By Erin McClary
C & G Staff Writer

ROCHESTER — Bicyclists now have a place to park downtown, thanks to the efforts of the Rochester Downtown Development Authority’s Green City Committee.

Eight bike racks were installed last month, and now officials are trying to get the word out that they’re ready to be used.

The idea actually landed Rochester resident Marilyn Trent on the DDA Board nearly three years ago, and eventually, earned her the position of chair on the city’s Green City Committee.

“I’m sort of known as the bike rack person,” she joked.  “We’ve been needing bike racks for many years … and I just thought, how can anyone be against bike racks?”

Bicyclists now have the option of locking up their rides near the Rochester Farmers Market, at East Third and Water; the Rochester Road entrance to the park near Lipuma’s Coney Island; on Olde Towne Road, near Rotary Park; in front of Catching Fireflies, on East University; at the pathway near DDA Park, located behind the Rochester Mills Beer Co.; on East Fourth Street, between the east alley and East Street; on the east side of Walnut, near the post office; and off the west alley behind The Silk Worm. Each rack holds six bikes.

Kristi Trevarrow, executive director of the DDA, said that before the Green City Committee’s effort, people were locking their bikes up around trees and parking meters. “We had a few bike racks for several years in different places around the city, but this is the first aggressive effort.”

Trent said she started bugging the Rochester City Council about installing bike racks nearly four years ago, and was told to talk to the DDA. At the time, she said, bike racks “weren’t at the top of their agenda.” But eventually, Mayor Pro Tem Stuart Bikson appointed her to the DDA. 

“So I got on the DDA board and talked about bike racks there,” Trent said. “I presented a plan on how we should create the Green City Committee, and as a sub committee, one of our top goals was bike racks.”

She said other efforts of the committee were reinstating business recycling and bringing the MI Earth Day Fest, which was previously held at Oakland University, downtown.

“We wanted to position our community as a resource for anybody who wanted to do something green,” she added. “I really appreciated that the city gave me an opportunity to try something different.”

The bike racks were paid for in last year’s DDA budget. Trent said the committee worked with Michelle Barker from Rochester Bike Shop, who ordered the racks at a “very good price” of $350 each.

Trent said that depending on the usage of the new racks, the DDA will consider purchasing more. She said Trevarrow worked really hard with the Green City Committee to get the program implemented.

“We always want to encourage people to come downtown,” Trevarrow said, “and we want people to know, ‘yes, you can ride your bike down here and park it here as well.’”

Trent said the city’s Paint Creek Trail and the Clinton River Trail were also big reasons to get the bike racks installed, especially before bike season hit.

“We did this because of the trails, and also, because there were so many bicyclists in the area that were saying Rochester was known as a bike-unfriendly town,” she explained, “and it just seemed so obvious to do because we have those two trails and promote them so heavily.”

You can reach Staff Writer Erin McClary at emcclary@candgnews.com or at (586) 279-1118.