SANTA ANA – The open-streets movement embraced in Los Angeles is taking root in Orange County as Santa Ana prepares to close a 3-mile section of Main Street and open it to pedestrians and bicyclists only.

Sunday on Main Open Streets is a gathering modeled after Los Angeles’ CicLAvia, which for the past four years has periodically hosted car-free Sundays across the city.

In Santa Ana, the car-free event will from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 5 on South Main Street between Santa Ana Boulevard and Warner Avenue.

“Santa Ana is the county seat and the most urban section in the county,” said Gerardo Mouet, executive director of the city’s parks, recreation and community services agency. “Biking and walking in an urban setting is of growing interest, and Santa Ana is a great place to illustrate this trend to the entire county.”

The path goes past historic buildings – including the old City Hall just south of Third Street – and cuts through the heart of the South Main Business District. The route connects South Main Street with the city’s downtown.

Entertainment and activities – including 15-minute sessions of yoga and Zumba plus child-friendly events – also will take place along the route.

For Adonia Lugo, an Orange County native who co-founded CicLAvia – a coalition of bicycling advocates, artists and academics who proposed open-streets events in Los Angeles – having Santa Ana host the county’s first open-streets event makes sense.

CicLAvia was inspired by the ciclovía (bike path) culture of Bogotá, Colombia, where major thoroughfares are closed to car traffic on Sundays.

“Santa Ana is home to many low-income bicycle users, who deserve to ride safely to work,” Lugo said. “From a social equity standpoint, it means a lot for the city to embrace the idea that streets should be for everyone.”

Councilwoman Michele Martinez, who proposed a CicLAvia-type of event be included in the city’s strategic plan, said South Main Street is a good location as merchants are working to bring exposure to the businesses there.

The cycling event is estimated to cost the city $50,000, and officials are hoping to attract 5,000 to 10,000 participants. The Parks and Recreation Department moved salary savings from open positions to cover event expenses.

“The purpose is to give the public a free event that turns a key major street (Main Street) into a safe place for people to exercise and play … to encourage people to make a lifestyle change and be more physically active on a regular day in order to encourage health and fitness,” Mouet said.

Across Santa Ana, there’s been a recent momentum to encourage bicycling.

The city, with the help of the Santa Ana Active Streets Coalition, has secured federal funding to implement bike lanes and other infrastructure to benefit communities where residents walk to and from work.

This week, the city is hosting three community workshops at the Garfield Community Center to discuss ways to make downtown Santa Ana more walkable and bikeable.

Santa Ana isn’t the only Orange County city to host such an event. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 12, Garden Grove will host Re:Imagine Garden Grove, which aims to re-envision the downtown area as a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood.

A 3-mile stretch of city roads along Garden Grove Boulevard, Main Street and Acacia Parkway will be closed to make way for food, art and outdoor activities.

“Santa Ana and Garden Grove are both multicultural cities, and I hope attendees embrace the beauty of the ciclovía as a bridge between sustainable urban design and how vibrant street life can be,” Lugo said.

Contact the writer: amolina@ocregister.com