The City Club of Portland, a respected local civic institution founded in 1916, will release their comprehensive research study on bicycling in Portland on May 31st. On that same day, bicycling will be the subject of their Friday Forum speaking series (speaker TBD) which will be attended by Portland's movers and shakers at the Governor Hotel in downtown Portland.

"With the release of City Club’s report on bicycle transportation in Portland," says a description of the event on their website, "we’ll answer the question: 'How should we improve our transportation system to optimize choice, efficiency and safety for all modes of transportation?'"
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Screen grab of City Club website.

The City Club of Portland has just announced their next crop of 'Civic Salons' and I'm excited to share that — along with news, sports, schools, books, and food — bicycling is among the topics they've chosen to focus on. Not only that, but guess who they asked to lead The Future of Biking discussion? That's right: I hope you'll consider joining me and other bike-curious Portlanders on May 15th for this event.

I've never attended a Civic Salon, but the basic idea is right up my alley: "Bring people together for great discussion and good food in intimate settings." Here's more from the City Club website: (more...)

Adams sticking around policy debates.
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

Former mayor Sam Adams hasn't taken much of a vacation after his four tumultuous years leading the city. Today the City Club of Portland named Adams their new executive director. He starts next week.

If you feel (as I do) that Sam Adams understands (and cares about) the issue of transportation — and specifically the role bicycles should play in a healthy transportation network — than this should be seen as good news.

City Club of Portland is a non-profit, member-supported organization that works to promote civic literacy (their motto is, "Good citizens are the riches of the city"). Governors and members of Congress speak at their "Friday Forums" luncheons, which are held in a large ballroom of a stuffy downtown hotel. By way of their history and membership base, City Club has significant political heft and respect among electeds and policymakers. They use that respect to elevate and take positions on important issues through the publication of policy and research papers.
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The City Club of Portland is embarking on a "comprehensive study" of bicycling.

For those of you not familiar with this organization, it's a respected, local non-profit institution with 1,500 members and a history dating back nearly 100 years. Their primary mission is to "inform its members and the community in public matters." They hold weekly forums at the elegant Governor Hotel downtown (this Wednesday they host, "A conversation with U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner.")

In a nutshell, when City Club talks, many people in Portland listen: Especially elected officials, lobbyists, policymakers and other local power-brokers. Back in May of 2010, the release of a City Club report on Forest Park had a significant influence on the debate over whether or not to improve bicycling access in the park. (Note: Off road cycling advocates were not happy with how City Club framed the issue.)

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New bikes await customers in
Tony Pereira's SE Portland shop.
(Photo © J. Maus)

The City Club of Portland is set to host a special edition of their Friday Forums series entitled, "It's All About the Bike".

The City Club is a Portland institution that began nearly 100 years ago and whose members read like a who's-who of social and political power brokers in the city. It's where Mayor Sam Adams gave his first "State of the City" and it's a common forum for Governors, statesmen, and titans of local industry. (more...)