In ‘active transportation’ circles, there’s a classic shot you’re likely to see in any presentation on North America’s attitude towards fitness:
It’s a real place in a San Diego strip mall. And now we have a version of our very own:
It’s part of a new development on North Road in Burnaby. No doubt there’s extensive parking, so that clients can drive there to ride the exercycles.
Thanks to Richard Campbell.
This is amusing, unless you find yourself on a set of crutches wanting to head in for a soak in the hot-tub or a steam, or if you are pushing a pram with the intention of having your child in the daycare room while you work out, or if you are a senior going for acquafit.
I expect that they have an elevator anyway for wheelchair access that could be used by people with crutches, etc.
Everyone in that photo from Burnaby is looking down. It’s really quite strange.
At least the American version has the option of stairs. That makes it all the more ironic when people choose not to take them.
Remember that the tenant was probably leased the space WELL AFTER the development was designed with escalators to the upper floors.
If that were a large restaurant or a large retail store, I’d bet you’d hear as much complaining about the lack of escalators as we did with the Candaa Line Stations!
Ridiculous. But there’s worse. I often walk by the Fitness World on Kingsway in Burnaby after work. It’s a rare day when there aren’t two or three cars idling in a line-up to get into the FW parking lot, when there are parking spots 20 meters away.
Admittedly, those are metered spots, but is a 10 minute wait not worth the 2$? Could they not turn their cars off for the wait? I’m still thinking about what kind of choice sign I can stick up to make people consider what they’re doing.
When driving, waiting in line/traffic/gridlock is a fact of life. My guess is that the current mindset is so accustomed to waiting in line or gridlock that there’s no tangible difference between waiting in a driveway and waiting on the roadway, so the resulting behaviour is the same.
If the drivers are pulled up to the curb waitng to pick up a passenger, then that’s more likely to be treated differently.
Why, … it’s almost as hilarious as the Yaletown fitness centres that patrons access by using the elevator. Imagine!