If you're still looking for holiday-shopping inspiration in the Homewood area, this may be the year to consider bicycles.

In the days before video game systems, a new bike was probably at the top of most lists that Santa Claus received from American kids. A new bike has long symbolized freedom and independence to kids, the way a new car symbolizes it to teens and adults. Bicycles today can also symbolize environmentalism, health and clean living. It is this newer view of bicycles that has inspired the Village of Homewood to create a bicycle plan.

In 2006, the village commissioned the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation to create the plan, which proposes a bicycle network and defines a 10-year program to improve key components of the network that will make bicycling safer, more convenient and more fun in Homewood. The village's goal is to use the plan to develop a bicycle-friendly environment that encourages residents to bike for transportation, recreation and good health. The program is organized by short-term, mid-term and long-term recommendations.

The village recently announced that it will receive $114,000 in federal grant money — funded by a Clean Air Act offshoot, the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality program — to help it put its short-term recommendations in place by 2009. These recommendations include installing 100 bicycle racks, placing signs throughout 18 miles of the bicycle network and producing a village bicycle map.

This is a great start for improving bicycling in Homewood, and it's being done in fiscally responsible manner. It was this type of forward thinking by the residents and local government that brought us to Homewood in the first place. We looked at several south suburbs when considering our move from Chicago, and pedestrian accessibility was one of our top concerns. It was my what-if-we-didn't-have-a-car test — not that we want to be without a car, but you never know.

So many suburbs are designed with circular subdivisions that are isolated from their town center and business district, often with only one or two entry points. This just wasn't for us. We are so much happier knowing we can get around to so many places on just two feet or two wheels. In Homewood, we are within a mile walk to restaurants, libraries, train stations, churches, parks, dry cleaners, a health club, a grocery store, physicians' offices, a pharmacy and, yes, even a bike shop.

There are so many reasons why walking and biking are better for you than driving a car. Soon in Homewood, it will be even easier and safer to exercise those reasons. If you don't live in Homewood, encourage your village government to take a look at the bike plan as a model for your own town. It can be viewed at homesweethomewood.com.

And if you are still looking for a present, consider a childhood favorite: a red bow on a new bike under the tree.

The opinions are solely those of the writer. She can be reached at nicolegc@comcast.net.