During summer 2010 a brand new Lebanese association was officialised: Green Wheel. This association, which does not seek profit, belongs to Marc Geara, real estate promoter and bike maniac. Interested in their projects, we have gone to meet with them.
“Promoting the use of bikes in Lebanon” seems to be Marc Geara’s credo. His passion for bikes started very young when he first got a mountain bike. Last year he bought a road bike, to bike around Lebanon with some of his friends. Sharing the same passion for the two wheel engine, they usually devour the Lamartine Valley kilometre after kilometre. Biking, a real sport! But not only… Marc Geara is well aware of that. Before anything else it is a hobby and a mean of transportation. It is upon those two dimensions that the association wants to focus.
The idea for the members of the association is to “give the Lebanese the taste for biking”. In order to do that, there needs to be sufficient infrastructure so that users can bike around safely. This is the issue that the first project “green wheels” tries to address in collaboration with the Damour Town Hall. On a banana field, we build a 4km long circuit with a bike rental location, water supplies and a restaurant. Everything is made so that the place is as pleasant as possible. It should be ready by April 2011.
The association is also in contact with other town halls, like Jbeil, Zahle or Beirut. Zahle and Jbeil have previously organised Biking Days, respectively on October 10th and October 31st. Both were truly successful. All the bikes were rented at Zahle, people were even queuing up to wait for them to come back. Jbeil’s mayor announced the construction of a bicycle path between Jbeil and Amchit.
However Green Wheels has to main projects. First of all, they want to reorganise Beirut so that it can be easier to move around using a bike. To achieve that, they would like to connect strategic locations using bicycle paths basically: Mar Mihail – Gemmayze – Saifi – Spears – Hamra – Ras Beirut, some universities and gardens. They are currently still in discussion with Beirut’ and Paris’ city Halls officials so that the project could coordinate efforts from both Lebanon and France.
Finally the dream for Marc Geara would be to build a bicycle path all along sea front. From north to south Lebanon, in parallel to the highway. It means a 274km long path! To live the dream though, the association has to convince using it’s other projects. The Beirut project, however difficult it may seem will be the key to success.
Popular support is also important. To become a member, 30 000 Lebanese pounds are enough. One can give more of course.
A brand new project that deserves to be given attention, notably because the starting point of an association it it’s crucial phase, it is where it defines itself and it’s goals. The projects launched here are big but not crazy. It works for a greener Lebanon and a greener Beirut.
During summer 2010 a brand new Lebanese association was officialised: Green Wheel. This association, which does not seek profit, belongs to Marc Geara, real estate promoter and bike maniac. Interested in their projects, we have gone to meet with them.
“Promoting the use of bikes in Lebanon” seems to be Marc Geara’s credo. His passion for bikes started very young when he first got a mountain bike. Last year he bought a road bike, to bike around Lebanon with some of his friends. Sharing the same passion for the two wheel engine, they usually devour the Lamartine Valley kilometre after kilometre. Biking, a real sport! But not only… Marc Geara is well aware of that. Before anything else it is a hobby and a mean of transportation. It is upon those two dimensions that the association wants to focus.
The idea for the members of the association is to “give the Lebanese the taste for biking”. In order to do that, there needs to be sufficient infrastructure so that users can bike around safely. This is the issue that the first project “green wheels” tries to address in collaboration with the Damour Town Hall. On a banana field, we build a 4km long circuit with a bike rental location, water supplies and a restaurant. Everything is made so that the place is as pleasant as possible. It should be ready by April 2011.
The association is also in contact with other town halls, like Jbeil, Zahle or Beirut. Zahle and Jbeil have previously organised Biking Days, respectively on October 10th and October 31st. Both were truly successful. All the bikes were rented at Zahle, people were even queuing up to wait for them to come back. Jbeil’s mayor announced the construction of a bicycle path between Jbeil and Amchit.
However Green Wheels has to main projects. First of all, they want to reorganise Beirut so that it can be easier to move around using a bike. To achieve that, they would like to connect strategic locations using bicycle paths basically: Mar Mihail – Gemmayze – Saifi – Spears – Hamra – Ras Beirut, some universities and gardens. They are currently still in discussion with Beirut’ and Paris’ city Halls officials so that the project could coordinate efforts from both Lebanon and France.
Finally the dream for Marc Geara would be to build a bicycle path all along sea front. From north to south Lebanon, in parallel to the highway. It means a 274km long path! To live the dream though, the association has to convince using it’s other projects. The Beirut project, however difficult it may seem will be the key to success.
Popular support is also important. To become a member, 30 000 Lebanese pounds are enough. One can give more of course.
A brand new project that deserves to be given attention, notably because the starting point of an association it it’s crucial phase, it is where it defines itself and it’s goals. The projects launched here are big but not crazy. It works for a greener Lebanon and a greener Beirut.
The idea for the members of the association is to “give the Lebanese the taste for biking”. In order to do that, there needs to be sufficient infrastructure so that users can bike around safely. This is the issue that the first project “green wheels” tries to address in collaboration with the Damour Town Hall. On a banana field, we build a 4km long circuit with a bike rental location, water supplies and a restaurant. Everything is made so that the place is as pleasant as possible. It should be ready by April 2011.
The association is also in contact with other town halls, like Jbeil, Zahle or Beirut. Zahle and Jbeil have previously organised Biking Days, respectively on October 10th and October 31st. Both were truly successful. All the bikes were rented at Zahle, people were even queuing up to wait for them to come back. Jbeil’s mayor announced the construction of a bicycle path between Jbeil and Amchit.
However Green Wheels has to main projects. First of all, they want to reorganise Beirut so that it can be easier to move around using a bike. To achieve that, they would like to connect strategic locations using bicycle paths basically: Mar Mihail – Gemmayze – Saifi – Spears – Hamra – Ras Beirut, some universities and gardens. They are currently still in discussion with Beirut’ and Paris’ city Halls officials so that the project could coordinate efforts from both Lebanon and France.
Finally the dream for Marc Geara would be to build a bicycle path all along sea front. From north to south Lebanon, in parallel to the highway. It means a 274km long path! To live the dream though, the association has to convince using it’s other projects. The Beirut project, however difficult it may seem will be the key to success.
Popular support is also important. To become a member, 30 000 Lebanese pounds are enough. One can give more of course.
A brand new project that deserves to be given attention, notably because the starting point of an association it it’s crucial phase, it is where it defines itself and it’s goals. The projects launched here are big but not crazy. It works for a greener Lebanon and a greener Beirut.
During summer 2010 a brand new Lebanese association was officialised: Green Wheel. This association, which does not seek profit, belongs to Marc Geara, real estate promoter and bike maniac. Interested in their projects, we have gone to meet with them.
“Promoting the use of bikes in Lebanon” seems to be Marc Geara’s credo. His passion for bikes started very young when he first got a mountain bike. Last year he bought a road bike, to bike around Lebanon with some of his friends. Sharing the same passion for the two wheel engine, they usually devour the Lamartine Valley kilometre after kilometre. Biking, a real sport! But not only… Marc Geara is well aware of that. Before anything else it is a hobby and a mean of transportation. It is upon those two dimensions that the association wants to focus.
The idea for the members of the association is to “give the Lebanese the taste for biking”. In order to do that, there needs to be sufficient infrastructure so that users can bike around safely. This is the issue that the first project “green wheels” tries to address in collaboration with the Damour Town Hall. On a banana field, we build a 4km long circuit with a bike rental location, water supplies and a restaurant. Everything is made so that the place is as pleasant as possible. It should be ready by April 2011.
The association is also in contact with other town halls, like Jbeil, Zahle or Beirut. Zahle and Jbeil have previously organised Biking Days, respectively on October 10th and October 31st. Both were truly successful. All the bikes were rented at Zahle, people were even queuing up to wait for them to come back. Jbeil’s mayor announced the construction of a bicycle path between Jbeil and Amchit.
However Green Wheels has to main projects. First of all, they want to reorganise Beirut so that it can be easier to move around using a bike. To achieve that, they would like to connect strategic locations using bicycle paths basically: Mar Mihail – Gemmayze – Saifi – Spears – Hamra – Ras Beirut, some universities and gardens. They are currently still in discussion with Beirut’ and Paris’ city Halls officials so that the project could coordinate efforts from both Lebanon and France.
Finally the dream for Marc Geara would be to build a bicycle path all along sea front. From north to south Lebanon, in parallel to the highway. It means a 274km long path! To live the dream though, the association has to convince using it’s other projects. The Beirut project, however difficult it may seem will be the key to success.
Popular support is also important. To become a member, 30 000 Lebanese pounds are enough. One can give more of course.
A brand new project that deserves to be given attention, notably because the starting point of an association it it’s crucial phase, it is where it defines itself and it’s goals. The projects launched here are big but not crazy. It works for a greener Lebanon and a greener Beirut.
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