New bike repair station at Academy Park

Cambria Troop 8’s Jack Olszewski recently presented the Village of Lewiston Board with a Boy Scouts of America Eagle Scout proposal to install a new bicycle repair station behind the Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce on Center Street. With the trustees’ blessing, he installed the $800 repair set on the side of the South Ninth Street comfort station. The Park Tools product consists of a weatherproof kit, eight tools and a cradle stand. It is designed to be maintenance-free, in the context of normal wear and tear.

Olszewski, 17, is shown with Mayor Anne Welch. He gave her a quick toolkit tour.

More and more bicyclists are traveling to Lewiston, as the Niagara River Greenway has extended its Manhattan-to-Montreal bike path into the village. That course will eventually wind around Academy Park and connect to Fort Niagara in Youngstown.

Libby Broderick of Niagara Outfitters, also pictured, and her staff dug out a bike rack from behind the chamber office. They scrubbed and painted it for the convenience of bike riders, for whom rentals were offered.

Unfortunately, someone cut through the wooden bike rack and stole a bicycle.

Broderick intends to install a metal rack and resume ride offerings when spring arrives again.

“I am really looking forward to the future developments for biking at this location!” she said. “Next year, Niagara Outfitters will offer self-service bike rentals here. Just like the Ready Bikes in Niagara Falls and Buffalo, if there is a Niagara Outfitters bike in the bike rack, it will be available to rent. We will offer vintage bikes and also tandem bikes for people to try out.

“You will still be able to book bikes in advance, but this option will offer people a more spur-of-the-moment idea to ride a vintage bike to explore our vintage village.”

Niagara Outfitters offers hiking, biking and kayaking in the Niagara River Region. For more information, visit www.niagaraoutfitters.com.