Good Works Columbus: December 2, 2024
Bike Plus draft feedback, Giving Tuesday, City Council Vacancy, Silent Art Auction
Intro
Hi everyone, welcome to Good Works Columbus, a newsletter highlighting actions you can take at the local level to help improve our community. In the spirit of Giving Tuesday this week, I’d like to highlight some organizations that you can give to (with a donation, your time, or just sharing their work).
If you have an upcoming event or a link you’d like to share for the newsletter, feel free to send suggestions. And if you know someone who might enjoy Good Works Columbus, forward it to them and tell them to subscribe here.
Giving Tuesday
All Aboard Ohio - dedicated to promoting improved public transportation and passenger rail service in Ohio
Transit Columbus - advocates fighting for better transit for all (editor’s note: I’m a board member of Transit Columbus)
Yay Bikes! - a leader in bike advocacy, education, and events in Central Ohio
Bikes For All People - strives to provide low-or-no cost bicycles, bicycle parts, accessories, and quick while you wait repairs and services
Franklinton Cycle Works - we work (and play) to educate our neighborhood about the personal, environmental, social, and physical benefits of biking
Third Hand Co-op - a volunteer run, non-profit, community oriented workshop where you can come to learn about bikes, fix your bike, obtain a bike, meet fellow cyclists, volunteer, donate unwanted stuff, and have fun.
Habitat for Humanity MidOhio - Habitat for Humanity – MidOhio brings people together to inspire hope, build homes, empower families, and develop communities
Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio - COHHIO is a coalition of organizations and individuals committed to ending homelessness and to promoting decent, safe, fair, affordable housing for all, with a focus on assisting low-income and special needs populations (Editor’s note: COHHIO is my employer)
FIRST Collective - FIRST Collective is committed to meeting the needs of our unsheltered community members in Central Ohio
Matter News - Matter is an independent, nonprofit local news source for Columbus
Things you can do in person
Bike Plus 🚲
After months of work and thousands of comments of public feedback, the city is presenting the draft plan for Bike Plus this week at City Council chambers. The public hearing on the draft Bike Plus Plan is on Tuesday, Dec. 3, at 5pm in Council Chambers. The Bike Plus team will present the draft plan, share what they heard from the community and discuss strategies. All written testimonies must be submitted by noon the day of the hearing to ASLemus@columbus.gov. Details of the plan along with a map of the vision network can be viewed online and people can submit additional comments on the page: Columbus Bike Plus PlanWhy Climate Justice Matters 🌎
Matter News Silent Art Auction 🖼️
Join us for the Matter News Silent Art Auction! The event will take place from 6-8 pm on Wednesday, December 4, at Streetlight Guild (1367 E. Main St.).Attendees will be able to bid on art from more than 50 Columbus artists, with proceeds benefiting Matter News. More details can be found here.
Green Columbus x Columbus Blue Jackets Fundraiser 🏒
Watch a Blue Jackets game and support Green Columbus on December 19th at 7pm! 10 to 20 dollars of every ticket sold will go back to Green Columbus and help support a great cause.
https://bluejackets.spinzo.com/?group=green-columbus-4hrw
Use this link to buy tickets:Columbus City Council Vacancy
Do you live in downtown, German Village, the Near East, Short North, or Franklinton? You can apply to fill the vacant city council seat for the rest of the term (through 2025). The application process will be available through December 9th and finalists will have a chance to give final remarks on December 18th in a public hearing.
For more information and to submit an application, visit:
https://www.columbus.gov/Government/City-Council/Council-VacancyCOTA service change meetings 🚍
Please join us on Thursday, Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. or Tuesday, Dec. 10 at noon for our public information meetings to discuss the upcoming service improvements for January service changes, including downtown route changes. This is a good way to give COTA direct feedback on service and to learn more about the upcoming changes. There are two ways to attend:- In person at 33 N. High St.
- Online via Facebook Live
Things you can do online
(~6 minutes) Bronzeville Food Co-op 🛒
Help bring a local, community-owned grocery store to the Near East. Take an online survey sharing your grocery needs and wants and enter for a chance to win a gift card.(~5 minutes) Capital Line Survey 🚲
Progress on the design of the future Capital Line is moving forward! If you missed the public engagement meeting you can view the materials and learn more about the project below. Help shape the future of the project by providing your input virtually. Your participation will help ensure that the Capital Line benefits businesses, residents, and visitors alike.Ohio Rail Development Survey 🚂
Check out All Aboard Ohio’s Advocacy Toolkit for this survey and the ODOT survey below.The Ohio Rail Development Commission is developing an update to its State Rail Plan.
The Ohio State Rail Plan update will provide current information on Ohio’s rail system and its role in the statewide transportation system, review passenger and freight rail issues and potential investments and opportunities, and establish the Commission’s goals and objectives for Ohio’s rail network. An updated State Rail Plan will help ensure that Ohio remains competitive for federal discretionary grant opportunities.
Sponsor a set of bike lights 🚲
Bike Lane Uprising is raising money to fund 200 more sets of bike lights for people in Columbus. Fund a set for just $14 and help them reach their goal.ODOT Transportation Survey 🚍
We are requesting your participation in ODOT’s Transportation Preference Survey. We need feedback from people all around Ohio on emerging transportation topics like electric vehicles, connected and autonomous vehicles, walking, biking, transit, working from home and many others.(~10-15 minutes) Columbus Park Plan 🌳
Columbus Recreation and Parks Department is initiating the process of developing its next 10-year Vision Plan. This update will provide a vision and roadmap for the future of recreation programming and services, parks, facilities, trails, waterways and open space planning that scales the city’s recreation and parks system equitably to match Columbus’ place as the 14th largest city in the U.S. This plan will also serve as a guidebook for the department’s programming, development and policies to drive quality-of-life improvements for all Columbus residents.
Take the survey to shape the future of play, parks and open space!
In Case You Missed It
LinkUS Engagement Survey (2 minutes)
Mark up the Vision Zero Columbus map. Have a close call walking, biking, or getting around town? Do you know a dangerous intersection that can be improved? Help identify these spots on the Vision Zero map.
Have a great day everyone!