Campus cyclists left open to theft
U of M ‘not as bike-friendly as it could be’
Ashley Gaboury
As the summer months approach, the University of Manitoba will see a marked increase in student cyclists, but, with reported bike theft and lack of bicycle parking space on campus, some students could be vulnerable to theft.
Being someone who bikes to campus every day, Anders Annell, co-ordinator for the Bike Dungeon, a rudimentary bike shop located at 150 Helen Glass, said that the U of M is far from being a bike-friendly campus.
“I wouldn’t say it’s antagonistic towards bikes but it’s certainly not as bike-friendly as it could be.”
Opened for the first time in the winter of 2006, the Bike Dungeon provides students with basic bike services, some of which include tube replacement and patching, replacement tires, minor wheel welding and some small parts available for purchase.
Mike Einarson, vice-president (internal) for UMSU, said there have been discussions in the past relating to the construction of a secure bike compound on campus. There is a need for a more secure bike compound since there have been reported bike thefts on campus, according to Einarson.
“There have been discussions in the past about projects. It’s just it is a lengthy process with the university . . . but it’s definitely something that’s been run through as an idea,” Einarson said. “It’s just that we don’t have any formal projects right now.”
Annell said there is interest in the bike compound, having had inquiries from several different sources regarding the construction. He said that UMREG had involvement in a competition held in 2004 to design a secure bike compound but that the university never followed up.
“I think it got 20 entries. It was pretty successful. The winning bid got some consideration for further money to develop the idea but the university never took it up.”
The university could not be reached for comment.
Currently, the university has over 250 spaces for bikes around campus. Annell said there is plenty of space at the moment because fewer people are cycling to school during winter. In summer, though, he said, that there is a need for more bike racks to accommodate the number of individuals who do bike to school during that time.
Instead of circling around to find another bike rack, Annell added that many cyclists look for any available space to lock up their bike. These include signs as well as handrails on ramps or stairs, which can pose a problem as there is a bike parking policy at the U of M.
The policy states that “Bicycles parked in such a fashion are subject to removal and their owners may be subject to a fee or charge, at rates established by the University, from time to time.”
Annell said, “You never know how much to expect. That’s part of the problem. . . . But if they would add a few more bike racks, I’m sure they would get used.”
He added that there is a minor problem with the current bike racks being installed on campus.
“They have open ends that, if not bolted to the ground, can just be lifted up and the bike removed. That prevents [cyclists] from locking up to the ends so you only have four or five spots in each direction in the middle of the bike rack that you can lock up to, whereas a closed loop [bike rack], on the other hand, would provide space for two or three more bikes.”
According to U of M Security Services (UMSS) statistics, in 2005-07, 53 reported cases of bicycle theft were reported.
Matthew Guyot, community constable of UMSS, said it’s difficult to know the exact number of bike thefts on campus, as not all may be reported to security services.
“We don’t know if everyone [who has had a bike] stolen on campus is reporting to us. The only thing we know is what’s reported to us. Unfortunately, that’s one of the downsides. People don’t understand that they have to report those kinds of things to us as well as Winnipeg.”
UMSS also reported that almost every bike stolen from campus was secured using either a chain or cable style lock set with a pad lock-combination suggesting the lock or cable was cut.
“I do know of a number of thefts that have happened on campus. It’s really unfortunate when someone is making the effort to bike and they lose their bicycle and have it stolen while they’re in class,” said Einarson.
As for the U of M becoming a bike-friendly campus, Einarson looks forward to the future.
“We are starting to see a few initiatives within student groups like UMREG really starting to develop. There can be a push, and I’m optimistic that we can start to see things improving. It’s just that it’s going to take time as any project would at the U of M.”
