Millennium Park, popular with locals and tourists, is also the home of the McDonald's Cycle Center.

By ARELIS HERNANDEZ
The UNITY News Online

Trading in their car keys for bike helmets, more Chicagoans are heading to McDonald’s Cycle Center, a one-stop shop for biking around the city.

The 300-bike parking facility, located in Millennium Park, comes complete with showers, lockers, a repair shop and a bike rental system.

“I commute 17 miles each way – there is no question about the money I save,” said local commuter Peter Mitchell, who was leaving the cycle center after a meeting Tuesday afternoon.

Bicycles have become an alternate mode of transportation for hundreds of health-conscious, economical “green” residents who say the solution to soaring gas costs revolves around two wheels.

“We are continuing to have a variety of pressures placed on our cities and communities due to gas prices and global climate change,” said Rob Sadowski, executive director of the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation. “The more we can move people from cars to bikes and walking, the better our city can be.”

The group, founded in 1985, promotes using bicycles as an energy-efficient and healthy mode of transportation. And Chicago boasts of a 315-mile bikeway network.

While not providing exact numbers, McDonald’s Cycle Center officials said they have seen a yearly increase in memberships. This summer the center has already filled to capacity.

Commuter Joe Behen said he used to take public transportation to work, but since the opening of the center in 2005 he now jumps on his 18-speed bike and rides 10 miles to downtown.

After the 20-minute ride, Behen hits the showers at the bike center –­ beads of sweat on his neck aren’t exactly office attire, he said.

The 17,000-square foot center opened with a grant from federal and local entities to help relieve congestion on city streets and promote healthier lifestyles, said Josh Squire, owner of Bike & Roll, the company operating the building.

McDonald’s Corporation bought naming rights and donated $5 million for building maintenance as part of a campaign to promote fitness, Squire said.

Chicago Mayor Daley has also been a big proponent for bicycling.

A bicycle enthusiast himself, Daley led a city-wide initiative to create a more bike-friendly community – devoting an entire city agency to promoting bicycle use, said Brian Steele, a spokesman for the Chicago Department of Transportation.

“Finding alternatives to the automobile has been a priority for Chicago for almost 20 years,” Steele said.

Reach Arelis Hernandez at americua21@comcast.net