Reconnect Rochester Hires Jesse Peers, Cycling Coordinator

We are thrilled to welcome Jesse Peers, Cycling Coordinator and newest member of a growing staff team at Reconnect Rochester!

Jesse is hitting the ground running (or shall we say hitting the road biking) due to his already deep involvement in cycling advocacy and education. Learn more about his passion for the work in the message below.

Jesse can be reached by email at jesse@reconnectrochester.org, and will work out of our Hungerford building office (1115 East Main Street, Door 4) most afternoons. Next time you’re passing through the neighborhood, be sure to stop by The Hungerford and say hello!

Dear friends and supporters,

My name is Jesse Peers and I’m excited to be Reconnect Rochester’s new cycling coordinator. After not cycling once in my twenties, I got back on a bike at age 31 and it changed my life: getting rid of my car liberated my family’s finances, got me healthier and opened up a whole new community to me. When I got to know my city more by experiencing it in a different way, it led to much more community involvement. Some friends and I got certified two years ago to teach bike skills and traffic safety and nothing makes us happier than coming alongside apprehensive cyclists (those interested but concerned) and giving them the confidence to enjoy riding their bikes more.

I find the city of Rochester to be a great city to bike in. As the late Joseph Floreano once said, “New York City was too big; Binghamton was too small; Rochester was just right.” I’ve found that to be true as well: so many of the trips for my family and I are within three miles and as the city’s Comprehensive Access & Mobility Plan stated last year, the average commute for city residents is 4.1 miles – ~25 minutes by bike. Together let’s take this advantage of our unique position and take Rochester to the next level. I look forward to collaborating. Happy Bike Month!

~Jesse