ABOVE: Some bikes that the community of Jackson has available through On Bike Share. The Kids Just Want to Have Fun committee is looking into implementing the bike share program in Fairmont as well.

FAIRMONT–On Tuesday the Fairmont Park Board again heard a request from Project 1590’s Kids Just Want to Have Fun committee to support a new bike share program. Members of the committee first pitched the idea to the Park Board in July of 2022.

Committee member Betsy Tino said that the company the committee is looking at is called On Bike Share, which has been in business for 20 years and has bikes in over 500 locations.

“The bike share program involves premium trail bikes with smart locks, docking stations, an app for your phone and technical support,” Tino said.

She said the bikes need to be docked on concrete and that they are seasonal and recommend for use from Memorial Day through Labor Day and stored the rest of the year.

“The bike share program can be free or fee-based and we’re working on the free one. There is an option to require a credit card so if there are any incidentals then we would charge them for that,” Tino explained.

To start she said the committee would purchase five bikes and that right now the estimate is $7,400.

“We’re asking that the city of Fairmont include the project under their umbrella of the liability insurance. This leads up to donating the bikes to the city like we did for the miniature golf with the (knowledge) that we’re open to helping with whatever’s needed,” Tino said.

She said the committee would need city staff’s assistance with a few things, like bolting down the docking stations and any maintenance needed on the bikes or damages that need to be fixed.

Board Member Jodie Whitmore asked where the docking location would be. Tino said the committee is leaning toward having the docking station near the Aquatic Park as employees would be there during the day in the summer to help if needed, though she said some other locations have been suggested.

“Basically we want to be close to bike paths. Being at the pool, it’s centrally located and near some bike paths,” Tino said.

She stressed that the program is for those ages 18 and older and that the Kids Just Want to Have Fun committee is interested in the project because it envisions parents renting bikes and riding with their children, making it a family activity.

City Administrator Matt Skaret said that the committee has had conversations with SHIP (Statewide Health Improvement Partnership) about the possibility of grant funding for the project.

“They’re eager to do a project in Fairmont,” said Skaret.

Tino said that SHIP helped a bike program get started in the city of St. James so the organization is familiar with the project.

“Between them and the money we’ve raised, if we receive the grant… the bikes will be paid for, the maintenance to assemble could be paid for,” Tino said.

Skaret added that bike share programs are becoming more popular not only in Minnesota but throughout the country.

Park and Street Superintendent, Nick Lardy, said that he wasn’t opposed to the idea, but requested some staff discussions about his department’s potential involvement in the program.

The board approved a recommendation to the city council to approve the SHIP application for the bike share program contingent upon staff discussion and consideration of maintenance and logistical issues.

The Kids Just Want to Have Fun committee is also responsible for the mini golf course and indoor playground inside Five Lakes Centre in Fairmont.

In other news:

— In his report, Lardy said that his department is looking at spraying the soccer field for weeds this coming weekend and that mowing overall throughout the city is slowing down. Lardy said later this week his staff will be installing a new scoreboard at the Winnebago Avenue Sports Complex, and a few benches at various parks as well. Finally he said that the next city-wide clean up is set for Sept. 10 and 14

— Community Education and Recreation Director, Stephanie Busiahn, also presented a report and said that over the summer they had 11 adult programs with an enrollment of 200 and 35 youth programs with

1,212 youth participants. She said that there were 64 registered children in this summer’s park program and maker space Monday and a laser tag offering was full with 16 participants.

From a facilities scheduling standpoint, Busiahn said from July 1, 2023 to June 30 2024, there was 13,295 scheduled hours and that from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025, there are already 11,678 scheduled hours.