Chris Kegel Foundation Projects- Today & Beyond!
Initiative #1: Bike Park for Kids Foundation
GOAL: Find a location, build, and activate a bike park in an underserved community in Milwaukee, WI.
IMPACT: If you build it, they will come. We are looking for a space in Milwaukee’s inner city to teach kids of all ages how to ride and fall in love with biking. With pump tracks, playgrounds, tracks and programming, we hope to build a safe environment to learn how to ride.
HISTORY: Chris Kegel (President of Wheel & Sprocket 1987-2017) and Chris Fortune (Former President of Saris) were great friends not only in business but in life too. The generosity of both bicycle businesses have aided effective bike advocacy organizations on a national scale. To honor the legacy of their friendship, the Chris Kegel Foundation is currently seeking locations for a future bike park in the city.
PARTNERS: Bike Park for Kids Foundation, Milwaukee County Parks, Bader Philanthropies, and more!
Initiative #2: Southern Kettle Moraine Trail School
GOAL: To raise $50,000 to build a new facility at the John Muir Trailhead in La Grange, WI to teach people how to build & maintain sustainable mountain bike trails.
IMPACT: Imagine a space where kids & adults can learn how to build trails not just in a classroom, but at one of the best mountain bike systems in the region. This space would be a gathering space to learn, a storage facility for tools, and a place to ensure future trail sustainability.
HISTORY: Since the early 1990s, Chris Kegel was a part of a team of mountain bike advocates to “Save the Trails” on DNR land across the state of Wisconsin after mountain biking was banned from all state land. In 1993, the group was able to raise $75,000 and form a cooperative agreement with the DNR to secure trail development. As a way to continue the future trail maintenance and development, the crew created the Fall Color Festival at the John Muir Trail Head. The Chris Kegel Foundation will also now help volunteer and plan this event going forward.
PARTNERS: Wisconsin DNR, Wisconsin Bike Patrol. Fall Color Festival and more!
Initiative #3: Improved Trail Signage with Milwaukee Co Parks
GOAL: To improve wayfinding and signage along all bike paths & trails in Milwaukee Co and beyond!
IMPACT: Often times, big trail projects spend all of their funds on the physical creation and do not have the budget to put great signage along the way. With great signs, people know where to ride, and how to connect to the regional network!
HISTORY: Chris Kegel was one of the originating members of the Milwaukee County Trails Council. Throughout the years, he created great relationships with the Parks Department. In 2017 the Foundation donated $50,000 to plan, design and install 30 way finding signs on the Oak Leaf Trail. We want to continue this work, and extend this same concept to the soft trail networks as well.
PARTNERS: Milwaukee County Parks, Wisconsin Bike Fed, Metro Mountain Bikers and more!
Initiative #4: Bike Racks & Fix It Stand Donations to Communities!
Apply today and get a chance to get a free bike rack and/or fix it stand installed near you! Each year the foundation will donate 8 bike racks and 2 fix it stations to communities in need.
