Recreation

HYPERLOCAL NEWS HUB BY THE UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS DEPARTMENT OF JOURNALISM

Cooper-Young business makes its name on specialized training

inbalance has been in Cooper-Young since the late 1980s. Click here to read more about what they do.

Walking in Cooper-Young

Restaurants, coffee shops, food sources. Cooper-Young has all of these within walking distance.

But some residents think a few improvements, would make the streets of this neighborhood even more enjoyable to walk.

Read more...

Memphis Roller Derby Turns 6-Years Old

They call themselves the most "bad-ass sisterhood" in town.

For 6-years the Memphis Roller Derby has brought the fun and physicality of rollerskate competition to the Mid-South Fairgrounds.

See this MicroMemphis story, photo gallery and video about one of the most unusual sports in town.

C-Y Business 'Healthy', Even in Down Economy

Inside Out Health Club has been a fixture in Cooper-Young for the past 15-years. Find out how they've managed to be fiscally fit, even while other businesses struggle. Read more...

C-Y Business Fights for Cure

Painted Planet Art Space of Cooper-Young
will be opening its doors to a new way to fight cancer, literally.

It will begin offering free boxing classes to cancer patients beginning the first week
of April.

Read more here... and find out why the owner of this art gallery and recording studios is working on creative ways to make people with cancer, stronger.

First Congo Shop Gives Walkers Wheels

The Revolutions Bike Shop, located in the basement of Cooper-Young's First Congregational Church, build bikes for those who can't afford to purchase their own. The shop has been providing this philanthropy to Memphians since June 2002.

Slideshow Created by Louis Goggans

Hardcore Memphis Cyclists Peddle to Work, Play

By Louis Goggans

A group of bicyclists raced
up and down the hard
asphalt of a Cooper-Young parking
lot.

Mallets in hand, three-on-three
teams knocked a red street hockey
ball around trying to hit it into a
goal five times before their
opponents.

Just another Sunday night match-up of hard court bike polo—
an alternative sport that is gaining popularity across the country.

The Midtown group meets up every Wednesday and Sunday night
in the parking lot of the Bluff City Sports. There are more than a
dozen people that play and nearly all of them arrive by bike.
That’s because few of them own a car.

Anthony Siracusa, 26, said he has always relied on bikes as his
only means of transportation.

“I think the automobile has been the single most destructive
element in post modern life” said the founder of Revolutions Community Bike Shop. “I don’t have a car and I’m glad about
that. Everyday I get another reason to not have one. We have
become an internally entrenched car culture and even in the
midst of this you can still ride your bicycle everyday.”

Siracusa said owning a bike is more economical in today’s society.

“I can’t buy a car right now at my level of income, but I don’t
want to” Siracusa said, “I hear people complain about gas all
the time and I don’t have that problem. I’ve probably saved
about $300 a month because I don’t have a car.”

Another player, Kyle Wagenschutz, 27, also happens to be the
new Bike/Pedestrian coordinatorfor the city of Memphis.
True to his job title, Wagenschutz is a commuter cyclist, as well.

Although he’s peddled his toenail off while riding, Wagenschutz
said he still prefers bikes over cars.

But it’s hard court bike polo that has helped him maintain his
passion for bicycling.

“It’s one of those things that I do in the week just to wind down,” Wagenschutz said. “I do so much bike stuff all week long and I
don’t have a car. It’s a way to still do bike stuff when I’m not
trying to get from point A to point B or head to give a lecture.
I’m just having fun, chilling out and playing some polo with my friends.”

At their Sunday night match, only two of the dozen players said
they owned a car.

Adam Hite was one.

Hite said he preferred riding a bike over his car, but in certain situations having a vehicle is beneficial.

“When it’s seven in the morning and I have to be at work, I’m not
going to ride my bike,” the 27-year-old web designer said. “I
definitely would like to use less gas and use my car as least as
possible. I would like to get to the point where I could just use
a bike, but in Memphis that’s kind of hard. Plus a car comes in
handy when you want to do things like go out of town.”

Siracusa said he’s comfortable with riding through the mass
of the city, but there are certain areas where the traffic flow
makes him uneasy.

“I love riding my bike around, but it can be scary sometimes,”
Siracusa said. “Between Union, Madison and Cooper on the north
end of the intersection. That’s my daily nightmare.”

Wagenschutz said the group of players shares a common love for
the sport regardless of individual beliefs about car ownership.

“We all live, eat and breath bikes all day long,” he said. “That’s
why we play bike polo, because riding around all day long isn’t
enough. We can’t get enough.”

One-wheeling at First Congo

Memphians meet weekly to peddle one-wheel vehicles at First Congregational Church in Cooper-Young.

Read how the unicycle made it to C-Y...

Bike Polo Action
Video by Nielsen Ferry

Is Your Favorite Business Bike-Friendly?

Directors of the Revolutions Community Bike Shop in Cooper-Young are giving stickers to establishments that support more bike lanes in Memphis.

Click here to see which businesses on Madison Avenue have stickers.