• Home1ab
  • about
  • contact
  • maps
  • meet
  • minutes
  • history
  • membership

Bike Racks Abound in Faubourg St. John

October 28, 2015 by Charlie London

article and photos by Charlie London (except as noted)
bikerack-terranovas
Bike racks are nothing new in Faubourg St. John. Terranova’s has had one for over 30 years. There is a story about the one that is by the store now. A few years ago, two N.O.P.D. officers arrived at Terranova’s on horseback, entered the store and asked if it would be ok to tie up their horses to the bike rack. The always affable Terranova family agreed.

The officers secured the horses to the bike rack then proceeded on foot. Before they could get more than a few yards away, a car backfired causing the horses to rear up and pull up the bike rack out of the cement. The bike rack was destroyed. Not long after the incident, a Terranova’s customer indicated that a bike rack was under their house and they would be willing to donate it. Paul Laplace installed the bike rack still in use today.

bikerack-cansecosCanseco’s Supermarket has a bike rack too!

bikerack-fairgrinds
Several years ago, then owner of Fair Grinds, Robert Thompson installed a bike rack in front of the coffee shop. There was much discussion about the use of an on-street parking spot for the bike rack. The bike rack at Fair Grinds gets regular use by patrons of the area.

bikerack-fsjna-friendsoffortierA few months ago, several bike stands were put up at the bus stop on Esplanade near the corner of Grand Route Saint John. The bike racks are part of the “Where Ya Rack” program and were donated by the Friends of Fortier Park and the Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association.

David Armond captured this photo of the bike racks by the bus stop right after they were installed.
David Armond captured this photo of the bike racks by the bus stop right after they were installed.

bikerack-fortierpark
Last Saturday, a large bike corral was installed by Fortier Park on Mystery Street near the corner of Esplanade. It too is part of the “Where Ya Rack” inititiative. The bike corral was donated by friends and family of Bill Kraemer.

bikerack-fortierpark1Michael Ward wrote this about Bill on the neighborhood Yahoo group:
Bill was a good friend of ours. He rode his bike from Albuquerque to New Orleans. He would come out to stay with us every Jazz Fest and Mardi Gras. Most of time for Halloween too. He loved New Orleans and one year while he was staying at my house for Jazz Fest, he took ill and was diagnosed with blood cancer. He died the next year. We miss him greatly. His widow and friends contributed for a bike corral through the “where ya rack” program with the YLC. It was installed Saturday on Mystery street and Esplanade in the marked off no parking corner in memory of our friend Bill.

bikerack-badparkingbikerack-badparking1
While bike racks abound in Faubourg St. John, there are still those who chain their bikes up to whatever is convenient. Hopefully, they will notice the abundance of bike racks soon.

The Fortier Park beautification project is the brain child of Bobby Wozniak.  It is an urban oasis worth bicycling from anywhere to visit.
The Fortier Park beautification project is the brain child of Bobby Wozniak. It is an urban oasis worth bicycling from anywhere to visit.
A bird stops by Fortier Park to enjoy the splendor.
A bird stops by Fortier Park to enjoy the splendor.
Fortier Park
Fortier Park

Filed Under: HISTORY Tagged With: bayou st john, best neighborhood in New Orleans, bike lanes, bike racks, biking, bus stop, exercise, Fair Grinds, faubourg st john, fortier park, New Orleans, nopd, parking, riding, terranovas, touring, where ya rack

Copyright © 2022 · BG Minimalist on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in