Anne Arundel County Bike Safety Parks

Bicycle Advocates for Annapolis & Anne Arundel (BikeAAA) is an all-volunteer nonprofit that promotes bicycling for transportation, recreation and fitness. In 2022, BikeAAA installed Anne Arundel County, Maryland’s first two Bike Safety Parks—small-scale street networks where children can learn biking and walking in a safe and fun environment. BikeAAA engaged Kathleen Hayes Design to create custom high pressure laminate interpretive signs for both Bike Safety Parks to inform users about the parks and provide guidance on their use.

The Lindale Middle School Bike Safety Park was created through a collaboration of many partners led by BikeAAA and Lindale M.S., including the AACPS STEM program, Leadership Anne Arundel, Anne Arundel County Recreation & Parks and Anne Arundel County Police Bike Patrol. Artists from Future History Now worked with Lindale M.S. students to design the artwork in the “island” areas of the course, featuring a tribute to Mo Gaba, a beloved and inspirational former Lindale student who battled cancer from the age of 9 months and passed away in 2020 at the age of 14. The course was painted with the help of over 40 volunteers, with funding provided by BikeAAA and the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County.

The Seven Oaks Bike Safety Park was implemented through the leadership of BikeAAA and Anne Arundel Bicycle Advisory Commission member Glenn Gunter. The Seven Oaks Community Association provided the funding for the project, which transformed an unused parking area into a community amenity.

iZone Imaging was the obvious choice to produce the signs. Their Custom High Pressure Laminate material provides high quality color and graphic clarity with excellent durability. Their knowledge and responsiveness make them a joy to work with. –Kathleen Hayes