Riding Forward: New Esperanza Bike Center Opens
The City celebrated the grand opening of the second Esperanza Bicycle Safety Education Center today. This new location at Villella Park in the McKinley Neighborhood (just off of San Mateo NE and Cherokee NE) is a free community facility where residents of all ages can learn to maintain/repair their bikes, earn free bikes, and learn to be safer riders. Esperanza is operated by the City’s Parks and Recreation Department (PRD).
“Riding our bikes is an important part of our community, giving us a healthy alternative for commuting, exercise, or just a great day outdoors with the family,’” said Mayor Tim Keller. “By expanding Esperanza across town, we’re riding forward into a new era for bicycle safety and education in Albuquerque.”
“Esperanza is helping create a more resilient and self-sufficient community for families,” said PRD Director Dave Simon. “Esperanza-McKinley is a pit stop for learning, connecting, and increasing transportation access and fun; it just takes getting a little bit of grease under your fingernails.”
Esperanza stands out for its hands-on approach to bike repair and maintenance, giving residents a chance to fix their bikes and gain the knowledge they need to keep them in top shape. The original Esperanza Bicycle Safety Education Center, located at 5600 Esperanza Dr NW (now known as the West Mesa location), opened in 2013 in a former City library. Since then, more than 20,000 people have learned how to work on their bikes and more than 5,000 refurbished bikes have been given out to members of the community through the “Earn-A-Bike” program. The new Esperanza-McKinley location will help expand access to this great, nationally-recognized program.
Donations help make Esperanza’s work possible. Bicycles are typically donated and refurbished by Esperanza’s mechanics, then given to community members. Those interested in donating any bikes, bike parts, or bike-related items, including broken components, can call the main number to coordinate a drop-off at either location. If Esperanza is unable to use a donated item, it will be recycled.
Esperanza-McKinley is located in a building formerly owned by the Boys and Girls Club of Central New Mexico. The BGCCNM operated an after-school program and had its administrative offices at this location. The City acquired the building from BGCCNM in 2021 and began construction in 2022 on Phase 1 of the project. The cost of Phase 1 was $1,952,669, which included building assessment and overall design, then extensive work throughout the entire building to construct the Esperanza bicycle center and complete basic infrastructure renovations to support both the bike shop and the new teen center. This construction work included a new roof, support beam, interior demo, floor work, new restrooms, electrical upgrades, new parking lot, ADA access improvements, and landscaping. Funding came from City General Obligation bond funds and state capital outlay contributed by former-State Rep. Christine Trujillo. The architect on the project is Greer Stafford and the contractor was Basic IDIQ. The new location features window security bars that also function as art, created from scrap parts.
The public can utilize Esperanza-McKinley for Open Bike Clinic on Tuesday, Thursdays, and Sundays by appointment. Residents will need to call (505) 224-6668 starting at 10 a.m. on the morning of the clinic to reserve their spot. To learn more, please visit cabq.gov/esperanza.
The City will soon start work on Phase II of the project, which will continue building out the BGCCNM teen center utilizing City funds and state funds contributed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, State Senator Daniel Ivey-Soto, State Senator Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, State Senator Jerry Ortiz y Pino, State Rep. Natalie Figueroa, State Rep. Pamelya Herndon, and State Rep. Marian Matthews.