For years, many merchants thought cyclists were a nusience, or just plain forgot about them. A few still think that way.
But not TD Bank, which is installing TD-themed bike racks at its Fairlawn branch. These welcome customers, discretely advertise their brand, and make me feel welcome. They even have a useful decal to remind people that it is a bike rack (recall the Bank Street ones that are not readily identifiable as bike racks). Indeed, the whole Fairlawn redevelopment project has quite a few very sturdy bike racks (same style as the city parking meter ones, but with their own logo on them) either installed or stacked inside one of the empty stores awaiting installation.
This is in marked contrast to the CIBC Bank at Preston-Carling, which does not see much beyond its drive-through window and short term parking lot (just repaved). They don’t even clear the path to the front door so a pedestrian can get there (the public sidewalk is just beyond the snow bank):
It ain’t trendy enough yet in the near east end!
I had a chat with the on duty managers at the Metro on Beechwood Avenue last year about the poor quality of their always-filled-to-capacity bike racks. The first manager’s responded by agreeing to my statement about more bike use and indicating that it was becoming really difficult to drive home after her shift. The second made the comment that every shoplifter uses a bike for a quick getaway!
My next stop was at the BMO just down the road. I asked the teller about appropriate bike parking as I was locked to their landlord’s wheelchair access ramp. She wasn’t sure what to say so summoned the manager. The manager, to his credit invited me to bring my bike into the branch anytime I needed to. I’ve done this once. Negotiating the double doors and line up for the automated teller was a challenge, as was the problem of where to lean my bike once inside.
If the Beechwood-Hemlock corridor is going to be a key part the City’s planned Eastern Cycling Corridor, the lack of bike infrastructure will need to be addressed.
Jonah
After years of asking, the College Square Loblaws has finally installed TWO new bike racks! These are in addition to the existing two racks, which were never enough in the summer. After locking up my bike, I went straight in and told the first clerk how happy I was. I will continue to express my happiness to new clerks as I encounter them. Persistence pays off. As it does also, when it comes to filling in the two inch wide cracks/gaps on the asphalt MUP behind the old Nepean City Hall. I found out some time ago that this is city property, not NCC, and so I sent in a request to get these wide cracks filled. They are especially hard on small wheeled bikes, like the 16 inch wheels I have on a folder. One day, a couple of weeks ago, I was biking east and I saw a truck with hot asphalt and at least four workers, filling and tamping the cracks. I stopped in my tracks and told them how much I appreciated the work. Add this to the raising of the pavement on the sections of path in Centepointe Park that I asked for for some time and I am beginning to wonder what is going on at city hall!