The Oregonian reports that a St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Portland, OR has given the “ghost bike” a home in its bicycle shrine.
The ghost bike memorializing the 2007 death of Portland art student Tracey Sparling will become part of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Parish’s bicycle shrine, giving it a permanent home away from the often-crowded downtown sidewalk outside the Crystal Ballroom.
…
Tracey Sparling, 19, attended the Pacific Northwest College of Art. Like many students in the city, Sparling, a 2006 West Salem High School graduate and salutatorian, got around Portland on her trusty two-wheeler.
On the afternoon of October 11, 2007, Sparling was moving through the intersection of Northwest 14th Avenue and Burnside Street just outside the Crystal Ballroom when she was fatally struck by a cement truck turning right at the intersection. The District Attorney’s office declined to prosecute the driver.
Sparling’s ghost bike, covered in flowers and outfitted with a “cyclist was killed here” sign, can be seen on Google Maps. So can the green bike box that was installed to prevent further “right hook” cycling deaths after her death.
Since 2005, nearly 15 ghost bikes have been installed as somber reminders of bicycle deaths around Portland.
…
After hearing concerns about the ghost bike’s location, the church contacted the family, Sophie Sparling said.
…
“It’s now at the church,” Sophie Sparling said. “The shrine is a perfect place for it. We’re hoping that it will remind people about how important safety is — for bicyclists, drivers, anybody who is on the road.”
St. Stephen’s holds an annual blessing of bicycles and their riders.