Zoobomber monument?
PORTLAND, Ore. -- A new statue erected in downtown Portland celebrates Zoobombers, a group of bicyclists that enjoy a love-hate relationship with the city.
The group was named for bike riders who began riding MAX up to the Oregon Zoo, then taking an elevator to the top of that stop -- and then bombing down West Hills neighborhood streets.
They often shoot their own video and routinely violate traffic laws during their weekly Sunday night rides.
The Zoobombers began their rides seven years ago and generated many complaints as they screamed and zoomed through West Portland.
Portland police say complaints have dropped significantly.
But many like Jeff Boly, President of the Arlington Heights Neighborhood Association, still worry about safety.
"The safety concern is that someone would be injured, by a car that one of us was driving," he said. "That's what we really worry about."
Friday afternoon as reporters watched the intersection of Kingston and Fairview, two young men bombed down the hill and through the stop sign. One was standing on his bike frame with his arms out wide.
As part of the zoo bombing tradition, the bikes are left in a pile downtown to be used for the next ride.
Nearly three yeas ago, the group grew frustrated as bikes were stolen or damaged. The Zoobombers actually lobbied the city to give them a safe place to store their bikes.
Mayor Sam Adams, transportation commissioner at the time, made it happen.
"Commissioner Sam Adams asked us to work with transportation to find an artistic solution to the Zoobomb bikes," said Kristin Calhoun from the Regional Arts and Culture Council.
The group typically gives out $3 million dollars in taxpayer money each year to artists and groups and public art projects.
The Zoobomber monument got $10,000. It has loops on the lower portion of a tall mast with a golden bike on top.
The loops will allow Zoobombers to stack their bikes in an iconic pile -- but also lock them to the rings.
They are thrilled.
"Having a new, safe and secure, celebrated, city-sanctioned home for (the bikes) makes it a lot more protected and it means (Zoobombers) are valued by the community at large," said a spokeswoman for the group who identified herself as "Shantastic."< /p>
The monument stands at NW 13th Avenue and West Burnside.
