text: Fitness group aims to encourage biking
  Advertise	Special Sections	Contact Us	Notices	Home » Local Headlines	Fitness group aims to encourage biking Zach White
  Published: Tuesday, February 5th, 2013 With the past few days of thaw reminding the city of spring waiting around the corner, Kay Nessland came to talk to Havre City Council about an idea to encourage people to enjoy the coming warmth.At Monday night's meeting, Nessland, speaking on behalf of OPEN GYM — Obesity Prevention Education Nutrition Getting You Moving — wanted to know how to move forward in setting up a system of community bicycles to be borrowed from and returned to pre-designated locations around town.	OPEN GYM, a subcommittee of the Hill County Health Consortium, has been working with the Havre Police Department, Montana State University-Northern and Havre Public Schools on building the program.	Students at the university and Havre High School would build bike racks. And the bikes on them, donated or purchased by the community, could be painted blue and white or maroon and gold to commemorate the institutions. Nessland said they still had to iron out details of maintenance and storage.	Havre Mayor Tim Solomon recommended that Nessland take the discussion up with the Havre Parks and Recreation Department.	City Council member Rick Dow asked Nessland why the city should just provide bicycles, rather than encourage the community to buy bikes from local retailers.	While Nessland didn't exactly understand at the time the point Dow was trying to make, she said this morning that the program was necessary because, "a lot of people can't afford bikes and don't have bikes." At the meeting she replied with a counter to a common criticism that the bikes would just be stolen, by saying, "Well I hope they at least ride them and get more healthy." Nessland said she had heard from the Blaine County Health Department that similar programs were starting in Chinook and Harlem, and have already had success in cities such as Missoula and Billings.	Click Here To See More Stories Like This
  By Chick Fil-a on February 6th, 2013 at 10:30am	When Chick Fil-a gets to town they can put a bike rack there also	By raise taxes on February 6th, 2013 at 04:07am	Why is it that everyone with these great ideas always wants someone else to pay for it?
  I know..............lets go door to door and collect donations from the businesses. You never hear of anyone going door to door collecting for these great ideas in the residential neighborhoods.	By The Town Snarker on February 5th, 2013 at 16:39pm	Cool, village bicycles! It ain't yours, it's just your turn.
  Does not apply to just bicycles in lil ol'Havre, MT!	By thumbsup on February 5th, 2013 at 12:13pm	great idea and proven to work...has been working in Missoula for last couple of decades...pretty sure Havre has what it takes and needs to make this work here...open your minds and jump on a bike, good example for our children, sponsorship and advertising opportunity for local businesses (on bikes, on helmets, on bike racks) who knows, there could be funding or matching funding from bike manufacturers, etc. maybe Lance will pay debt to society by funding free public bike transportation around the counntry :)	By hmt on February 5th, 2013 at 12:06pm	Joe, HAHAHAHAHA. Good one... cant afford a car. sure.
  I would think the bikes would be stolen for sure. kind of not thought through sounding.	By Great on February 5th, 2013 at 10:57am	There is just no end to what governing bodies can provide for their citizens to make the community a better place. I have seen how fit Darv has gotten riding his bike so I am excited to give it a try also	By Joe on February 5th, 2013 at 08:26am	I cant afford a car. Could the city provide some of them as well in case we need to go longer distances?	Leave your comment