Nearly a decade in the making, a new hub aims to close Utah’s transportation gaps

SALT LAKE CITY — Sean Murphy brought his gloves and boots when Bicycle Collective broke ground on a new hub in October 2022, so he could remind himself that there was still a lot of work to be done for the nonprofit.

About a year and a half later, now standing in the lobby of the three-story building, Murphy, now the former chairman of the board of Bicycle Collective, unbuttoned his jacket to show the crowd around him that this time he was wearing his “party shirt.” ‘ had brought along – a festive mechanic shirt with an organizational theme.

Thursday was indeed a celebration for the 22-year-old organization as it formally opened its new hub location in Salt Lake City. The ceremony took place nearly seven years after the Salt Lake City Redevelopment Agency selected the nonprofit to develop a quarter-acre parcel near 900 South and 300 West in the burgeoning Granary District.

“It has been a long, amazing and challenging journey to get here,” said Donna Matturro McAleer, the organization’s executive director. “This dream has been nearly a decade in the making. This hub is the launching pad to expand our impact across Utah.”

Bicycle Collective was founded in 2002 and first served Salt Lake City. The primarily volunteer-based organization restores donated bicycles, which are then given to Utahns from low- and middle-income households, newly arrived refugees, people experiencing homelessness or anyone else in need. It also sells bicycles, bicycle parts and bicycle accessories, with the proceeds then used to cover the costs of bicycle donations.

Many people cycle for recreation; However, McAleer points out that they are much more than that. In this case, they are solutions to transportation barriers for people who cannot afford a car, so they can get to work or a job interview, to the supermarket, to school or to a healthcare appointment.

The organization works with dozens of community partners to determine who would best benefit from a bicycle. According to the group’s website, more than 1,300 bicycles were distributed in 2023.

“We are very focused on transportation equity,” she said. “Transportation is a huge barrier to economic mobility. … A bicycle is practical and affordable and contributes to economic well-being, emotional stability and physical health. It is a simple, environmentally friendly transportation option.”

While it has grown over time, adding locations in Ogden, Provo and St. George, it has never really had a central location to offer all the services you want. The wheels on that front started turning when the Salt Lake City RDA offered the land for a hub in 2017, gobbling up the $280,000 cost of the land in exchange for the services the facility will provide to the community.

The RDA also agreed to a $1.4 million bridge loan, which McAleer said the organization is working toward allowing it to operate debt-free. Several philanthropic donations also helped Bicycle Collective pay for the multimillion-dollar project.

Salt Lake City Councilman Dan Dugan said city leaders felt it was easy for the city to work with the organization because of what the project had to offer. The new 19,000 square foot facility now serves as the coveted flagship location. There is a bike repair area in addition to a retail space on the first floor, but there are also areas for classes and community workshops.

It is also located along the growing 9 Line Trail, which serves as the largest east-west trail connection within the city limits, and across the street from the city’s upcoming Fleet Block project, which aims to provide affordable housing, commercial spaces and a new public square to offer. .

“It was a no-brainer to have them here,” added Salt Lake City Councilman Alejandro Puy.

McAleer said the new digs will allow the organization to accept more donated bicycles and expand operations so those bicycles can be refurbished and given to people in need instead of ending up in landfills. The building will also provide “renewed” community education programs.

That’s something leaders from other organizations present Thursday were excited to hear. Jesse Sheets, acting director of the International Rescue Committee’s Salt Lake City chapter, said his organization is working with Bicycle Collective to “eliminate” some of the many challenges hundreds of refugees face as they settle in Utah.

“Countless individuals have received bicycles that have helped them on their path to self-sufficiency and stability,” he said. “Collaborative partnerships between organizations like the (commission) and Bicycle Collective only serve to improve the availability of resources and access to opportunities.”