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McDonald's Cycle Center

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Coordinates: 41°53′2″N 87°37′15″W / 41.88389°N 87.62083°W / 41.88389; -87.62083
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McDonald's Cycle Center
Opposing stone entrances saying "McDonald's Cycle Center" and "Millennium Park" in front of parked bicycles and a two-story glass building
Front of McDonald's Cycle Center
McDonald's Cycle Center is located in Central Chicago
McDonald's Cycle Center
Location within the Chicago Loop area
McDonald's Cycle Center is located in Illinois
McDonald's Cycle Center
McDonald's Cycle Center (Illinois)
McDonald's Cycle Center is located in the United States
McDonald's Cycle Center
McDonald's Cycle Center (the United States)
Former namesMillennium Park Bike Station
General information
Location239 East Randolph Street, Chicago
Coordinates41°53′2″N 87°37′15″W / 41.88389°N 87.62083°W / 41.88389; -87.62083
CompletedJune 2004
Technical details
Floor count2
Floor area16,448 square feet (1,528.1 m2)
Design and construction
Architect(s)Muller&Muller, Ltd.
Structural engineerRuben J. Baer Associates
Other designersCalor Design Group (mech engineers)
Main contractorFHP Tectonics (Paschen)

McDonald's Cycle Center (formerly Millennium Park Bike Station)[1] is a facility for a Chicago Police Department Bike Patrol Group in the northeast corner of Millennium Park in the Loop community area of Chicago, in the U.S. state of Illinois. It was formerly a bicycle station for public use. The city of Chicago built the center at the intersection of East Randolph Street and Columbus Drive, and opened it July 2004. Since June 2006, it had been sponsored by McDonald's and several other partners, including city departments and bicycle advocacy organizations.[2][3] The bike station, which formerly served bicycle commuters and utility cyclists, provided lockers, showers, a snack bar with outdoor summer seating, bike repair, bike rental and 300 bicycle parking spaces as of 2004. The Cycle Center was accessible by membership and day pass.[4] It also accommodated runners and inline skaters,[5][6] but now is exclusively used by a Chicago Police Department Bike Patrol Group.[7][8]

Planning for the Cycle Center was part of the larger "Bike 2010 Plan", in which the city aimed to make itself more accommodating to bicycle commuters. This plan (now replaced by the "Bike 2015 Plan")[9] included provisions for front-mounted two-bike carriers on Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) buses, permitting bikes to be carried on Chicago 'L' trains, installing numerous bike racks and creating bicycle lanes in streets throughout the city.[10] Additionally, the Chicago metropolitan area's other mass transit providers, Metra and Pace, have developed increased bike accessibility.[11] Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley was an advocate of the plan, noting it was also an environmentally friendly effort to cut down on traffic.[10][12] McDonald's controversially claimed that, since it was providing a healthier menu and fostering grade school physical education in an effort to help its customers improve their health, sponsoring bicycle and exercise activity in the park augments the company's other initiatives.[1]

Environmentalists, urban planners and cycling enthusiasts around the world expressed interest in the Cycle Center, and wanted to emulate what they saw as a success story in urban planning and transit-oriented development.[2][13][14][15] Pro-cycling and environmentalist journalists in publications well beyond the Chicago metropolitan area described the Cycle Center as exemplary, impressive, unique and ground-breaking.[2][13]

History and background

Rectangular map of a park about 1.5 times as wide as it is tall. The top half is dominated by the Pritzker Pavilion and Great Lawn. The lower half is divided into three roughly equal sections: (left to right) Wrigley Square, McCormick Tribune Plaza, and Crown Fountain. North is to the left.McDonald's Cycle CenterBP Pedestrian BridgeBP Pedestrian BridgeColumbus DriveExelon Pavilion NEExelon Pavilion NEExelon Pavilion SEExelon Pavilion SEExelon Pavilion NWExelon Pavilion NWExelon Pavilion SWExelon Pavilion SWHarris TheaterJay Pritzker PavilionLurie GardenNichols BridgewayNichols BridgewayChase Promenade NorthChase Promenade CentralChase Promenade SouthGrainger PlazaBoeing Gallery NorthBoeing Gallery SouthCloud GateWrigley SquareMcCormick Tribune Plaza & Ice RinkCrown FountainMichigan AvenueRandolph Street
Image map of Millennium Park; east is at the top. Each feature or label is linked.

Lying between Lake Michigan to the east and the Loop to the west, Grant Park has been Chicago's "front yard" since the mid-19th century. Its northwest corner, north of Monroe Street and the Art Institute, east of Michigan Avenue, south of Randolph Street, and west of Columbus Drive, had been Illinois Central rail yards and parking lots until 1997, when it was made available for development by the city as Millennium Park.[16] According to 2007 data released in 2008, Millennium Park trailed only Navy Pier as a Chicago tourist attraction.[17]

The Millennium Park bicycle center was designed by David Steele of the architectural firm Muller & Muller,[7] which won a $120,000 contract to design the station by Memorial Day 2004,[10] and commenced the design in August 2003.[18] This was at a time when bike stations were in place or being planned in several U.S. cities, such as Denver, and, in California, Los Angeles, Berkeley, Long Beach and Palo Alto. The station was developed as part of "Bike 2010 Plan" discussions, an initiative from Mayor Daley to promote Chicago as the most bicycle-friendly city in the United States. From the outset the plan was to have separate operators for the Cycle Center's rental and repair services, as well as its coffee and juice bar.[10]

The bike station had originally been planned to occupy 10,000 square feet (929 m2) and cost $2 million,[10][19] but when completed, the Cycle Center was 16,448 square feet (1,528 m2) and located on a larger exterior plaza.[18][20] The final two-floor design cost $3.2 million,[7] and a federal grant from the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration for projects that lessen traffic congestion and improve air quality funded its construction.[6][21]

The Cycle Center was completed in June 2004 and the official opening occurred on July 19, 2004, the Monday following the Millennium Park's grand opening gala.[18][21] Attendees for the ribbon cutting included Mayor Daley, CDOT Commissioner Miguel d'Escoto, Chicago Park District General Superintendent Timothy Mitchell, and representatives from the Chicago Bike Federation, Public Building Commission, Chicago Police Department, and Chicago City Council.[5] Managed by the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT),[18] the Cycle Center is on the fifth and sixth floors of the Millennium Park parking garage.[5]

Rows of outdoor bike racks in a plaza in front of a building
Back of Cycle Center
A glass building beyond landscaping with signs pointing to downstairs facilities and a sign reading "McDonald's Cycle Center 239 E. Randolph" with people in the building and in front of it
Front of the Cycle Center

Although bicycle centers were already common throughout Europe,[10] Long Beach, California is credited with pioneering commuter-biking hubs offering valet parking, showers and repair services in the United States. As the concept grew, public agencies and private groups in other cities followed suit.[22] The development of the Millennium Park Cycle Center was part of a reversal of bike disincentives stemming from Boub v. Township of Wayne—a 1998 Illinois Supreme Court ruling that bikes are "permitted" but not "intended" users of the roads, meaning that local governments have a limited responsibility to keep cyclists safe and that municipalities are immune from bicycle-injury lawsuits unless the street has been clearly marked as a bike route.[23] The city has been actively accommodating cyclists since 1999 through the CDOT Bike Lane Project.[24] At the time of the July 2004 Cycle Center opening, Illinois Senate Bill 275, which would have removed the liability disincentive to add bike lanes, mark bike routes and give cyclists reasonable protection, was at issue. At the time, the city of Chicago had 90 miles (140 km) of bike lanes (with an additional 110 miles (180 km) forthcoming), in excess of 9,000 bike racks, and it had implemented a policy allowing bicycles on CTA trains (at all times excluding weekday morning and afternoon rush hours), CTA buses and Pace buses.[4][25] In June 2005, Metra allowed a limited number of bicycles on trains during off-peak and weekend hours for the first time on a trial basis.[11] By 2006, the city had 315 miles (507 km) of bike lanes.[26] The planning emphasis in Chicago uses what is known as transit-oriented development, which encourages developers to include bicycle parking.[27]

The structure was originally named the Millennium Park Bike Station, but in June 2006 McDonald's announced a $5 million grant to underwrite the operations of the Cycle Center for 50 years.[1] The bike facility had been the last unsponsored component of Millennium Park. As part of the endowment, McDonald's agreed to be the sponsor of free summer physical fitness programs such as yoga, pilates, and a variety of dance class sessions in Millennium Park for 10 years.[12][28] McDonald's agreed not to use any of its traditional commercial signage such as the Golden Arches.[28] The McDonald's sponsorship of the Cycle Center and park fitness activity came just a few months after Chicago was named the fattest city in America by Men's Fitness.[29][30]

The Cycle Center was designed to encourage bicycle commuting to Millennium and Grant Parks as well as to work and other nearby downtown locations, such as the Art Institute of Chicago.[3][31] It represented two major initiatives by Mayor Daley in the 2000s decade: to promote cycling and to make the city greener by reducing traffic congestion and improving air quality.[31]

Design

Overhead metallic panels
Solar panels from inside

The physical focal point of the Cycle Center is an atrium that introduces the two lower levels of facilities and provides an aesthetic above-ground presence. The atrium, which has been praised by Pulitzer Prize-winning architecture critic Blair Kamin more than once,[7][32] has a sloping solar paneled roof. The 120 solar panels produce 6.5 percent of the electricity supply required for the climate-controlled building.[21] The Cycle Center has an opaque design, with thin steel frames for its main windows. The interior design uses stainless steel and blond wood, and shade is produced by awnings.[7][33]

The Cycle Center included parking for up to 300 bikes, lockers, an Internet station, a café, bike rentals, bike repair and private stall showers.[21][34] During business hours, the facility had 100 spaces set aside for first-come, first-served usage, but after hours the facility was limited to dues-paying members.[21] As the city's high-profile bicycle parking facility, it served as a demonstration location for efforts to lobby for further bicycle accommodations for the Active Transportation Alliance, League of Illinois Bicyclists, and Illinois Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn.[35]

Facilities

Side view of bikes parked in indoor bike racks, with tall windows beyond the racks
Bike racks in the heated center

When the heated and air conditioned McDonald's Cycle Center opened, bicycle parking facilities with amenities, which had first appeared in the U.S. on the West Coast, did not exist in the Midwest.[20] When it opened in 2006 the bike station was one of the country's largest and most modern.[12] The Cycle Center's bicycle parking facilities use high-capacity, two-tiered DoubleParker racks that accommodate more than twice as many bicycles per square foot as traditional bike racks. These racks were manufactured by Josta, a German manufacturer of bicycle parking systems and stands. The interior design was a joint collaboration between the city of Chicago, Josta, and Cycle-Safe, Inc. of Grand Rapids, Michigan, which also produces lockers and racks for bicycles. The Chicago Park District runs the station,[31] which has a full-time staff.[13]

The Cycle Center is at 239 East Randolph Street (at Columbus Drive), and offered convenient connections to mass transit at the nearby Chicago Transit Authority hub, the McCormick Place Busway and Metra trains at Millennium Station.[25] For the annual series of festivals held in Grant Park, such as Lollapalooza and Taste of Chicago, the McDonald's Cycle Center is complemented by the Chase Bike Valet at the corner of Lake Shore Drive and Monroe Street, which is one block east of Millennium Park.[36][37] Chase Bank and organizations such as the Active Transportation Alliance sponsor the Chase Bike Valet.[37] The city and its Cycle Center were considered exemplary by other cities in pursuit of covered, secure bicycle parking near public transportation.[2][13][14][15]

Membership

The Cycle Center offered a wide variety of services to its members,[38] and was busiest on Monday and Tuesday mornings.[4] Illinois residents were eligible for Cycle Center monthly or annual memberships, which provided access to the showers and lockers; allow participation in the shared bicycle program; and include discounts on bicycle services, accessories, I-GO car sharing membership, and City bike events.[39] The Cycle Center was affiliated with, and provided free special-event valet bicycle service for events such as Bike The Drive, L.A.T.E. Ride, and Chicago Marathon.[40]

Two men standing beyond an island of lockers with bikes visible on bike racks to the left
A repair shop offers professional mechanic service.

In April 2005, the Cycle Center approached its 500-member capacity,[33] and began a waiting list. Monthly membership was initially $15 and yearly membership was $90, although these fees have risen somewhat with time.[6][13] By 2006, it had an approximate membership of 500 cyclists. About 50,000 riders used the Cycle Center in its first two years.[28] The Cycle Center has private shower stalls and dressing areas.[6] The station offered a continental breakfast including cereal, coffee, fruit, juice and yogurt.[41]

Rentals

The Cycle Center offered a wide variety of bicycle styles, models and accessories for hourly, daily, weekly or monthly rental. Helmets, locks, and trail maps were included with each rental. [42] Among the types of rentals available were tagalongs, wagons, tandem bicycles and inline skates. Access to the showers and lockers, free for members, were available to non-members for rental if available.[34][43][6]

Bike Chicago managed the rentals at the Cycle Center, as well as at Navy Pier, North Avenue Beach and Foster Avenue Beach,[44] as part of a small bike share network.[45]

Repair

The Cycle Center's repair center offered full-time professional bicycle mechanics from 10 am to 6 pm during the summer, between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend inclusive, and part-time during the rest of the year.[38] The repair center had tools available for those who wanted to fix their bicycle themselves.[13][46]

Tours

The Cycle Center conducted two- to three-hour tours, with reservations dependent on the seasons. Tours included the Lake Michigan lakefront, the North Side, the South Side and night-time sightseeing. Self-guided tours were also available. Reservations were recommended from April to August and were required during the rest of the year.[47] In May 2006, regular tours were offered.[48] The biking event Le Tour de Shore was held over 2 days in 2008. Starting at the Cycle Center, the event took riders 90 miles (140 km) near Lake Michigan, through the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, and along the backroads of both Indiana and Michigan.[49] The Chicago Trolley Company operated bike tours that started from the Cycle Center while it was operational, but the company closed in 2019.[50][51]

Critical review

Rows of outdoor bike racks in a plaza in front of an interior-illuminated glass building at night
The Cycle Center has been described as a "jewel-like glass building".[45]

The Chicago Tribune's architecture critic, Blair Kamin, gave the Cycle Center three stars (out of a possible four), described as a "gem" for the city and praised several elements of its detail.[7] It has received accolades from numerous architecture and bicycling enthusiasts.[52] Other Tribune writers described the station as an "oasis for the urban cyclist" and reminiscent of "a hip health club".[4][53] The Toronto Star described it similarly, saying that it was a "jewel-like glass building" with "amenities of an upscale health club"; it quoted a cycling advocate who said "It's not heaven, but it's close".[13] According to The Plain Dealer, the Cycle Center was the United States' "best-known bike station",[45] while The Oregonian describes it as "the ultimate in bicycle stations".[2] The Boston Globe felt that the Cycle Center put Chicago over the top as the nation's most cycling-friendly city.[15]

The Cycle Center avoided much of the controversy that beset most of Millennium Park by remaining open during the paid rental of a large portion of the park by Toyota on September 8, 2005.[54] What proved more controversial were McDonald's claims that, since it was providing a healthier menu and fostering grade school physical education in an effort to help its customers improve their health, sponsoring bicycle and exercise activity in the park augments the company's other initiatives.[1] Longtime writer for the Chicago Tribune and current Tribune health and fitness reporter, Julie Deardorff, described the move as a continuation of the '"McDonaldization" of America' and as somewhat "insidious" because the company was making itself more prominent as the social sentiment was to move away from fast food.[1]

The Cycle Center helped Chicago to become known as a cycling-friendly city. According to an article in The Washington Post based on selections by the Adventure Cycling Association and Bicycling magazine, Chicago was one of the ten most cycling-friendly cities in the U.S. because of the Cycle Center and the Chicago Department of Transportation's Bicycle Program.[26] The Cycle Center was featured in the Federal Transit Administration's April 2009 report to the United States Congress on a new generation of innovative transit systems entitled Reinventing Transit: American communities finding smarter, cleaner, faster transportation solutions.[55] Cities as far away as Melbourne, Australia, pointed to Chicago as an example of a city with cycling-friendly features because of the Cycle Center (they also used European cities such as Amsterdam and Lyon, France, as well as U.S. cities such as Davis, California and Portland, Oregon as examples).[14][56] The Chicago Architecture Foundation awarded its 2004 Stein Ray & Harris Patron of the Year award in the governmental category to Millennium Park, specifically mentioning the bike station, Commissioner d'Escoto and the City of Chicago Department of Transportation, along with several other leaders responsible for the development of other park features.[57]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Deardorff, Julie (June 18, 2006). "If McDonald's is serious, menu needs a makeover". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 19, 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d e Brettman, Allan (June 23, 2005). "Official Recruits Portland To Build Bike Center". The Oregonian. Retrieved July 28, 2009.
  3. ^ a b "Art & Architecture: McDonald's Cycle Center". City of Chicago. Archived from the original on May 28, 2008. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  4. ^ a b c d George, Doug (April 29, 2005). "Get in gear! – It's bike season, and we take you on a monthlong tour of the best cycling activities". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 27, 2009.
  5. ^ a b c "Daley Opens New Millennium Park Bicycle Station". City of Chicago. July 19, 2004. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved July 29, 2009.
  6. ^ a b c d e Livingston, Heather (March 2005). "Millennium Park Bike Station Offers Viable Commuting Option". AIArchitect. The American Institute of Architects. Archived from the original on January 21, 2008. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Kamin, Blair (July 18, 2004). "Bicycle Station – *** – Near Randolph and Columbus Drives – Muller & Muller, Chicago". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  8. ^ "Confirmed: Millennium Park bike station will now only serve cops instead of commuters - Streetsblog Chicago". March 24, 2023.
  9. ^ "Bike 2015 Plan". Mayor Richard M. Daley and the Chicago Bicycle Program. Archived from the original on June 28, 2009. Retrieved July 27, 2009.
  10. ^ a b c d e f Washburn, Gary (June 13, 2003). "Bike depot plan may turn commute into easy ride". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  11. ^ a b "Local Digest". Daily Southtown. October 24, 2005. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  12. ^ a b c "McDonald's to sponsor bicycle center". Chicago Sun-Times. June 10, 2006. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g Kalinowski, Tess (June 1, 2007). "Bike station in Windy City should show T.O. the way – Chicago's Cycle Center offers parking, showers; similar plan envisioned for Toronto's downtown". Toronto Star. Retrieved July 28, 2009.
  14. ^ a b c Barrett, Peter (May 25, 2007). "Would it work (here?)". The Age. Retrieved July 28, 2009.
  15. ^ a b c Krcmar, Steven (September 19, 2004). "Bicyclists Feel Left Out In The Cold – Bikers Put Out After T Moves Racks Outdoors". The Boston Globe. Retrieved July 28, 2009.
  16. ^ Gilfoyle, Timothy J. (August 6, 2006). "Millennium Park". The New York Times. Retrieved June 24, 2008.
  17. ^ "Crain's List Largest Tourist Attractions (Sightseeing): Ranked by 2007 attendance". Crain's Chicago Business. June 23, 2008. p. 22.
  18. ^ a b c d "Project: Millennium Park Bicycle Station". City of Chicago. Archived from the original on June 4, 2008. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  19. ^ Yednak, Crystal (August 8, 2003). "Waves of change". RedEye. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  20. ^ a b "Bike riders to get station that has class". Chicago Tribune. March 21, 2004. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  21. ^ a b c d e Wade, Courtney K. (July 20, 2004). "City racks up points with bicycle riders". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  22. ^ Cryer, Earl S. (May 24, 2007). "How Valet Parking Could Save the Planet". Time. Archived from the original on May 27, 2007. Retrieved July 6, 2008.
  23. ^ "Boub v. Township of Wayne, 183 Ill. 2d 520, 702 N.E.2d 535 (1998)". Illinois Courts website. October 22, 1998. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved July 27, 2009.
  24. ^ "CDOT Bike Lane Project (1999–Present)". Chicagoland Bicycle Federation/McDonald's Cycle Center. 2003. Archived from the original on August 28, 2008. Retrieved July 29, 2009.
  25. ^ a b Deardorff, Julie (May 16, 2004). "Cycling needs to gain traction as travel mode". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 27, 2009.
  26. ^ a b "10 Other Great Biking Cities". The Washington Post. October 1, 2006. Retrieved July 28, 2009.
  27. ^ Barner, Craig (October 12, 2007). "Developments in transit – More and more, mass transit is becoming part of the community plan". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved July 28, 2009.
  28. ^ a b c Hermann, Andrew (June 10, 2006). "Millennium, McDonald's carve deal on bike facility". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  29. ^ Blesch, Gregg Sherrard (January 29, 2006). "Chicago : Fat City : The city of the big waistline". Daily Southtown. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  30. ^ Deardorff, Julie (February 5, 2006). "The fattest city' a heavyweight in pro-bike ratings". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  31. ^ a b c Hartger, Richard. "A Park with Wheel Appeal". Recreation Management. Retrieved July 28, 2009.
  32. ^ Kamin, Blair (July 18, 2004). "Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music and Dance – (star)(star) – 205 E. Randolph Drive – Hammond Beeby Rupert Ainge, Chicago". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 27, 2009.
  33. ^ a b Hermann, Andrew (June 10, 2006). "Get in gear! – It's bike season, and we take you on a monthlong tour of the best cycling activities". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  34. ^ a b Ramsey, Mike (July 26, 2004). "New Chicago park features bicycle depot". State Journal-Register. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
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  36. ^ "Lolla preparation". RedEye. August 8, 2006. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  37. ^ a b "Get ready to rock". RedEye. August 3, 2007. Retrieved July 27, 2009.
  38. ^ a b "Services". McDonald's Cycle Center. 2006. Archived from the original on May 28, 2008. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  39. ^ "Memberships". McDonald's Cycle Center. 2006. Archived from the original on May 28, 2008. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  40. ^ "Events: Free Special Event Parking". McDonald's Cycle Center. 2006. Archived from the original on June 2, 2008. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  41. ^ Palmore, Rebecca (April 3, 2006). "Best Bets". RedEye. Retrieved July 28, 2009.
  42. ^ "Rentals: Bicycle Rental Price List". McDonald's Cycle Center. 2006. Archived from the original on May 31, 2008. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  43. ^ "Two-Wheel Tips – Bike commuters lend advice for getting started". RedEye. June 8, 2009. Retrieved July 28, 2009.
  44. ^ Gauper, Beth (June 17, 2007). "Spin City – On Bicycles, Visitors Explore Every Inch Of Chicago's Remarkable Lakefront". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved July 28, 2009.
  45. ^ a b c Jarboe, Michelle (June 26, 2009). "Two-wheelers available for rent, so take a spin around downtown City Bikes launches service today as part of a larger plan for Cleveland". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved July 27, 2009.
  46. ^ Reaven, Jim (2004). "Chicago Bike Station, 2004". New York Cycle Club Bulletin. Archived from the original on May 4, 2011. Retrieved July 28, 2009.
  47. ^ "Tours". McDonald's Cycle Center. 2006. Archived from the original on May 28, 2008. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  48. ^ Wehunt, Jennifer (May 26, 2006). "Three-Point Plan – Make the most of your long weekend". RedEye. Retrieved July 27, 2009.
  49. ^ Badowski, Christine and Chris McNamara (June 1, 2008). "Summer Pleasures – Have a blast". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 27, 2009.
  50. ^ "DuSable Museum of African American History and Bike and Roll Chicago Announce the Inauguration of Chicago's Presidential Bike Tour". PR Newswire. May 26, 2009. Retrieved July 28, 2009.
  51. ^ The End of the Chicago Trolley Era
  52. ^ "New Bike Station needs a couple of words to the wise". Chicago Tribune. August 1, 2004. Retrieved July 27, 2009.
  53. ^ Isackson, Noah (June 5, 2005). "Extreme Leisure – 20 Ways To Indulge In The Simple Joys Of Summer". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 27, 2009.
  54. ^ Dardick, Hal (May 6, 2005). "This Sept. 8, No Bean For You – Unless you're a Toyota dealer. In that case, feel free to frolic because the carmaker paid $800,000 to own the park for the day". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 27, 2009.
  55. ^ "Congressional Leaders Welcome Report Highlighting Model Transit Projects for Transportation Bill". PR Newswire. April 23, 2009. Retrieved July 28, 2009.
  56. ^ Leone, Vikki (November 5, 2007). "Chain reaction – Issues In The News – Cycling In Melbourne". The Age. Retrieved July 28, 2009.
  57. ^ "Architectural Patrons Honored Chicago Architecture Foundation hold first annual Patron of the Year award program". Chicago Architecture Foundation. November 18, 2004. Archived from the original on November 14, 2008. Retrieved July 28, 2009.
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