CAYCE, S.C. — Nine students from Lexington Two's Innovation Center have created something the entire city of Cayce can now use: A bike rack at Guignard Park.
Friday, community members gathered at this park in Cayce to recognize the hard work of the welding and fitting students.
Throughout the fall and winter last year, these students designed, welded and fitted a brand new bike rack together in a project in coordination with the city.
Mayor Elise Partin said she's working to make more of Cayce bike-able, getting ideas from a resident-led bike enthusiast group.
"We have the most number of river walk miles in this entire region, and we love that. It's a great place to go walk and bike. But people want to also be able to enjoy our roadways and get to the grocery store on their bicycle, or go with their family from where they live down to the Riverwalk. We want to make that as fun, and easy, and safe, and accessible as possible," Partin said.
Sara Powell was one of the students involved in the bike rack project. She tells News 19 the students wanted to get the project just right.
"We had to figure out what types of metal would look best, and especially what type of metals would withstand the outside weather and stuff like that. And we didn't use spray paint on it, we use a powder coat, kind of like powder paint, and it definitely lasts a lot longer outside," Powell said.
Their teacher, Laird Thompson, helped guide the students in creating a rack that would help lock up the most valuable part of the bike, the middle frame. He said he couldn't be prouder of the students.
"The same emotion that you would feel when your children do something extraordinary in front of you," Thompson said.
Now folks in the area get to reap the benefits of this new blue bicycle rack.
If you're interested in joining this Cayce bike enthusiast group, reach out to Cayce city hall or you can sign up at the Soiree on State event March 23, 2024.