The City of Santa Monica opened its first, and possibly only, “Bicycle Campus” on Earth Day, April 22.

It’s “an off-street learning area for people of all ages and abilities to become confident about their riding skills.” It features a skills course where users can learn and practice bicycle riding, handling, and street skills with the aid of educational displays. The display boards are supported by a web-based bicycle education curriculum including videos of how to use the facility. The Bicycle Campus is also a resource for bicycle educators, schools and other groups that may provide bicycle education.

It should surprise no one to learn that the new Bicycle Campus, which is located south of Ocean Park Boulevard at Santa Monica State Beach, is the first permanent bicycle learning area in the City of Santa Monica and the first, and perhaps only one of its kind in the greater Los Angeles Area.

According to a City press release, “The Bicycle Campus provides an opportunity for people to gain the confidence to feel comfortable riding on city streets, as well as familiarity with bicycle-friendly design features that are being deployed on City streets. Promoting the facility simultaneously promotes the importance of safe road use and understanding of the new design elements. The facility has generated support from educators, parents and activists.”