Story posted Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Organizers Push For Villas Area Bike Race
By TODD WESSELL Journal & Topics Editor
Organizers of a summer bicycle race in Des Plaines have decided to return to the Villas neighborhood where the event may be held and are hoping to convince residents at an upcoming meeting to support the idea.
According to Ald. Dan Wilson (7th), many residents of the Cornell Park area on the city's north side recently rejected the suggestion of holding the race in their neighborhood. Because of that, Wilson explained, the original idea of conducting the event in the Villas--- south of Thacker Street, north of Algonquin Road, east of Wolf Road and west of Third Avenue---has been resurrected.
"I'm not sure why residents in the Cornell area rejected the idea," said Wilson.
"I think it's a great idea. This will be a good and exciting event for the city and a charitable event," added Mayor Marty Moylan, an avid bike rider.
Proceeds raised will be used to fight childhood obesity and donated to the Des Plaines Self-Help Closet & Food Pantry.
The proposed race, coordinated by the American Bicycle Racing Association, would be a half to full day-long activity of likely several races of varying distances. Participants would ride on West and East Grant drives and East and West Villa drives, which are circular residential streets. A date has not yet been set. It could be named "Tour De Villas".
In a flyer distributed to Villas homeowners last Saturday, it reads, "The race would require blocking off several intersections along the race route. Any resident wishing to be out and about Saturday during the racing period would be asked to move their car to a side street, outside the race route, prior to the beginning of racing and return their car to their drive after all racing is complete." It added, "This represents a considerable inconvenience and must be discussed and agreed on before we can complete plans for this event."
A public meeting on the subject will be held in city hall on Thursday, Mar. 18 at 7 p.m.
"Image inviting your friends and relatives over to sit on your parkway to watch the racers ride by," added the flyer.
Speak Out!
Comments are edited first by Journal staff before running in print and appearing online.