File photo
Ken Nichols has a vision for a new facility for downtown bike commuters and “urban athletes”. He calls it Bike Republic.
Think of it like a cross between a Bikestation and le Maison des Cyclistes in Quebec.
The plan is to offer an array of services to the general public and for (a nominal fee) to members. Members services might include: secure full-service bike parking; personal lockers; showers; and dry cleaning/laundry delivery. The facility would also offer a small cafe, bike repair and rental and a retail store for biking and running products.
Nichols is eyeing the former McCall’s Restaurant Building (adjacent to the Salmon Street Fountain) as a possible location for this facility. He’s awaiting the official Request for Proposals for “adaptive reuse” of the property, which is expected to be put out soon by the Portland Parks Bureau.
To determine which services at this site would be most valuable to the community, Bike Republic is asking people to complete an on-line survey (you might have seen these flyers being passed out at Bike to Work Day). The survey was launched yesterday, and the first 50 respondents will receive a free burrito from Laughing Planet Café.
For a map and more information about the potential for a bike facility at this location, read my story on it from back in February.
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I hope no public funds will be sought for such a facitlity…..
It should be very possible to do it using private funds…
The standard Portland cyclist (taxpayer) really will not be able to pay for, or extend themselves to the point of being able to pay for, such services….
I’d have to agree with Dabby on this one. While such a facility would be mighty welcome and useful for Portland, it should be a private venture as I doubt that Mr. Nichols is going to do this for purely altruistic reasons. With the prices I am sure they will be charging it would not be an affordable option for the average Joe/Jane rider.
But I do hope this comes to fruition as I would be glad to take advantage of it from time to time.
I would gladly pay money for the proposed facility. After all, I need some place to store my stuff after work when I go ride in Forest Park.
I think it would be useful to some but I haven’t worked in a building in the last six years that didn’t have a shower and small locker/changing room. As more people cycle to work along with people who like to exercise during lunch, more property managers will be including facilities like this.
If he does get that waterfront building, I sure hope the first thing he does is give it a paint job. 😉
Why not find out what the cost will be before you start saying it’s too expensive? Jumping the gun a little on that one. It seems a lot more cost effective to have your company pay for membership than having to put in showers/lockers, etc. in existing buildings. I think it sounds like a great idea.
I won a free burrito! And I think this is a great idea, if all the kinks get worked out first.
I think it’s a great idea. As one of the many downtown, year-round bike commuters who works in an office without a shower, I would love a place to rinse off in the morning. Plus, being able to get a cup of coffee and my wheels trued at the same spot would be nice too.
Also, some coworkers and I convinced our company to allow for a monthly bike-commuting allowance, since they pay for parking and bus passes for the non-cyclists. This type of facility would be a perfect place for that allowance to go towards.
Good Luck to BikeRepublic!
This would a great service for Portland to have…in its platinum bid, as other gold cities already have similar parking facilities.
Some have asked what is the difference between BikeRepublic and Bikestation…
BikeRepublic is a local for profit business with investors looking to service bike commuters and runners with its first site in Portland.
Bikestation is a non-profit who, manages a network of 6 bike parking facilities at transit hubs (West Coast) over the last 10 years; works with local operators (non-profits and for-profit businesses – like BikeRepublic, BTA, or BikeGallery in other cities) on operating bike parking commuter service stations; designs and consults on bike parking facilities across the US with local governments, advocates and developers, legislation for bike commuter services; network marketing; parking equipment; and 24/7 membership technology systems.
Bikestations typcially serve low income (free valet day parking) to mid income commuters ($1 per park or $96 unlimited 24/7 parking).
More information:
http://www.bikestation.org