april ciclavia
April CicLAvia / Photo courtesy Gary Leonard, ciclavia.org
april ciclavia

After the first two events of its kind drew about 100,000 people, Los Angeles may see even bigger crowds for the third Ciclavia this weekend.

En Español

Cyclists, walkers, skaters and those on strollers and wheelchairs will get to enjoy 10 miles of car-free roads Sunday from Hollenbeck Park in Boyle Heights to the Bicycle District in East Hollywood.

The event, which encourages people to enjoy the streets as public space, was inspired by the Ciclovias started in Bogota, Colombia over thirty years ago. Similar events have now spread to various cities in Latin America and the United States, where focus has grown to make urban areas more bike and pedestrian friendly.

Participants will enjoy an extended route this Sunday with 2.5 miles added to the original 7.5-mile route, branching off north and south from downtown.

Until recently, plans for a deeper expansion into Boyle Heights leading to the edge of unincorporated East Los Angeles seemed to be underway. However, according to CicLAvia organizers, the expansion was postponed due to a lack of funds and the need for further coordination with the city. Organizers hope to bring an extension into Boyle Heights in 2012.

Visit ciclavia.org for a look at the map and for information on activities along the CicLAvia route.

CicLAvia:
Free and open to all ages
Sunday, Oct. 9
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Hollenbeck Park
415 S Saint Louis St
Los Angeles, CA 90033

My background: I was born in Mexico and raised in Boyle Heights, where I got my start in journalism by launching a community blog. Most recently, I worked at the Los Angeles Times and have spent most of my career covering local news in LA, with a focus on community-centered stories, Latino communities and mentoring emerging writers.

What I do: I lead coverage of Boyle Heights and East LA across all platforms to inform, connect and uplift our community. I spend my days listening, planning, editing and coordinating to make sure our stories reflect the community fairly, while supporting and mentoring my team of reporters and freelancers so they can grow along the way.

Why LA?: It’s home. It’s the sounds of Spanglish and other languages, the smell of tacos and kimchi, the way street art tells stories and how, even though I hate traffic, I love how the freeways can take me to the beach or the mountains on a whim.

The best way to contact me: My email is jessica.perez@boyleheightsbeat.org.

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