City's First Bike Corral Ready for Use

The first installed by the city was officially dedicated last week.

Located in front of the , the six racks accommodate two bicycles each. The inverted u-shaped design is preferred by the cycling community over older styles because the chance of damage to bikes is lessened and security is increased when the bikes are attached correctly to the posts.

When board members of first learned about the proposal for new bicycle racks, they realized that they could honor their recent past president—avid bike rider Barbara Linder—by dedicating the corral to her.

Friends board members presented Linder with a plaque that will be attached to a building pillar next to the racks. The plaque reads:

                   The Friends of the Beverly Hills Public Library
                                  fondly dedicates this 
                     Bike Rack Area in honor of Barbara Linder
           President of the Friends of Beverly Hills Library 2009-2011

“Barbara has been riding her bike to the library since she was a young girl growing up in Beverly Hills and she is committed to the environment,” said Charlotte Skura, current Friends president. “We hope this encourages more people to ride here.”

Linder is especially appreciative of the honor and added that if there were more similar racks in the city, she “wouldn’t have to lock my bike up to a lamp post.”

“I’ve had parking lot attendants and business owners threaten to have it removed,” Linder said.

Efforts to replace the older racks began in earnest more than a year ago by library staff, Public Works and the , along with residents Mark Elliot of BetterBike.org and Ron Dugin, a certified bicycle safety instructor and the founder of SustainableStreets.org.

“We are thankful for the help that the community gave us in designing the new system,” Assistant Director of Community Services Nancy Hunt-Coffey, who is also a city librarian, told Patch. “The library is particularly grateful to the Friends who contributed about $2,600 for the concrete pad that was necessary for the proper installation.”

The city’s contribution was about $800 for the racks. 

This first corral is also significant in that it represents the hope of the Beverly Hills' bicycle community that more residents will do their local errands by bicycle, and that businesses in turn will request more racks. 

Installing additional racks is one of the items on the to-do list of the ad hoc bicycle committee of the Traffic and Parking Commission, which is striving to make Beverly Hills a more bike-friendly city.

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