• WHAT IS “CIQLOVIA”?

CiQlovia (pronunciation: \sEk-lo-via\ ) is the Albuquerque version of the global phenomenon known as ciclovia or open streets.  Ciclovia literally means “bike path” in Spanish.  The word also refers to events where city streets are closed to cars and opened up to people on foot and on bike, outdoor exercise classes and other activities.  These events can be weekly, monthly or annual.  The first known ciclovia was held in Bogota, Columbia in 1976.  Since then, the event has gained popularity and now, every Sunday in Bogota, 70 miles of streets are closed to automobile traffic (Source: http://www.streetfilms.org/ciclovia/).

In recent years, ciclovias have spread rapidly across North and South America.  Los Angeles (CicLAvia), San Antonio (Siclovia), Tucson, AZ, Lexington, KY and many more cities have launched successful ciclovia initiatives.

The time is ripe for an Albuquerque initiative.

IMAGINE… if we could safely walk or bike at a relaxing pace on our beautiful city streets without having to worry about our safety, even for a limited time?  What if every Sunday was dedicated to providing street space to people for relaxing and recreating?

• WHY DOES ABQ NEED CIQLOVIA?

The primary focus of this event will be health, wellness and quality of life.

Albuquerque is a city like no other.  We have unique neighborhoods built around art, music, cycling and cultural diversity.  We have wonderful year-round weather and an amazing array of outdoor activity options.  Unfortunately, we also have high levels of obesity, pedestrian fatalities and poverty.  These trends exist for a variety of reasons, but our built environment is an obstacle to physical activity.  Many of Albuquerque’s major streets are challenging places to walk and ride a bicycle.  When these activities are dangerous, they disappear from our daily lives.  Our city is filled with parks and hiking trails.  However, it is difficult to enjoy the fresh high desert air in our largest public space, our streets.

The secondary focus of this event will be local commerce, economic development and the strong diverse cultural scene found in Albuquerque. 

Along the route, burqueños and tourists will encounter public art exhibitions, maps and information, outdoor yoga classes, food trucks, and much more.  Open lots in targeted nodes will be filled with booths from sponsors as well as local artisans.  Pop-up art galleries and coffee shops will fill vacant buildings along the route and existing businesses will benefit from the large quantity of people attending this event.

Much of the CiQlovia route will follow the 50 Mile Loop.  This project, initiated under Mayor Berry though ABQ: The Plan, seeks to “connect the city’s infrastructure to create a 50 Mile bicycling, running, and walking trail with amenities like benches…way finding signing and maps, [creating] a healthier community and a destination for tourists.”  For more information, visit this link: http://bit.ly/JPsEzW.  CiQlovia will be an opportunity to promote the value of this innovative infrastructure project.

• WHERE WILL THE FIRST CIQLOVIA BE LOCATED?

• Old Town ABQ
• Downtown ABQ
• Old Route 66 (Central)
• The BioPark
• The Rio Grande Bosque
• The Silver / 14^th / Mountain Bicycle Blvd.
• The 50 Mile Loop

The route includes commercial clusters, residential districts and cultural centers.  This provides ample opportunity for partnerships.

• Stores and restaurants can bring their wares and tables into the street, providing a new venue for promotion.
• Neighborhood organizations can use this event for outreach to residents and non-residents who might not know about their projects.
• Cultural gems, including the BioPark and the museum cluster around Old Town, can take advantage of the high volume of people in the streets to fundraise and provide information about city services.
• Health and wellness services will be integrated into the entire route.

• WHEN WILL THE FIRST CIQLOVIA OCCUR?

The first CiQlovia will take place on September 21, 2014.

Eventually, every Sunday in Albuquerque will have a CiQlovia.  Different streets all around the city will be closed off to cars and opened up to people.  For now, we are focusing on a single event.

Sunday in September makes the most sense for a variety of reasons.  Sundays have the least amount of vehicle and bus traffic on the roads.  September has great weather, a limited number of conflicting events and many tourists in town for the Balloon Fiesta and ¡Globalquerque! (September 19-20, 2014).

Autumn in ABQ plays host to a wide variety of unique events.  We picked the date in order to avoid conflict with other major fall events.  These events include:

• The Balloon Fiesta – occurs at the beginning of October.
• The Duke City Marathon – occurred after the Balloon Fiesta in 2013.
• The Day of the Tread – occurs in late October around Halloween.
• Dia de los Muertos Parade – occurs in early November.

• WHO WILL BE A PART OF CIQLOVIA? 

The short answer is everyone!  CiQlovia will be an inclusive event.  Anyone can easily be a part of the festivities.  We are aiming to attract people who want to be outside and participate in physical activity, engage with local businesses and see the cultural gems of Albuquerque in a way they never have, on streets full of people.

SPONSORS & FUNDING 

Potential funding sources fall into two categories: local and national.

Donations from businesses will be collected and allocated through the Community Health Charities of New Mexico non-profit and the Healthier Weights Council.  Their coalition of public health organizations will provide a framework for support.  We will also seek financial support from county commissioners, the City Council and the Office of the Mayor.

Below is a list of some partners that come to mind, but we will continue to look for more:

V = potential volunteers

I = potential in-kind donations

National Corporations:

REI – V, Target, North Face, Starbucks – I, Costco – I, Sam’s Club – I, Wellbridge (Sports & Wellness), Blue Cross / Blue Shield, Wilson & Company, Big 5, Dicks Sporting Goods, Sprouts, Comcast, Double Tree Hotels, Sysco, Great Harvest Bread Co., AAA

Local Corporations:

Dions, Flying Star, PNM, Presbyterian, Century Bank, Blakes Lotaburger, State Employees Credit Union, NM Bank and Trust, Sore No More, Sandia Resort, Creamland, Affordable Solar, Casa Esperanza, Lovelace, Intel – V, Fidelity – V, Carrie Tingley Hospital Foundation

 La Montanita Co-op, Bike Shops – I + V, Sport Systems, Local Radio Stations – I, Local TV Stations, Fiat of ABQ, Garcia Subaru, ABQ Running Store, ABQ Journal, Garcia’s Tents – I, El Pinto, ABQ: The Magazine, Klinger Construction, Renewal by Anderson, AIKEN Printing, The Garity Group

All the businesses and organizations along the proposed route:

Flying Star / Satellite Coffee, Seasons, Routes Rentals & Tours, Cocina Azul, Barelas Coffee House, Arrow Supermarket, Java Joes, Bosque Baking Company, Southwest Network for Environmental and Economic Justice, Firenze Pizzeria, Mullen Heller Architecture, Southwest Organizing Project, Cocina Azul, New Mexico Tea Company, Studio Southwest Architects, BASE Design and Build, Siegel Design Architects, G + G Advertising, Infill Solutions, Downtown Medicine, ACLU of New Mexico, Barelas Child Development Center, Southwest Women’s Law Center, Lowes Grocery Store, Gold Avenue Corridor, Golden Crown Panaderia, Bosque Bakery, Old Town Farm / Bike-In Coffee

Others?

Other natural partners:

BernCo – Debbie O’Malley + others, CABQ, MRCOG / NM Rail Runner, Bueno Foods, National Hispanic Cultural Center, Parks & Rec (CABQ) – Chuck M., BikeABQ, Duke City Wheelmen – Jennifer Buntz, BioPark (CABQ), Warehouse 508, 516 Arts, ABQ Ride, Albuquerque Museum, Natural History Museum, Explora Children’s Museum

Other Possible Partners:

 Focus Ink, The Downtown Growers Market, ABQ Convention Center