Viking_Yearbook_95

January 12, 1995______Daily VanguardEmily Kirkendoll H "%A11 New Community Bike rrogram P ortland's new com­ munity bike program formally reaches the Portland State campus. The nonprofit program began dispersing bright yellow communal bicycles through­ out Portland a few months ago. "It started as just a crazy idea that turned into a complete success as far as we're concerned," said Steve Gunther, a recent PSU graduate. The program began when Tom O'Keefe, the founder of U-Can, brought 10 bikes to a paint shop where "everything except the reflectors and the seats were painted yellow," said Gunther. The bikes are stored in a Northeast Portland warehouse donated to the project by the City of Portland, the bikes are repaired and changed from ten-speeds to one-speeds. "The value of these bikes is ten or twenty dollars. Then we paint them to make them worth even less," said Gunther. There are currently 100 bikes in use and another 100 in the warehouse, he said. "The bikes are there to foster a sense of community... ride it at your own risk and put it back on the street for others to use," he said. Gunther said that the project is based on donations, not government or corporate money, although they might seek corporate sponsorship in the future. With increasing public support, including backing by Mayor Vera Katz, "we hope to have two thousand bikes on the street in 18 months," said Gunther. 98