Residents honored for efforts for cycling

Gary Guttormsen and Erin Borla of Sisters were honored Monday for their contributions to pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly environments in Deschutes County.

The Deschutes County Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) selected them as 2012 Big Chainring Award recipients.

Awards were presented at the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners meeting on Monday, June 18.

Gary Guttormsen was presented with the Peter Hanson Memorial Award.

The citation notes that "Gary is the quintessential volunteer. When Gary moved over the hill from the Valley three years ago, he brought his passion for promoting biking and walking opportunities for people of all ages. He has given so much of his time and energy to the Sisters Trails Alliance that even a partial list of his work might seem exhausting to most community volunteers."

Guttormsen is the vice-chairperson and trails coordinator for STA. He assists in producing trail maps for free distribution, helping to lay out new trails, and working on grant applications, environmental assessments, and public outreach.

STA is developing and promoting a seven-mile paved bike path between Sisters and Black Butte Ranch, as well as an improved commuter bike trail from Tollgate to Sisters High School and Sisters Middle School. 

"Devoted to the concept of developing safe ways for kids to ride their bikes to school, Gary laid out and practically singlehandedly built a trail connecting Crossroads to the Sisters High School," the citation notes.

Guttormsen has also worked closely with Erin Borla of the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce and ODOT (Oregon Department of Transportation) to create and promote three new scenic bikeways for the area. 

"Simply listing Gary's volunteer efforts will not capture the underlying spirit," the citation notes.

"He brings no ego to the table - endless enthusiasm, cooperation, and dedication.

When someone is needed to get something done, Gary is there.

He has such a unique capacity to volunteer for so much, and to take so much leadership in each, and yet to leave so much space for others to join with him as an equal.

When the going gets tough, Gary provides counsel, wisdom, and humor. He is instinctively inclusive - welcoming everyone, praising their efforts, making sure their efforts are appreciated and recognized.

It would be hard to imagine the kind of qualities one would like to see in a volunteer that Gary does not possess and demonstrate daily."

The Big Chainring Award for Advocacy/Group went to Erin Borla and the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce.

In 2010-2011, Borla took on the task of coordinating the proposal for three Oregon State Scenic Bikeways near Sisters. She enlisted volunteers in the community to document, market, and maintain the proposed routes. She coordinated a wide and disparate variety of agencies and organizations, including the Deschutes and Willamette National Forests; ODOT Regions 2 and 4; Deschutes, Jefferson, and Lane Counties; City of Sisters and the communities of Terrebonne and Camp Sherman; and several local and regional destination marketing associations.

"She understood from the very beginning that these bikeway designations would be a tremendous asset to bicycling and to tourism in Sisters Country," the award notice reads. "Erin brought enormous and infectious enthusiasm to the project - all the more impressive as she is not even, herself, a cyclist. In the end, on the strength and skill of her management efforts, and on the power of her enthusiasm, everyone climbed on board and the State designated all the routes proposed by the Sisters group, virtually unchanged.

In 2012, she continued putting in place the local management plan required of all scenic bikeways, working closely with all the community partners, while taking on key activities herself, under the umbrella of the Chamber of Commerce. 

"Erin Borla and the Sisters Chamber of Commerce have clearly demonstrated the kind of leadership and advocacy needed to improve bicycling in Deschutes County," the awards notice states.

Since 1996, the Big Chainring Awards have been awarded annually to honor individuals, businesses, and public agencies that have made significant contributions in support of better bicycling and walking in Central Oregon.