“I feel like for the first time, the city is listening.”

This was one of the comments made at last night’s packed Civil Cafe, the first such event at Fresh Cafe at 831 Queen St. in Kakaako. 

Civil Beat will be hosting monthly Civil Cafe events, where our readers and the community can be part of the story process, having a chance to ask local leaders and influencers about issues important to their lives. 

Last night, our guests were Honolulu transportation Director Mike Formby and Hawaii Bicycling League Executive Director Chad Taniguchi. Reporter Sophie Cocke, who covers the Honolulu beat, was the host. 

Olelo Community Media aired the two-hour discussion on Channel 54 last night, and will be running the entire program again on Channel 53 at these following dates: 

• May 5, 4 p.m.
• May 12, 1 p.m.
• May 21, 7 p.m.
• May 25, 1:30 p.m.

We will also have full video of last night’s event on our site soon. 

We want to send a special mahalo once again to our sponsor The Bike Shop (yes, THE bike shop) for helping us make last night possible. 

Thanks also goes to Tiffany Tanaka, owner of Fresh Cafe, for providing the venue, and to the staff at Olelo Community Media for their technical know-how and assistance. 

And the Earth Day bicycling festivities continue tomorrow at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. 

“BikeUHM 2014: Earth Cycles” will be held along Legacy Walk (near Dole Street) from 8 to 10 a.m. tomorrow.

This year’s events include:

• test drives of ebikes from Ebike Hawaii

• bike lessons on recumbent tricycles by Hawaii Bicycling League

• a refurbished bike sale for UHM students from Cycle Manoa (all bikes under $100). 

Read more about the university’s Earth Day festivities here. 

Mahalo again to everyone who made last night a success, and see you next month at the next Civil Cafe, which we will announce soon. 

Photo: Civil Cafe (PF Bentley/Civil Beat)

— Gene Park