Local bicycle advocate receives national award

infrastructure enhancement.

Grilley will retire as BikeMN executive director in July 2023, but really he’s just shifting gears. He plans to stay very involved in advocacy at the local, state and national levels.

More than a decade of fulltime work advancing bicycling and walking at a statewide level have earned Mahtomedi resident and Lake Links Association board member Dorian Grilley a national honor. Grilley was recently named Advocate of the Year by the League of American Bicyclists.

The award honors a person “who has shown tireless commitment to promoting bicycling and walking” in their

CONTRIBUTED community or state. After serving as executive director of the Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota and as a planner with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for many years, Grilley helped found the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota (now BikeMN) in 2009. He has served as the organization’s executive director ever since, leading it in advancing non-motorized mobility throughout Minnesota through education, advocacy, and

Upcoming Games

“I am honored to have dedicated my career to advancing equity and access in biking across our state and beyond,” Grilley said. “I am proud to leave behind a strong organization that I truly believe in, with dedicated and thoughtful people at the helm who will usher in the next era of biking advocacy and education in Minnesota. Even though I will be stepping down as executive director, I’m still planning to volunteer with BikeMN as an advocate at the Capitol and advocate for active transportation on a part-time basis with our communities.”

Grilley’s accomplishments over the course of his career include co-chairing the Citizens Advisory Committee that guided the development of the 2001 Lake Links Trail Master Plan. His plans for the future include continuing to work for completion of the Lake Links Trail for pedestrians and bicyclists around White Bear Lake.

Upcoming Games

This should start in the Sept. 29 Christmas.