Columbia is OPEN FOR BUSINESS

Hi folks. If you don’t already know me, I am MacKenzie Hand, Interim Executive Director of The Common Wheel. For over four years now I have worked at The Common Wheel as a Mechanic and Director of Operations. I wanted to reflect on some of our progress in this last year.

On May 17th, 2024, we welcomed you, our supporters and new neighbors, to our newest Common Wheel location.

It was months of work to renovate the space into what it has become, but it was the hard work of our staff, volunteers, and good friends who made it possible. Our task of turning 137 Locust St. into Columbia’s newest full-service bicycle shop and community programming center was a monumental effort, and there were certainly hiccups along the way. Getting to see everyone come together in that space really made that effort worthwhile.

Our staff loves what we do, and I hope that Adriana’s words drove that home for our “ribbon” cutting (it was a bicycle tube).

What I would like to add is that hearing the words of Mayor Lutz, County Commissioner Yoder, and Police Chief Brommer all resonated with the staff at The Common Wheel in a way that really drove home just how much impact we get to make at the intersection of bicycles and community participation. I speak for our staff when I say we found it inspiring.

For ten years we have supported Lancaster City with our unique blend of youth and adult programs, expanding operations multiple times to reach more people and to provide excellent sales and service as a bicycle shop. Starting this past spring, we now have a hub to operate out of that lets us reach more individuals, more students, more places, and more importantly, more cyclists.

I think “cyclist” is an important term to reflect on, especially when we think about the range of folks riding bicycles. Whether you’re a child weeble-wobbling on their first balance bike, a kitted-out enthusiast on their carbon steed, a commuter on their trusty frankenbike, or anyone in between riding for recreation or transportation, to us at The Common Wheel that makes you a cyclist. 

Without the support of cyclists like you, we would not have been able to accomplish this goal. The work we do is our thanks, and we hope to continue doing it.

The mission of this organization is to revolutionize people and places using the energy and equity of bicycles.

Now, more than ever, with more people and places under the umbrella of that mission, I hope you might stop into one of our shops and see what we do. Get that bike tuned up, sign up for an educational class, or refer a student for some free, guided repairs from the best team of mechanics and programming staff you’ll find in Central PA.

Thank you for making it all possible. Thank you for being a part of The Common Wheel.

Please consider donating today to help us in our mission. You can do so at our donation page HERE.

-MacKenzie Hand, Interim Executive Director, The Common Wheel