City urged to act against theft at LRT stations

City to investigate improved parking options for cyclists

It’s about the worry.

Ward 10 Coun. Michael Walters would love to bike halfway to work — leaving his ride at South Campus while he takes an air-conditioned LRT train to City Hall — but bike theft weighs on his mind.

He worries about the bike all day and the risk just isn’t worth it.

That’s part of the impetuous behind his motion heading to city council for debate Tuesday. There just isn’t enough bike parking, or secure parking, at many destinations in Edmonton to make cycling easy and comfortable.

“When I get to ride by bike to work, I just feel so good physically,” said Walters, whose motion will ask city officials to investigate options for more secure bike parking at LRT stations, transit centres, malls, main commercial streets and other destinations.

Since giving a notice of motion, he’s also heard from residents on the need for secure parking at schools, and will ask officials whether a partnership with the school boards is feasible.

It could even be on a cost-recovery basis in some situations, said Walters: “As a private citizen, I would pay.”

If approved, city officials will likely be asked to report back on options within 12 weeks.

Calgary has waiting lists for the 211 indoor stalls its parking authority rents for $10 a month downtown, and says the 158 lockers it rents for $12 a month at train stations are well used.

In Edmonton, the University of Alberta and some corporations also supply secure bike parking, often in a cage accessible only to members with a key or code.

On social media Monday, several cyclists said they would never leave their bikes locked at an LRT station now, especially ones in rougher neighbourhoods.

“I’m not sure how long it would last,” said Benjamin Strelkov, who rarely sees anyone locking up a bike at the Clareview station, despite a large area full of bike racks.

He borrowed a folding bike for the summer and now bikes to the university, takes the LRT to Clareview, and bikes eight kilometres to his work at a crop diversification centre, saving money on gas. He’d definitely pay $10 to $20 a month for a bike locker at Clareview, he said. But he’d bike downtown and catch the LRT at Churchill Station if Edmonton would relax the rushhour bike ban, at least for those going against the flow of traffic.

That bike ban keeps many people from combining modes of travel on their commute. On Facebook, several people wondered if Edmonton could have certain LRT cars with larger open spaces to accommodate bikes, as they do in many other cities. That could help people pushing strollers and using wheelchairs as well.

It could even be tried as a pilot project, said Ward 3 Coun. Jon Dziadyk, who floated the option of taking out LRT seats on some cars to add capacity. Edmonton could try it on part of one car for each train during rush hour, he said. “Then get transit riders’ feedback to either grow or scale back that option.”

When I get to ride by bike to work, I just feel so good physically.