One of the particular delights of Biketober – the community-created festival of springtime bike fun! – is seeing our Bike Burbs run events in their neighbourhoods and beyond. Below, we highlight a few fabulous examples to show how Auckland’s communities are getting energised around bikes. Check out the full calendar of Biketober events here.
Bike Onehunga created two fun weekend rides exploring hidden features of their part of town. First came Paula’s history ride: people came from as far afield as Whangaparaoa to tour the township’s historic buildings and locations – including the spectacular Carnegie Library (now a cafe) and the impressive blockhouse in Jellicoe Park.
The following weekend, Mike led an adventure of a historical, agricultural, and geographical nature, with a ride from Onehunga via Ambury Park – saying hello to a few four-footed friends along the way – to Puketutu Island, a former pa site, then a quarry, and now in the slow process of being restored to a regional park. Gorgeous weather came to the party.
Bike East Auckland has been running regular group rides over the winter, in the neighbourhood and beyond, with support from AT’s Community Bike Fund and under the leadership of Jo Clements. They galloped into Biketober with an ambitious ferry-bike trip to the city to ride the central city cycle loop. Depending on energy levels, some biked all the way home, some took the train, and others came home on the ferry. A big day out for a big and diverse group!
Meanwhile, over in Grey Lynn… bikes (and their people) took over a space that’s usually a carpark and added a whole lot of energy to the lively Sunday farmers’ market.
We brought the bike parking, and Bike Grey Lynn hosted rides around the neighbourhood; while Tumeke Cycle Space provided bike tune-ups, the Electric Bike Team brought cargo bikes and e-bikes to try, and a team from Auckland Transport supplied maps and information.
Freeing up the carpark really enlivened the market, especially as it’s adjacent to a play space that makes it easier for families to hang out for a few hours and make the most of the shopping opportunities. Carol Gunn, Market Manager for the Grey Lynn Farmers’ Market, reports:
“It was wonderful to see such a great turn out of cyclists at our market on a cruisy spring morning. Sustainability is important to us – so we are always keen to encourage locals to walk or cycle. This is the second year that we have celebrated Biketober in the site next to the Community Centre, formerly known as the carpark. People seem to love the festive vibe of that space and we are keen to keep using it as market space.”
Enjoy the photos of Grey Lynn buzzing with bikes below – and remember to check out the full Biketober calendar for more fun local events and all kinds of bike fun!
