A great new addition to many of our province's largest festivals was offered this past summer in Saskatoon. Road Map Saskatoon for Sustainable Cities, for the second year in a row, conducted the Bicycle Valet project; which provided an attended and secured fenced off area where festival patrons stored their bicycles while visiting the grounds. The program, which made physical activity the easy choice for cyclists of all ages, encouraged festival patrons and their families to choose alternative means of transportation when traveling to and from the site.
The Bicycle Valet, operated by staff members and volunteers, contained up to 150 bicycles at one time and over 300 in one day. It operated much like a coat check where bicycles were exchanged for numbered claim tags which were redeemed when owners picked up their bicycles. The service was free to users and offered several benefits to the festival organizers, to the community and to the cyclists. When more people choose to commute by active forms of transportation such as bicycles, rollerblades or skateboards, it reduces vehicle congestion, pollution and general disruption vehicles can cause in pedestrian zones. Providing this service also allowed for a safer, more enjoyable festival. The amount of cycling on pedestrian paths was diminished and accidents were reduced.
Active transportation initiatives, such as this one, fall hand in hand with the actions necessary to build healthier, stronger communities - not to mention the resulting environmental gains. In providing such a service, the incidence of bicycle theft and vandalism disappeared for those who parked their bicycles at the Valet. The Valet service essentially removed all the barriers that were previously discouraging festival attendees from cycling to their destination.
As a consequence, the festival site became a safer, more inviting, and convenient event for those who regularly traveled by bicycle or for those who wanted to try it. Participation numbers doubled in comparison to last year's count. Over 410 bicycles were parked with hopes of seeing this tally increase in the future. The Bicycle Valet program allowed for the integration of physical activity into community and municipal plans. Saskatoon has great parks and public spaces: what better way to enjoy them than by bicycle in a harmless, controlled and positive setting!
Road Map Saskatoon for Sustainable Cities was founded in 2004 and the Bicycle Valet project is just one of its initiatives. Road Map began in 2004 as a project that was a partnership of the Meewasin Valley Authority (MVA), the Saskatchewan Environmental Society (SES), and the City of Saskatoon's Environmental Advisory Committee (SEAC).
To find out more, visit http://www.roadmapsaskatoon.com/.
Article submitted by:
Paulette D'Eon and Pamela Larson
Road Map Saskatoon