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West End rolls out bike valet service

By: Carol Sanders

Posted: 06/12/2010 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

BORIS.MINKEVICH@FREEPRESS.MB.CA Sheryl Simpson (right) gets her bike parked by West End Cultural Centre valet volunteers Brad Walker and Catie Ellis. (WINNIPEG FREE PRESS)

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The West End Cultural Centre introduced a valet service with a twist Thursday night -- it's exclusively for bicycles.

Volunteers sporting bow ties jockeyed concertgoers' bikes at Thursday's show -- the WECC's first annual 100 Mile Musical Diet rock tribute, featuring local hip-hop outfit Magnum K.I. and pop band Paper Moon.

The introduction of bicycle valet service seemed to fit with the concert's theme and the venue's values, said Jacquelyn Hébert, the centre's marketing and production co-ordinator.

"We want to encourage people to take advantage of active transportation," she said. "It's within the mandate of the organization. If we could encourage more people to ride their bicycles, why not?"

The cultural centre's artistic director Mike Petkau came up with the idea, she said.

"It's a free service we're going to be offering for certain shows," Hébert said. Thursday night was to be a test run with five volunteers. One person out front was to take the bike and give the owner a ticket. Other volunteers would ride the bike to the back and take it into the basement. There, the bicycles were locked up safe and sound during the show until owners presented their ticket to the valet, who would retrieve it for them.

"I think sometimes people were scared to ride bikes here and leave them outside," said Hébert. "Their seat might get stolen or their wheel."

The West End Cultural Centre has enough racks to hold about two dozen bikes, she said.

"We're just kind of going to see how it goes," said Hébert. "We can have more racks if it's really successful. We'll be doing it throughout the summer."

Patrons can go to the centre's website to see which events offer the service.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition June 12, 2010 B3

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