Businesses providing bikes for employees and tourists
Many people argue that it’s nearly impossible to get around Calgary’s urban sprawl without a car. But for those who don’t have a vehicle or don’t want to dish out the dollars for downtown parking there’s car-sharing taxis public transit and increasingly cycling.
Although urbanites all over the world are embracing bike sharing with systems like Citi Bike in New York City and Bike Share in Toronto Bow Cycle’s Bob Grunewald says Calgary just isn’t ready for that yet.
From a business perspective he says the city doesn’t have enough events throughout the year to attract enough people who would use them. He also points out that many people still drive their car to a location to go for a bike ride.
In the meantime as the city prepares to add more bike lanes and people continue to embrace bike culture more businesses are supporting their bike commuters and offering bikes that employees and customers can borrow to get around.
Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) strongly encourages biking to and from work providing a secure employee bike storage room complete with bike racks lockers and showers. Employees also have access to tools to keep their bikes maintained.
“Basically anything they need we can support them with” says Brad Clute MEC’s Western Canada sustainability and community co-ordinator.
Clute says on an average day an estimated 75 per cent of Calgary employees ride to work. Shoppers are also encouraged to ride their bikes to the store with racks conveniently located just out front.
At Matrix Solutions an engineering and environmental consulting firm downtown three bikes are available to employees for getting to meetings going for lunch or running errands during the work day. Scott Meyers an avid cyclist who works at Matrix says the bike-share has been embraced by employees since it launched last spring.
Another consulting firm Urban Systems also launched an internal bike-share program last spring with the use of three cruiser bikes at its northeast office. Environmental designer Lisa Konopski says biking acts as a healthy alternative in an area of the city where many things are often too far to walk to but not far enough to require a car.
The City of Calgary promotes biking in the business world and its Blue Skies award recognizes companies that implement sustainable commuter options for employees — Matrix Solutions was a 2010 recipient.
The city’s transportation and planning department launched its own internal pool-bike program in 2011 for use for business travel — employees can simply book any of the three bikes at the downtown municipal building or the four bikes at the southeast Manchester campus through the company intranet.
Debbie Mah sustainable mobility specialist with the city says there are currently about 200 people taking advantage of the program.
“We want to lead by example” says Mah. “If we are going to change the behaviour [of commuters] then we are going to walk the talk.”
The ability to borrow a bike is a welcome convenience for employees but for some businesses it can also provide a benefit for customers. Last summer Hotel Arts and the Kensington Riverside Inn began offering complimentary use of 12 urban Brooklyn Cruiser bikes to hotel guests.
Katie Mayer marketing and media relations manager at the Hotel Arts Group says in their first season the bikes were well-received by their guests. She says they are often used to go to festivals out to dinner or dessert or simply to cruise along the Bow River.
“We really wanted them to experience all the energy and vitality that Calgary has to offer” says Mayer. “And what better way to do it than on a cool bike?”
For residents and tourists alike BikeBike on 17th Avenue offers three-speed city bike rentals at hourly and daily rates. This month the shop partnered with Reworks Upcycle Shop in Inglewood which is now offering bike rentals at its location as well.
Reworks manager Cara Leslie says the owner is an avid all-season cyclist and wanted to provide the service in Inglewood since it doesn’t have a bike shop. She adds that both tourists and locals are renting and it’s busiest on the weekends when most people want them for the day.
Bike rentals are also available at Rapid Rent in Eau Claire Market which has road bikes city cruisers hybrids and even children’s bikes for varying hourly and day rates and at the Outdoor Centre at the University of Calgary and both Sports Rent locations.
