PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — In less than 90 days, 450 bicyclists and 75 staff members from BikeMaine will descend on Presque Isle, and the city’s BikeMaine committees are preparing for the event.
The Recreation and Parks Department is overseeing logistics of the BikeMaine “Village,” which will be on the site of the Sargent Family Community Center. BikeMaine officials recently made their first visit to work with this committee on the location and layout of tents, sanitation, parking, security, water and electrical power.
The Emergency Planning Committee, led by the city’s police and fire departments, has worked with Aroostook County Emergency Management to take a look at first aid plans as well as possible emergencies and bad weather contingencies.
Mike Chasse, city councilor and principal in Bike Board & Ski, is serving as the town coordinator for BikeMaine’s 2018 ride through Presque Isle.
“This is a really big deal for the City of Presque Isle,” he said. “The event covers the entire county and is larger than the international biathlons we’ve held here. Presque Isle is thrilled to be the primary host for the event and wants to showcase our community to the best of our ability to encourage participants to return to the County.
“It is so important that we have well-thought-out plans in place for each aspect of the event,” Chasse said. “We feel we are definitely on the right path to providing a positive and entertaining experience for these guests, many of whom have never been here before.”
Rob Ottaviano, head chef at Northern Maine Community College, is overseeing the Food Committee. He and other committee members have now met numerous times with Maine Farm and Sea Cooperative to hash out the dinner and breakfast menus. BikeMaine requires the majority of the food served to be from local farms, which is an opportunity to flaunt local foods and bring income into the area.
The Activities and Entertainment Committee, chaired by Kim Smith, Presque Isle public information officer and grant writer, has a varied lineup planned for the BikeMaine participants.
“The participants favor cultural heritage activities and, in the past, have felt this category was a bit under-represented,” Smith said. The activity schedule includes 27 different tours and events around town on registration day for the event, Sept. 8.
“Tours include standard offerings such as Presque Isle Historical Society’s guided walking tours of historic downtown Presque Isle, tours of the 1875 Vera Estey House, and citywide tours aboard Molly the Trolley, as well as tours designed just for this group, such as an agri-tour to the School Farm, a hops farm and a malt barley farm,” she said.
In addition, local favorite band Star City Syndicate will perform at the event concert.
The Information Committee has been providing publicity for the event; residents will soon see a countdown sign at Katahdin Trust on the corner of North and Main streets.
Jamie Guerrette of TAMC and Sherry Locke of the United Way of Aroostook, co-chairs of the Volunteer Committee, are actively seeking volunteers to work the event. Riders will arrive for registration on Sept. 8, stay overnight and depart on Sunday morning, Sept. 9. Riders will return to Presque Isle on Sept. 15.
Volunteers are needed for a variety of duties, including staffing the information booth Sept. 8 and 9, helping set up the food tables and tent, driving buses and serving food. To help, contact either Guerrette (694-1320, jguerrette@emhs.org) or Locke (764-5197, sherry@unitedwayaroostook.org).
Additionally, Smith said, businesses are asked to display “Welcome BikeMaine” signs, and the public is invited to come out and cheer on the riders as they depart Presque Isle on the morning of September 9 by lining the route along State Street beginning at around 7:30 a.m.
“Remember to share the road during the week of Sept. 8 through 15, and anytime bicyclists are on the road,” she added.
For more information on BikeMaine in Presque Isle, contact any of the committee chairs.
