Qiana Glaze’s face beams as she recites her experience as a recipient of Manitou Springs’ Ebike voucher program. She lightly sips on a cup of coffee from The Loft as we lean in from across the table to hear each other speak. The room is filled with many happily chatting visitors. Cody serves up smiles behind the counter as he greets customers who wander inside and settle in to soak up the good vibes, colors, and conversation with family and friends.
Qiana has had plantar fasciitis from serving tables for decades, but she still walks—as transportation. She had no idea that Manitou was offering residents one year + at the middle and low-income levels financial assistance to purchase an Ebike of their own until a friend who got theirs told her about it. Qiana made a wish and set her intention hoping that she would be selected to receive a voucher of her own—and it worked! She now uses her Ebike to get groceries from Safeway on Colorado Avenue, take her dog for runs, and gets out and about more.
Before her Ebike, Qiana mainly walked, took the bus—especially during the zero fare for cleaner air program, and carpooled. Today she asserts using her Ebike is faster than walking, taking the bus or having to coordinate a ride. In fact, she considers her Ebike a car—as do many of her friends. And for so many other residents, this program is the only way they could have even considered purchasing an Ebike.
A Manitou resident off and on for 25 years and car-free for three, Qiana’s appreciation is infectious as she smiles while speaking of the gratitude, she feels for having been selected to receive a voucher. “This is our home,” states Qiana. “Manitou picked me. However, it’s hard enough to live here and find parking. If you have a bicycle, you can get around more easily and not add to congestion and poor air quality.” Having already put over 100 miles on her Ebike, she recounts with excitement a recent trip to Mountain Mama exclaiming that Manitou and Colorado Springs are perfect for Ebikes with side streets that offer the potential for our communities to become bike friendly cities such as Boulder, CO. “Everyone wants to be in this joint (Colorado) for its beauty and fresh air. In fact, I visited Garden of the Gods Park and didn’t have to sit in traffic like everyone else!”
Qiana adds that “every day is nice out” and rides her bike each chance she gets, even on cooler cloudy days in winter. She has also been talking with her mother about applying for a voucher stating, “Mom is a young 70+ year old and loves being active. An Ebike would be perfect for her.”
When asked what the pros and cons are of bicycling in Manitou Qiana exclaimed, “We need more bike racks to park where you actually want to visit in Manitou and Old Colorado City. Our communities lack well-placed racks that are easy to find and serve you where you are going.” She adds, “All our little paths and roads where we can’t take any more cars should be designated for bikes and walking only. This helps reduce road maintenance and air pollution, and a more walkable town also helps tourism and the economy.” When visiting where she grew up in Atlanta, GA about five years ago she states she “could not believe the traffic everywhere,” and feels that America should become an “Ebike nation.”
Qiana also believes that to increase more people using Ebikes and other micromobility in Manitou would be to offer the Ebike voucher program again. However, advises a stronger marketing effort such that more residents are aware when the program is made available. “I have so many friends who didn’t even know the program existed,” she adds.
Finally, Qiana’s long-term goal is to tow her dog behind her Ebike. This would involve getting a trailer and extra batteries, with the goal in mind to tour the U.S. allthewhile staying at hotels and seeing the sites and beauty from the seat of a bicycle! “A bicycle path from Colorado Springs to Denver,” would also be nice and exclaims, “can you imagine being able to cycle to Red Rocks Amphitheater?”
Qiana feels that residents hardly get any benefits from tourism, but the fruitcake toss and maybe a few other events. However, this Ebike voucher program is a “game changer,” helps residents in need, and shows that the Mayor and city care about residents. “I would not have been able to afford an Ebike without this assistance, and I appreciate that I am a recipient of this program,” says Qiana. She feels like having an Ebike is equivalent to having a car—but better—and hopes to see more people like her on bicycles.
