopeful that the City will work with us to waive the permit fees in order for us to install our own.”
I’m all for bike racks, but why should the permit fees be waived in this case? Surely if they can raise the money for the rack, they can raise the money for the permit? Or, if not, and the city deems it in all our interest to waive the fee for an organization that cannot afford it (which is a legitimate point of view, don’t get me wrong), shouldn’t such a waiver be offered to others?
The way I understand the SDOT program (when it has funds) is that SDOT takes care of everything…from purchase, permit, and installing, to maintaining the bicycle racks, and normally business owners don’t have to pay for anything. All they need to do is place a request and the sidewalk out front and the location of the business has to meet the criteria.
All things considered, this is great! What a super way to support a community need! I am in! I will take classes to help! Thank you for posting this story!
I am all about biking but if a business wants a bike rack for its customers they should buy a bike rack. Why should the city pay for it?
Ryan: How much of our city’s roads are dedicated to automobile parking? Are businesses paying for that?
Hi everyone. This Adriana, the Owner of Fuerte Fitness.
I just want to make a couple of very important clarifications in regards to Friday, July 22nd’s Wallyhood blog “Help the Mayor get a bike rack at Fuerte Fitness”
The reporter misquoted me saying ,'”Though the City can’t provide complimentary bike racks to businesses right now, McGinn told her he’d come to Fuerte Fitness on a weekly basis for personal training and in exchange, the money for his sessions would go toward a new bike rack.
Mayor McGinn is in no way shape or form “trading or exchanging” Fuerte Fitness Services for funds towards a bike rack near my gym. The Mayor is a private citizen training with me at Fuerte Fitness.
However, Fuerte Fitness IS holding a fundraiser, independently, to help the neighborhood install a bike rack near my community gym. Proceeds from fitness classes offered at my gym in July & August, as well as any donations from gym members or members of the community will go towards a purchasing a bike rack that everyone in Wallingford can use. The drop-in classes are open to the public. Check out our class schedule.
Monday 6pm Abs/Core 25 minute class
Monday 6:30pm Kickboxing 45 minute class
Tuesday 6pm Kettlebell Training 30 minute class
*Only this Tuesday at 6:30pm. Self Defense Class with Officer Mahoney 1 hour.
Wednesday 6:30pm P.E. for Adults Outside BootCamp 45mins.
Thursday 6pm Gluteus Maximus Class 30minute class
Thank you,
Adriana