Every day, Kevin MacDuff rides his bike to work at VGH, pulling his four-year-old son who is strapped in a Chariot trailer behind him.

“I love it,” says Kevin, manager of HR data and reporting for VCH. “I feel pretty lucky to be able to ride to work with him every day.”

And now there’s a place for Kevin to lock up his bike and even grab a shower after his 35-minute ride. Last month, the VGH Cycling Centre opened its doors and already has more than 100 staff members signed up for its many great services.

“Studies show that people who cycle regularly are healthier, happier and more productive employees,” says Anne Harvey, vice-president of employee engagement at VCH. “End-of-trip facilities like the Cycling Centre are an important way of encouraging and supporting all staff—not just avid cyclists—to adopt a healthier and more active commute.”

“People seem really happy,” says Kevin. “It’s a great facility.”

With capacity for 182 bikes, showers and towel service, bike lockers, 105 ventilated lockers, three sets of tire pumps and bike repair stands as well as monthly cycling-related workshops, the monthly cost of $3 to $15 (depending on how much you use the centre) is a great deal for VCH staff – and there’s still plenty of room for more members.

Amenities galore

“It’s more than just a bike garage,” Kevin says. “There are workshops, there’s towel service, there’s shower – there are lots of other amenities. And it’s an extremely secure place to lock up your bike.”

Kevin says that one of biggest goals of the centre is to build cycling community amongst staff.

“We want to encourage people to cycle to work,” Kevin says. “But we want to encourage you to make this a part of your and build a community at VCH around cycling.”

“There’s a lot of personal wellness that comes from biking to work,” he adds.

Wellness is important

The cycling centre is part of a larger Employee Engagement effort to support employee wellness and encourage staff to adopt a healthier and more active commute.

Take a tour

More info

For more information on the centre, go here or if you have any questions, contact them here.