Active Inland Empire: An Introduction

What we are about, why now, and where we are going? : by Ryan Paglinawan

Background

How do we effectively make safer streets in the city of Rancho Cucamonga?

This was a question that jettison the start of the Connect Rancho Cucamonga (RC for short) bicycle subcommittee. I was interested in the effort because I believe that there should be change; but from my personal beliefs and experience there needs to be a balance.

What a long-term safety program should be:

• Community-focused and business-led

• Should put it’s money where it’s mouth is

• Have a long-term vision

Where Active Inland Empire fits:

For Active Inland Empire the idea to become a 501c3 nonprofit came from a subcommittee meeting with the Rancho Cucamonga city engineering department. The takeaway from that meeting was in order to raise awareness we must have large public community events much like what is seen successfully pulled off in the larger Los Angeles region with open street/ car-free events.

This is no profoundly new idea as it has attempted in the past in Rancho Cucamonga albeit a much smaller scale. As the name reflects, we want to highlight all the communities in the Inland Empire long-term but for now most of our plans are set in Upland, Ontario, Fontana, and Rancho Cucamonga and eventually help aid in the development of community plazas or additions to existing community venues to better serve the communities. To achieve this goal Active IE needs funds. And lots of it. If you follow our digital platforms there are two ways -at the time of writing this- to raise these funds: buying merchandise and donations. I do thank you for your time dear reader in being interested in and reading out about our story and what we have planned going into 2025.

- Ryan Paglinawan

Executive Director, Active Inland Empire