Stone Canoe, an advertising agency on Richmond St. West, understands the need for good bike parking. Most of its employees bike to work. But instead of just buying a commodity bike rack they instead used their creative juices to build their own. The result was impressive: a quite functional bike rack that also represents the company's brand (a stone canoe no less). (Image: Jacques Gallant)
Stone Canoe commissioned a half-ton piece of artwork geared to give cyclists in the area a beautiful place to park their bicycles. The bike rack, reminiscent of a stone canoe, has been installed on the northwest corner of Walnut Ave. and Richmond St. West. The Toronto Stone Canoe team worked closely with Montreal jewellery designer, Pilar Agueci (pilaragueci.com), and Montreal metalsmith, Jacques Gallant (solutionsgallant.com), who designed and built the rack. It serves as a functional roadside attraction, and an indication of the boutique advertising agency’s commitment to creativity, and standing out.
Comments
simplicius2wheels
Neat design - starting with
Mon, 11/04/2013 - 16:27Neat design - starting with an ancient spiritual context, sticking to the structure of a real canoe (OK, It doesn't float, and in no way would you want to portage it!) and arriving at a functional and beautiful bike rack.
I'd love to see more of those in the city and even across the country! They'd make a much better symbol to adopt by TO than Mayor Lastman's mooses of a decade ago ... ;-)
[img_assist|nid=4744|title=|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=170|height=150]
TylerInNiagara (not verified)
It’s great when a business
Fri, 12/27/2013 - 08:15It’s great when a business offers a bike rack but many businesses have large unsafe parking lots without bike lanes! The Netherlands “Design Manual for bicycle traffic CROW” has suggested it since 1994 and stressed the idea in 2007! Just ask yourself would you let your 14 year old daughter cycle through a mall parking lot on Boxing Day or the week before Christmas? Would you feel comfortable biking through the parking lot at the Yorkdale mall in Toronto? There is evidence that cyclists have “disposable money” not spent on the expenses of owning or maintaining an automobile and yet most stores don’t consider how to get the cyclists safely to the bike rack?
In particular malls require one to cross fairly expansive parking lots, which are chock full of motorists focused on finding a parking spot, not necessarily watching for pedestrians...or potentially faster moving cyclists. I would suggest that this can make a busy parking lot a challenging experience for many, especially when complicated by the fact that there may be a dearth of places to lock one's bike up as well.
bikecalgary.org/node/3887
pistolwhipped
03-26-02, 12:43 PM
Just yesterday I almost got run over three times cutting through a grocery parking lot . Had some work done on my truck and had to go pick it up . Eight mile ride . The last half mile nearly took as long as the first seven and a half. RUSH HOUR !!!!:mad: :angel: :irritated
LittleBigMan
03-26-02, 01:34 PM
Originally posted by IowaParamedic
What is the best way to cut through supermarket lots?
In a tank. :D
Actually, I was thinking about this the other day. Parking lots are
one of the most accident-prone places for cars, though the accidents tend to be minor. But on the bike, a minor accident can draw blood!
There are just so many blind spots and people rarely obey any
rules at all, cutting across in all directions, etc.
But don't feel bad for asking, it's a very pertinent question.
http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-6823.html
Unfortunately, because there is no cycling specific infrastructure, traversing the parking lots can lead to dangerous situations and frustrating conflicts.
http://www.seattlebikeblog.com/2013/10/25/open-house-to-discuss-westlake...
"A family leaving the mall as I was unlocking my bike really prepared their young child -- telling him it’s the danger time so hold our hand at all times. The parking lot is extremely dangerous.
It’s not all that far fetched either. Unless I’m there early morning (8am or earlier) it is the most dangerous spot in the city I cycle or walk." http://bicyclestc.blogspot.ca/2012/11/fairview-mall-and-blue-box.html