Bike riding visitors, Sunday’s ‘Wild at Hart’ Port waterfront markets.

1. New ‘Buzz’ for Port bike scene:  The Port has a new bike shop – its first new cyclery for many years. Run by owner Mel Waters, ‘Honeybee Cycles’ is about bikes for utility – shopping, cargo, community, touring and leisure. Mel aims to provide an introduction to the world of everyday cycling in a space that is warm and welcoming. It will combine a bike shop with craft and wares and other activities including guest hair artists and vegan and yoga workshops.

Honeybee Cycles aims to provide a community hub, encouraging people to think and shop locally and to make Port Adelaide the Cycle City of Australia! Honeybee has already applied for an Active Travel Grant and aims to offer incentives to people who choose to ride to local Port Adelaide businesses instead of taking the car.

Also planned is a PopUp-BikeFIlms-Cinema-&-Bar, Friday 26^th September featuring the 80’s BMX classic ‘RAD’. The cinema will be out the back of Honeybee Cycles in the Lane Way & will be a regular bi-monthly event – so stay tuned!

To celebrate the shop opening Mel has some great Honeybee offers, including:

• 10% off: A 10% discount for all customers who mention the PortBUG! 
• The KONA Ute Cargo Bike: In the store now. For $1,400 you can haul your mates, kids, the picnic (including the beers), go to the garden shop, cart home reno materials & even move house. Come speak to Mel for a test ride.
• ‘Hey Reflecto’ Vests: Made in Adelaide by friend Lucy – make cycling fun, bright and cheery & only $89. 

Check out Honeybee Cycles at 166 St Vincent St, Port Adelaide, 0498 585 908.

2. PA/E Local Gov’t Elections: Although candidates for the forthcoming SA local government elections are yet to be formally announced, an interesting move has come from Dr Diana Carroll who will be standing for Mayor on a ticket emphasising community engagement and representation and the theme, ‘We Can Do Better!’

Such issues have long been of concern to the PortBUG, especially around planning and providing a better environment for everyday bicycle use. Experience from car-dominated communities everywhere tells us that getting this provision right relies on active liaison with the community!  Unfortunately many residents appear to feel that PA/E Council has become somewhat out of contact with its constituents, particularly when compared to Salisbury Council and the City of Charles Sturt. In recent times both of these neighbouring Councils have been active in conducting major community-based health, planning, community development and active transport initiatives – the sort of community wide engagement strategies which appear sadly absent or diminished in our own Council area.

At her website Diana says: “I am promising a new vision for council with greater emphasis on people, places, and culture. Council should be leading the way in creating liveable spaces, a more humane community, and more support for local enterprises. We need less waste, more disciplined spending, and a more collaborative approach to problem-solving.”

Local Government elections will commence in late October and close on the 7th of November (see schedule to the right, courtesy of the LGA’s web site). Although the PortBUG maintains a non-partisan political stance, we are certainly interested to hear from candidates that share our concerns about improving conditions for active mobility and bicycle use.

We invite all candidates to get in touch with their views on everyday bicycle use across the PA/E Council area and their visions for a more ‘bike friendly’ future! We will gladly publish (edited) cycling-related information from candidates in a series of blog posts up to the close of voting on November 7th and may put up a special webpage for longer, more detailed submissions!