After walking out of the Neighborhood Collective yesterday morning I mentioned to one of the employees that it was great to see a bike at every single meter on the block. It would have been even nicer to see a bike rack on that side of the block… though there was a full one across the street at the Lexington Co-op. Then, as I headed downtown, I snapped a photo of a small paved ‘lot’ next to the Unitarian Church (corner of Elmwood and West Ferry). For years the lot has replaced a house that had been torn down (much to the surprise of the neighborhood) in the 90’s, and has since been used for hosting a summer film series and live music during festivals (among other things). It belongs to the Unitarian Church found on the corner of Elmwood and West Ferry.
Just yesterday I received an email from Cynthia Van Ness who asked if we had notice the bike rack that had been installed next to the church. I told her that I had only seen the paving, but I would stop by again to check out the installation. She left me the number for Vince Kuntz, a member of the congregation and the general contactor who installed the addition. I asked Vince what triggered the bike-friendly move and he answered, “In the short term we wanted to make a gesture to the community. We used a permeable paving with bricks - that will allow water to drain into the ground (making it environmentally –friendly as well). That is probably what we will do with the rest of the drive when we add parking spaces. The money was donated for the bike rack and the intention was to make the rack available for the public. I spoke with Justin Booth about making it a hub for Buffalo Blue Bikes too. Someone gave money to the Garden Committee and the funds were earmarked for a bike rack. We wanted to put it in a place that was visible, active and well used. I’m hoping that encourages more members of the congregation to bike on Sundays.”
Yeah, I know that it’s just a bike rack to some, but it’s something that the Unitarian Church was not at all obligated to do. It answers the call for a bike-friendly Buffalo and will hopefully set a precedent for other businesses and organizations to follow suit. Many people still don’t consider biking as a legitimate form of transportation around the city and that has to change. Many people might not consider this ‘big news’, but can you imagine if we had these on every commercial block in the city. And for those who may want to see more artistic installations, just check out the ones that Brad Wales and his UB Students installed in Allentown a few years ago. Also remember that the Unitarian Church is a prime location for this rack since it is the beginning of a hi-traffic commercial district. Riders can drop their bikes off and hit a ton of businesses before heading back. If you think about it... how many public bike racks can be found in any commercial district? Not enough, that is for sure. Hey, maybe the city could look into bike racks that can be attached to street light standards. Now that would be convenient.
Special thanks to Bob Krause for helping with the project.