HOLYOKE — City officials say that bicycles from the Pioneer Valley’s regional bike-sharing program have been thrown into Holyoke’s canals, permanently damaged and abandoned in far-flung locations.
In an announcement Wednesday, Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia’s office said that it has received reports from the ValleyBike Share program and its partners, Bewegen Technologies, that four of the e-bikes have been found in the canal and others have had their batteries stolen and sold. The bikes, which are city-owned, cost $1,200.
“As a community we must support and protect the ValleyBike Share Program,” the city’s Office of Planning & Economic Development said in a statement. “Many residents use these bikes for transportation to and from work and for recreation. ValleyBike is a city asset that provides transportation to visitors and residents at an affordable rate. This healthy option for transportation is available only if we maintain and protect this asset.”
The bike-share program, which came to the Valley in 2018, is meant to promote “short bike trips within core communities,” according to the ValleyBike Share website.
Garcia’s office said that in addition to the vandalism to Holyoke’s bikes, some of them have been abandoned or not returned at the appropriate time. In some cases, people have created fake accounts to buy time on the bikes, according to the city’s press release.
A representative for ValleyBike Share did not immediately return an email seeking comment on Thursday.
Garcia’s office said that it has alerted the Holyoke Police Department to the vandalism, asking for the public to do the same if they see vandalism. If an abandoned bike is found, the public can notify Erick Joseph at erick.joseph@bewegen.com.
Since its launch, eight communities have joined the program: Northampton, Amherst, Easthampton, Holyoke, South Hadley, West Springfield, Springfield and Chicopee.
Dusty Christensen can be reached at dchristensen@gazettenet.com.