The Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende visited the Battery Park in September.  During his visit he took a rest on the black leather of the Lepper suspension saddle of the Acorn Cycles “Beatrix” Battery Conservancy bakfiets. The Battery Park Conservancy uses Acorn Cycles bakfietsen as a typically Dutch green solution to park maintenance for almost 6 months now and they are very satisfied with their innovation in park maintenance. Especially the park workers feel proud and privileged if they are appointed to work with these mahogany boxed machines instead of trucks or common barrows.

In 2006 Balkenende said in the Dutch Parlement the following: “I don´t understand why you are so negative and annoying about this subject (he addresses Femke Halsema from the left wing (former communists) green party Groen Links about an unknown subject during general deliberations in 2006), let´s be happy with each other! Let´s say: The Dutch can do it! With the mentality of the V.O.C. (the first multi national corporation in the world and the first company to issue stock)! With a view that crosses borders, dynamism!“.

Balkenende took a lot of critics because of this referral to the V.O.C. because the V.O.C. also had a dark side: their “employees” where mainly unpaid slaves.

But with keeping that in mind, he was right: the Dutch can do it and it´s about time the Dutch start to look across borders and advocate actively outside of the Netherlands their green and sustainable solutions too transportation.

The Battery Park at the tip of Manhattan will be using Acorn Cycles “bakfietsen” (Dutch for “bucket bikes”) to turn the park into a “green zone”, with less unnecessary green house gas emissions. By doing this the park wants to set the example for a sustainable solution for transportation in all US parks.

“Using bikes only takes just that little bit of extra effort and that’s an effort everybody who values nature is willing to take. If we permit even our parks to pollute, who else will set the example for a sustainable solution for transportation?” according to Acorn Cycles President Jochen Riester.

With these Dutch bikes, Battery Park Conservancy President Warrie Price is working with Acorn Cycles towards a goal they share: “No trucks in Parks!”.

On The Battery Park Conservancy Annual Gala on Tuesday, June 9, 2009, 12.000 USD was raised to buy Acorn Cycles bikes. At the gala The Kingdom Of The Netherlands was honored with The Battery Medal For Cultural Heritage. The medal was received by Dutch Minister for European Affairs Frans Timmermans.

After the opening in fall 2009 of the New Amsterdam Plein & Pavilion, that is being realized by a grant from the Dutch Government, the bikes will be used in the park for maintenance purposes and transporting supplies.

NYC Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe also expressed his interest in the bikes: “everything good comes from the Battery”.

Left: Battery Park Conservancy President Warrie Price

Middle: NYC Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe

Right: Acorn Cycles President Jochen Riester

Photo Credit: Malcolm Pinckney (NYC Parks & Recreation)