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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.