Sculptural bike racks pop up in Oildale, thanks to grassroots advocacy and county funding
The idea started with one Oildale resident, who shared it with another, who shared it with a county supervisor who shared it with his staff. And so on.
It ended less than two weeks ago with six colorful and sculptural bike racks being installed at six locations in the north-of-the-River community.
One is in the shape of an electric guitar — a tribute to Oildale’s musical heritage. Another, shaped like a coffee cup, was installed outside Covenant Coffee on North Chester
Avenue.
“It’s about trying to raise the hope level,” said David Kadel, an associate pastor at LifeHouse Church and vice president of the Oildale Community Action Team, a nonprofit that works in several ways to make the community better.
“We want people to be able to say they’re proud to live in Oildale,” he said. “The idea was functional art.”
The six locations required sufficient sidewalk width to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.
A red-painted figure of a racing cyclist is now bolted to the concrete outside Oildale Market. And a whimsically-shaped man on a bike is displayed in green metal in front of Omni Family Health Center on North Chester.
Third District County Supervisor Mike Maggard represents Oildale as part of his district, and when he learned about the idea that originated with OCAT President Donna Clopton and was advocated by Kadel, he thought it was worth checking out.
“I’m convinced a vital part of rebirthing a community is reigniting a sense of hope so people aspire to a better future for their families and neighborhoods,” Maggard said.
“We’ve seen this work over and over again,” he said, “and these bike racks are more of the same strategy we are employing throughout the county.”
According to Jeff Flores, Maggard’s chief of staff, many liked the idea of matching the theme of the bike racks with nearby businesses or community history. But it wasn’t always possible.
“We had one of the racks shaped like a pair of eyeglasses,” Flores said. “We were going to place it near the office of Dr. (Gregory) Steiner, an ophthalmologist on China Grade Loop.”
But the sidewalk ended up being too narrow, so the pair of specs were placed near Airport Drive instead.
Will cyclists use them? “There’s an artistic element,” Flores noted. “But there’s utility, too. A lot of people ride bikes in Oildale.”
No one claims the effort is a game changer, Flores said. But if it adds a splash of color, a dash of inspiration, a bit of usefulness, maybe it adds value.
The cost to the county was $5,184.
“It’s not a million-dollar investment,” Flores said. “But we think it can lift spirits.
“It’s a sign that people care about Oildale.”