THE WILD BUNCH Tots mount their fancy wheels for the Pee Wee Parade

They rode from all directions to Tompkins Square Park. Some were on bicycles with glittering spokes, others had ribboned handlebars or kooky toys jutting out of their fenders. And though the chilly October morning made a half-hearted effort to dampen the proceedings with a few sprinkles, not even the weather could resist the bright mood of this event.  Suddenly, the sun came out, the air warmed up, and the Second Annual Lower East Side Kids Art Bike Parade kicked into full gear -- with dozens of kids showing off their decked-out cycles and riding through East Village streets, cleared of cars for the occasion.

SWEET! The candy bike by artist Cindy Ruskin will be on display at the event

The neighborhood’s kids are psyched, waiting to unveil bikes they’ve transformed at the bike decorating workshops in September. The Rude Mechanical Orchestra and the Bari Koral Family Band are ready to play. Local chefs are cooking up treats for after the parade. And 47 bike-less kids now have donated bicycles that have been tuned up, decorated, and ready to take home after the parade.

The East Village Community Coalition presents...The Second Annual Lower East Side Kids' Art Bike Parade!

When:  Saturday, October 4, 11 AM- 2 PM

Where:  Tompkins Square Park, northeast corner at Avenue A and 10th Street

Who:  You,  joined by Lower East Side neighbors, friends, and kids of all ages -- from toddlers to senior citizens

What:  Decorate your bike either at our advance workshops or at our on-the-spot bike-decorating event starting at 10 AM before the parade -- then hop on and join the crowd as we parade our human-powered wheels around the neighborhood

Why:  The East Village is always ahead of the game.  This time, it's the youngest people in our neighborhood showing adults, the city, and the entire world how fun and healthy it is to enjoy non-polluting transportation powered by our own legs and (in this case) by our own imaginations.  By encouraging a new generation of bike riders, we cut back on the pollution that causes global warming and we establish a happy future for our neighborhood.

SAVE THIS SHUL The August 14 rally at the Mezeritz Synagogue

On August 14, the East Village Community Coalition was the lead organizer of a press conference about the future of a historic synagogue at 415 East 6 Street:  The Adas Yisroel Anshe Mezeritz Synagogue.

For a variety of reasons, it looked as if the 1910 synagogue might be sold and demolished -- which would have been a great loss to the community from a cultural, historical, and architectural perspective.

FEELS LIKE HOME Locally owned stores on vibrant 9th Street (Photo: Michael Small)

The primary recommendation of the study, lead by Professors Vicki Weiner and Jonathan Martin, is for the East Village to seek designation as a "special district."  This would allow the area to enforce Formula Retail Zoning -- which is an imposing name for a system that sets some limits on the types of businesses in an area in order to preserve the local retail environment. The study, which was commissioned by the EVCC, is one of the most comprehensive investigations into Formula Retail Zoning in New York City's history.

SAME SCENE, NO CAR Should Avenue A get occasional traffic breaks?

The East Village Community Coalition has started working on a proposal for the Avenue A Amble, a series of car-free days on Avenue A in 2009. 

After the positive community response to car-free Sundays on Fifth Avenue -- when cyclists and walkers happily took over the road -- we think it's time for a similar holiday from combustion engines in our own neighborhood.  In fact, car-free hours could be even more successful on a low-rise street like Avenue A that is full of local restaurants and businesses that would benefit from the increased foot traffic.