This summer, the Cannon Falls Library received several bike racks which have been installed behind the library in view of Mill Street. The public is invited to attend a ribbon cutting ceremony at the library on Saturday, October 6th at noon. Members of the Library Board and elected city officials will attend, and refreshments will be served afterward. Members of the public who ride their bikes to the event will have the chance to win prizes for “Longest Ride,” “Shortest Rider,” and “Safest Book Transportation on a Bike.”
The grant, part of a SELCO Special Legacy Project for library art, was available to interested libraries. Library Director Nicole Miller was attracted to the grant because of the numerous bicycle trails in Cannon Falls as well as the bike rack design, which mimics an open book with the word “READ” cut out of the book cover.
“I just think it’s a fitting addition to this town and this library to have them,” says Miller. “This is such a pretty town with a thriving art community and well-used bike trails near the library. It was the perfect opportunity to mix it all together!” She felt the timing was also right with the current Goodhue County initiative to encourage bicycling within Cannon Falls.
In an effort to encourage use of the bike racks, Miller is using grant funds to film a commercial by Luke Newinski. The commercial will be available on the library website, city of Cannon Falls website, Chamber of Commerce website, and viewable on the local access cable TV station. It will also be unveiled at the ribbon cutting ceremony.
SELCO Legacy grants come from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund (ACHF), which was created in 2008 from the Clean Water, Land and Legacy amendment to the Minnesota State Constitution.