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Volunteer brings advocacy straight to
village hall
Bike Traffic: What are the main issues you
are concerned with in Hinsdale?
Matthew Griffin: I am interested in creating a more friendly cycling
environment in my community. Since I bike to work and to transit,
I'm really interested in streamlining the trip from my home to those
two destinations.
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BT: How did you first get involved in dealing
with your village government?
MG: By chance, my mom and I rode past a DuPage Bicycle Day celebration
where Pamela Brookstein (the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation’s
West Suburban coordinator) and Brian Kafel (West Suburban bicycling
ambassador) were offering helmet checks and recruiting members.
A bicycle advocate in New York had just been run over, and questions
of safety had been on my mind. Pamela said that I could get involved
in my community and work toward the goal of safer cycling. A neighbor
of hers, who is also a pedestrian advocate, suggested that I accompany
her to a Board of Trustees meeting and pitch my proposal for a ride
at the meeting. It worked. The next month a trustee, the village
engineer, and two Parks Commissioners came along with me for a ride
through town. Nick Jackson (deputy director) came out to Hinsdale
to offer an expert commentary. The positive feedback from the ride
led to the establishment of a bicycle task force.
BT: What is it like working with the village? Was it what
you expected?
MG: I have no previous personal experience of government. I'm very
interested in models of collaboration, so I saw serving on the task
force as an opportunity to see where a collaborative ethos might
drive a discussion around village policy. We eventually landed on
the idea of creating a master bicycle plan.
BT: What advice do you have for others who want to approach
their village governments on behalf of bicycling?
MG: Ask for help. Your neighbors and friends have knowledge, experience,
and vision that they will gladly share.
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