PBOT’s new Sunday Parkways promo video is awesome

You’ve simply got to watch this new video put out by the City of Portland Bureau of Transportation. PBOT is just over a one month away from their first Sunday Parkways event of the year (May 11th) and the video was made to kick off their fundraising efforts.

Each Sunday Parkways event costs PBOT about $100,000 to put on and the city’s budget only pays for about one-third of the costs. Vendor fees and corporate sponsorships cover most of the remaining expenses; but PBOT relies on donations from individuals to fill the remaining $20,000 funding gap.

The video is aimed at selling the event and it features only a gentle (maybe too gentle?) request for donations at the very end.

What stood out to me while watching it was how professional it looks and what an excellent job PBOT did of telling the story about what Sunday Parkways is, why it matters so much, and why it deserves support (not that anyone opposes it or anything). And my favorite part was the very end, when the narrator said, “And come to think of it, why wait for Sunday Parkways?” as the camera panned out to show a family rolling out for a bike ride.

Nice job PBOT! And kudos are also due to the man behind the film, Matt Giraud of Gyroscope Pictures.

Here’s the link on YouTube.

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Founder of BikePortland (in 2005). Father of three. North Portlander. Basketball lover. Car owner and driver. If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, feel free to contact me at @jonathan_maus on Twitter, via email at maus.jonathan@gmail.com, or phone/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a supporter.

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dmc
dmc
9 years ago

I almost started to tear up watching that video. amazing.

JEFF BERNARDS
JEFF BERNARDS
9 years ago

Hands Down “PORTLAND’S BEST BIKE EVENT” and be sure to “DONATE TODAY”

Paul Wilkins
Paul Wilkins
9 years ago

Can’t wait!

daisy
daisy
9 years ago

This is so great! If I didn’t live here already, I’d want to move here!

Portland Sunday Parkways

Thanks BikePortland! Love you too.

Tom
Tom
9 years ago

How can this kind of program get started in another city. Did it get started just because PBOT wanted to do it?

Alan 1.0
Alan 1.0
9 years ago
Reply to  Tom

PBOT and PP&R worked with interested and active citizens and neighborhood groups to get SP rolling, and many other cities also have cyclovia days:

http://bikeportland.org/tag/sunday-parkways/page/7

http://bikeportland.org/2008/04/14/bicycle-brown-bag-sunday-parkways-7220

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciclov%C3%ADa

Portland Sunday Parkways

We started back in 2008 because PBOT has, as part of its mission, a goal to get more people riding bikes and walking as part of their every day mobility. What better way to entice them then to show off the great, family-friendly neighborhood streets – where you can have a Sunday Parkways experience every day!

Paul in the 'Couve
Paul in the 'Couve
9 years ago

Good video! Great time. My ugly beard doesn’t even ruin the video, I guess riding with a cute kid is the way to get into the video!

K'Tesh
K'Tesh
9 years ago

Looks like Fun!

Matt Giraud
Matt Giraud
9 years ago

I’m both thrilled and humbled that you all enjoyed it! It was an honor (and a huge amount of fun) to create — but as you say, Jonathan, all the credit goes to the incredible event that inspired it in the first place. Yes, please, please donate! Special shout out to Bill Stites and the incredible Truck Trike he piloted us around on…

JQ
9 years ago

yeehaw! more hoop’n! more costumes! more dancing!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEty_Nsy9n0

BellaBici
9 years ago

Bicycles are a beautiful mechanical creation. People riding bicycles is an even more beautiful thing. Sunday Parkways is a coalescence of all these beautiful things.

The video had me beaming with pride in our community and all fuzzy inside.

And, the final segment of the video is ever poignant, yes, why wait for Sunday Parkways when you can ride your bicycle each day?! My ride today was full of spring vitality. And I look forward to my rides on the many morrows to come.

steph routh
9 years ago

Way to go, Matt Giraud and PBOT!

Gerik
9 years ago

Yup, awesome is the word.

Spencer Boomhower
Spencer Boomhower
9 years ago

Beautifully done! Great camera work with all the flowing motion. Nice job all around, Mr. Giraud.

Jonathan Gordon
Jonathan Gordon
9 years ago

The fade at the 23s mark from cars to bikes is brilliant. Great video Matt Giraud!

Mike
Mike
9 years ago

Great video! I too love the fade from cars to bikes… perhaps a window into a parallel universe? In honor of the “why wait” sentiment — I’m headed out for a ride!

Aaron Brown
9 years ago

is it summer yet?

Paul Smith
9 years ago

I love Sunday Parkways, and it, overall, is a great video, but to be honest I felt it could have been a minute or so shorter, the pacing better.

Paul Smith
9 years ago
Reply to  Paul Smith

Ok I’m officially full of it! Watched it again and it feels just fine. Must have had my grumpy pants on when I first watched last night.

Jeff
Jeff
9 years ago

This is an amazing video …when I first moved here (I live in buckman) I remember being blown away by the Belmont street fair because the streets were closed to traffic and suddenly the entire neighborhood was out riding. I still talk about it and its one of the first things that made me fall in love with this town …I hope I can make it out to one of these days this year as I can’t wait to actually be riding a bike in it with everyone else

You guys are awesome