Close This Window

ATTLEBORO -- With rain drops falling on their heads, several dozen area children and their parents pedaled their way along the city's first on-road bicycle path Saturday morning, after a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the route.

Mayor Kevin Dumas cut the ribbon to The New Attleboro On-Road Bicycle Route, the first in what city officials hope eventually will be a network connecting area communities. 
" We're very happy, (but) this is just the beginning,'' Dumas said. " This is for your enjoyment.'' 

The 3.2 mile route is the result of months of work by the Friends of Attleboro Interested in Revitalization (FAIR), the YMCA's Activate Attleboro Coalition, and the city, and was also sponsored by a contribution from the Attleboro Foundation.

The group ride also kicked off `` America on the Move'' week in the Attleboro area, which is being promoted by city officials, non-profits and businesses to urge families to be more physically active.

While the event was a celebration of those efforts, it is only the starting point of FAIR's plan to establish several on- and off-road bicycle paths in the city and neighboring towns.

Committee member Linda Alger said the route, which begins and ends at Hayward Field, has been worked on since last January.

" It was a good combination (of efforts),'' Alger said. " I'm sure we going to tweak it a little as time goes by.''

The route takes riders from Hayward Field through North Avenue and other neighborhood streets to Capron Park and back.

Saturday's ceremony included a bicycle-safety talk from Attleboro Police Officer Tom Wellman, the city's DARE officer, and stretching exercises led by `` Coach'' Ed Poirier, Attleboro YMCA's youth fitness specialist.

City Council President Barry LaCasse also offered his praise of the collaborative effort that brought the path to fruition. He also said he hopes to see more youth get out and ride their bikes.

" When I was growing up, if you had a bicycle, you had everything,'' he said.

Ron Carlson, of Union Cycle Bike Shop , who serves on the FAIR, provided free safety checks to bicyclists.

" I'm always trying to promote pragmatic cycling,'' Carlson said. " You don't have to race to be a cyclist. You can just go and have fun.''

The event also was sponsored by Modell's, Sirois Bicycle Shop and Mantrose-Hauser Corp.