The stylish new facility is located in two matching open-air areas in the southeast and southwest corners of Buchanan Tower, part of the Faculty of Arts complex. The areas have been enclosed by elegant, metallic grills and locked doors to form secure storage spaces.
The two-tier racks inside can hold a total of 96 bikes. Weighted mechanisms leveraging an hydraulic spring ensure that even the slightest cyclist can slip a bike into a slot on the top level with minimal effort, literally guiding it into place with a couple of fingers.
The steel structures were made by Urban Racks, a local firm that also supplies the newly installed inverted-U bike racks for the City of Vancouver. The company has a reputation for innovative design and its racks are popular with cyclists all over North America.
As part of the improvements recommended by UBC’s Public Realm Plan, the storage units are painted in the bright purple colours of the Arts faculty and were designed to match the colour scheme for the Buchanan Courtyards, which are set to open this spring after a major renovation. They add a splash of colour to Buchanan Tower and neighbouring Memorial Road, which are both almost uniformly grey.
The southern walls to the two units include wooden benches that also match a design being used in Buchanan Courtyards. The benches have built-in, upward-facing lights that improve the area’s lighting and create a safer, more distinctive backdrop at night.
In the spring, 52 day-use lockers made from 100-percent post-consumer recycled plastic will be added to the facility, giving rain-soaked cyclists a place to dry their apparel.
The storage facility was officially opened by Pierre Ouillet, VP Finance, Operations and Resources, at a ceremony held on January 26, 2011. Among others, Ouillet gave special thanks to the province, who contributed $90,000 towards bicycle projects at UBC.
“These bike lockers represent UBC at its best—a partnership which demonstrates our commitment to embracing cycling as an essential, sustainable mode of transportation to, from and on campus.”
During a recent survey conducted as part of Transportation Consultation 2010, 11.8 percent of respondents indicated a desire for more secured, covered bike storage on campus which is a key element of UBC’s Campus Cycling Plan. The Buchanan Tower facility brings the number of free, secure bike-storage facilities at UBC to six. A seventh facility in the North Parkade is currently in development.
To obtain an entry code to these secure facilities, cyclists need to register with Transportation Planning, located at 110—2075 Wesbrook Mall between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday. Bring your UBC ID or another piece of government-issued picture ID. Registration forms can also be downloaded in advance here.
Photos copyright of Spencer Kovats
