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Projects Updates for collection: Living Lab Facilities / Programs

  1. Weekly Update - Collection of Abandoned Bikes

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, Last week was on the slow side. We got busy in fits and starts. This week will likely be the same. I was out of the shop for most of Tuesday afternoon, so the students covered for me. No troubles there.

    We concluded our Bike Abandonment Program last week, as well. We collected 15 bikes total that were either donated at the Bike Rodeo, during open hours, or left after hours on the rack outside. Having the rack outside was super helpful, not only to collect bikes during off hours, but as additional storage during open shop time. Long term, having a donation drop off system in place for after-hours would be beneficial.

    This week I’ll dig into the pile of student-checked bike builds. I’ve got space for about 5 more bikes and then I’ll have to look at rearranging again. We can technically cram more bikes in the spaces we’ve got allotted for Sale Bikes but I’ve noticed it makes it a lot more difficult for people to try them out and thus, they don’t get sold. Limits of the space, I suppose. Of course, all the bikes will probably sell in the end.
    I’ll also coordinate with Parking about picking up some bikes they’ve got for us.


    Numbers:
    Visitors: 73
    Sales: $509.43

    Memberships: 10 for $300
    Bikes (refurb) 3 for $410
    Tire/tube: 18 for $117

     

    Jacob Benjamin
    Manager, Campus Bike Center

  2. Weekly Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, Shortened week for myself as I was out of town Thursday and Friday. The student staff operated hours in my absence. No incidents or troubles. Their chief issues were related to the Shop Builds, so that’s a win-win.
    This week I have the Student Employment Symposium on Tuesday that conflicts with hours so I will again have students cover. I’ll be back in time to close up shop. I also have a potential new hire coming in to volunteer this week and sort of try the job out for a bit.

    Thanks to Todd for grabbing scrap and whoever delivered new spoke wrenches, as they were sorely needed.
     

    Numbers:

    Visitors: 97

    Sales:  $751.30
    Bike (refurb): 1 for $150
    Bike (B-a-B): 1 for $125
    Memberships: 6 for $180
    Tire/tubes: 17 for $152

     

    Thanks!

    Jake Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Manager

  3. Weekly Update - Bike to Work Day, Bike Rodeo, etc.

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    C-U Bike to Work Day
    Mechanics Classes at the Campus Bike Center

    All, What a week! Last week (and weekend) was a TBP meeting, Bike To Work Day, the Bike Rodeo, and picking up donations from the Community Bike Sale. Lots of extracurricular activity! All of the events went well but not amazingly well. Attendance was on the low side for BTWD and BR but the weather is a major culprit there.

    Since 2pm on Friday we’ve gotten (rough count) 20 bike donations, so we’re pretty inundated right now. With bad weather in the forecast and the busyness of finals for most students, we’ll be able to process the donations this week—hopefully.

    Last Friday was the last Fix-a-Flat class and we had our first attendee! Maria and Jacob taught the course well and the gentleman seemed happy to have come. Also on Friday the student staff hosted an impromptu Friday ride of sorts for one of our graduating staffers. This upcoming Friday will be the last official one for the season.

    I’ll be out of town Thursday and Friday so Chris will open and run the shop in my absence.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 73
    Sales: $750.20
    Bikes (refurb): 2 for $295
    Memberships: 7 for $210
    Tire/tubes: 9 for $64

     

    Thanks!

    • Jake Benjamin
      Campus Bike Center Manager

  4. Weekly Update - Bicycle Donations, Bike to Work Day, etc.

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    Mechanics Classes at the Campus Bike Center
    C-U Bike to Work Day

    All, Big but also kind of micro news is that there’s been a noticeable uptick in donations here at the Bike Center. While I’d love to attribute that to our awesome Bike Abandonment Prevention program, it’s really just been local community members who’re cleaning out their garages--most prominently two white bearded men, not the graduating seniors that we’re hoping to attract.

    But that’s a good segue into what our Bike Abandonment Prevention is trying to do: reduce and abate the number of abandoned bikes left by students leaving campus around this time of year. In turn we hope Parking will have to collect fewer bikes that’ll end up in our hands in the end anyway. We’ve got signage and a bike rack set up outside the Bike Center to allow students to donate their bikes and, to incentivize the donation,  in return they can get a water bottle (but the water bottles are only available during open hours). We’ll track how many students are donating and obviously won’t be turning away community donations. There’s already been a social media push and advertising done by Campus Rec to help promote and get the word out!
    We’ve got our Fix-a-Flat class this Friday and of course Bike To Work Day on Wednesday. The weather isn’t looking great but we’ll get the dedicated folks come through, I’m sure. Jeff Yockey dropped off the BTWD shirt last week and we’ve been hanging it by the register to showcase the event. Over the upcoming weekend we’ve got our Bike Rodeo event which will also double as a drop-off spot for the Bike Abandonment Prevention program. May is looking busy but it is Bike Month!

    Numbers:

    Visitors: 73
    Sales: $812.50
    Memberships: 6 for $180
    Bikes (refurb): 3 for $500

     

    Thanks!

    • Jake Benjamin
      Campus Bike Center Manager

  5. Weekly Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    Mechanics Classes at the Campus Bike Center

    All, The week previous wasn’t as busy as I anticipated. I keep thinking I’ve got a handle on when the shop will be busy and I keep being surprised by the reality: quiet and calm when it’s nice/sunny and then hustle/bustle when it’s cold and windy. Go figure.

    Working backwards:

    Saturday was the LCI training for the Bike Rodeo. I’m now certified to teach kid’s bike education courses with the League of American Bicyclists. Going forward I’ll probably sign up for the next level of certifications because it can only help the reach and scope of the Bike Center. Friday was a zero for Fix-a-Flat attendees, unfortunately. Thursday evening was a Bike Maintenance 101 class in the Winter Garden at the ARC. We had three engaged participants and a half dozen or so passersby that grabbed fliers and the sort.

    This week we’ve got another Bike Maintenance 101 info session/class at the ARC on Thursday evening. It’d go smoother with a second person so I’ll recruit a staffer for it this week. Friday is our Fix-a-Flat class and our Friday Ride. Projecting to be 70° roughly so hopefully a good turnout for both!
    Numbers:

    Visitors: 74
    Sales: $478.50
    Bikes (refurb): 1 for $150
    Memberships: 4 for $120
    Tire/tube: 8 for $48

     

    Sincerely,

    • Jake Benjamin
      Campus Bike Center Manager

  6. Weekly Update - Bike Maintenance info session, Full Moon ride, Fix-a-Flat and more

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    Mechanics Classes at the Campus Bike Center

    All, Apologies for the delay. I was out of town Monday and Tuesday.

    Last week was busy. Hovered around 20 people in per day. Warm weather always helps. We had our third Fix-a-Flat class and again no attendees, unfortunately. The students hosted their Friday Ride and one person showed up (former employee). I tabled at the Health Fair last Tuesday and got to chat with the UIPD officer stationed next to me. He referred me to the METCAD phone # in the event of cyclists witnessing or experiencing unsafe car/truck drivers on campus.

    This week was obviously truncated with me being out of town. The student staff operated the shop in my absence. I’ll check in with them this week and see how that went. Tomorrow evening is the Bike Maintenance info session/class in the winter garden from 7 – 8pm. Friday is the first Full Moon Ride, a community bicycling event here in town, so I’ll talk that up. It is easily our most popular cycling-related event in the warmer months here in town.
    Numbers:

    Visitors: 96
    Sales: $717.50
    Memberships: 4 for $120
    Bike (refurb): 2 for $350
    Tire/tube: 11 for $55

    Thanks!

    • Jake Benjamin
      Campus Bike Center Manager

  8. Arbor Day Celebration

    Associated Project(s): 
    Tree Campus USA

    Arbor Day Celebration: If you've never met a state champion tree, now is your chance! The largest Yellowwood Tree (Cladrastis kentukea) in Illinois is on our campus, and it will be officially recognized by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources on Friday, April 26, 2019, at noon. Please join Senior Associate Chancellor Mike DeLorenzo for the reading of the Arbor Day Proclamation, and the tree recognition ceremony in the green space to the north of Lincoln Avenue Residence Hall.

  9. Weekly Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    Mechanics Classes at the Campus Bike Center

    All, Last week we had the pleasure of welcoming Good Morning Illini to the Bike Center. I shot a segment with one of their people on patching a tube. Unfortunately, it didn’t make the air. It was still good outreach and nice to bring a few new people into the shop.

    We’ve yet to have any attendees for our fix-a-flat class, unfortunately. The students running it have done a great job of prepping for it, though. A silver lining of sorts.
    This week there is the Health Fair I’ll be tabling at tomorrow all morning, I’ll be coordinating with Parking to get some more bikes from the warehouse, and on Friday is the fix-a-flat class and the Friday Ride.

    Next Monday I’ll be in Minnesota for a training, so the weekly digest will be a bit late.
    Numbers:

    Visitors: 77
    Sales: $283.50
    Bike (refurb): 1 for $150
    Memberships: 2 for $60

     

    Thanks!

    • Jake Benjamin
      Campus Bike Center Manager

  11. Bee Committee meetings

    Associated Project(s): 
    Bee Campus USA

    From: White, Morgan
    Sent: Wednesday, April 3, 2019 7:47 PM
    To: bee-campus@lists.illinois.edu
    Subject: [bee-campus] Bee Committee meetings

     

    Hello Bee Committee,

    The student chairperson, Sara Mason, met with me, Brent Lewis, and Vince Spagnola today. We talked about the signage plans, committee meetings, funding options, potential events, and tracking progress (such as meeting notes) on the iCAP Portal.

    We also set up this email list, so Sara can let the faculty and staff members know when a committee meeting is planned. Next time she calls a meeting, she will send it to this list. 

     

    Thanks!

    Morgan 

  12. Social Media Coordination between Red Oak Rain Garden and Tree Walk

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Tree Inventory
    Tree Campus USA

    Hort Club is going to host an event on the April 25th (Thursday of Earth Week) for campus community members to try out the walk. Basically, we are just setting up a table on the quad and inviting everyone to come out, get the brochure/explore TreeKeeper, and do the self-guided tour. If you would like to share this event with your colleagues, that would be wonderful! I think it would be great if we had as many students, faculty, and CU community members as possible invited. I've attached a digital flyer to this email, and the link to the Facebook event: Illinois Earth Week Quad Tree Walk.

     

    -- Maddie Smith

    Attached Files: 

  13. Weekly Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    Bike at Illinois Website and Campaign
    Mechanics Classes at the Campus Bike Center

    All, The doors were opened! I repeat: The doors were opened! It was finally warm enough. Turns out our coat rack is slightly too tall for the garage to be opened. We figured that out the hard way. Still very nice to get some fresh air in here.

    Last week we had our first Fix-a-Flat class. Unfortunately, no one showed up. It was pretty bad weather and a new program offering so for next week I’ll put up some signs and talk it up to people who come in to the Center.

    Our student staff also hosted their first Friday Ride. It was still raining at that point but most of the staff partook. As they left I think I saw one or two riders who weren’t staff—that’s a good sign! We’ll see how it goes from here. Warmer, nicer weather and a couple weeks more of promotion should only help!

    This week is our collaborative Bike@Illinois meeting to discuss strategic planning for implementation of broader bicycle-friendly efforts on campus! More on that next week.

     

    Numbers:

    Visitors: 85
    Sales: $591.50
    Bike (refurb): 1 for $120
    Memberships: 8 for $240
    Tire/tubes: 8 for $33

     

    Thanks!

    Jake Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Manager

  14. Geothermal monitoring borehole on the Bardeen Quad

    Associated Project(s): 
    Geothermal Monitoring Well on Bardeen Quad

    Hi everyone,

    I wanted to report that yesterday we completed the thermal response test in the borehole, and our work at the site is done. Currently, we are working on processing and analyzing the data. This work should be completed later this week, and when done we will share the results with Sachin and the rest of the project team.

    Tim Stark will also use these results to compare with the wellbore model his student is developing.

     

    Best,

    Andy

    _________________________________________________________________

    Andrew Stumpf, Ph.D, LG, P.Geo

    Associate Geologist

    Illinois State Geological Survey

    Prairie Research Institute

    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

    615 East Peabody Drive, Champaign, Illinois USA 61820

  15. Weekly Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    Mechanics Classes at the Campus Bike Center

    All, Last week we were closed for Spring Break. I worked Monday and Tuesday and made some good solitary progress on shop builds. All of the Reid MTN Sport bikes that Corey finagled for us are in saleable condition and all of the For Sale bikes are nicely displayed, ready to be purchased.

    Todd picked up scrap over the break, which is appreciated as always.

    This week we have two new offerings starting on Friday: Fix-a-Flat class and our bi-monthly Friday Rides. I’ll meet with the students running each event to make sure everything is in place for their respective endeavors.

    The prospect for trained student staffers around for the summer to help out isn’t looking great. I’ll get a final count on availability this week and proceed accordingly.

    No numbers since we were closed all week.

     

    Thanks!

    • Jake Benjamin
      Campus Bike Center Manager

  16. Weekly Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, Tail end of last week really picked up, coinciding with the weather, I guess. The first couple weeks of helping people with their bikes is always a welcome change from just wrenching on bikes for sale. Feels more on mission or something.  

    I reorganized to display the For Sale bikes better, which will make test rides and purchasing of the bikes easier for patrons—at least that’s the hope.

    This week we are closed and I am working today and tomorrow then taking Wed – Fri off. I hope to make some headway in safety checking and finalizing another 10 bikes while we are closed. That should put the number of For Sale bikes in the 40+ range.

    Numbers:

    Visitors: 57

    Sales: $164.80

    Memberships: 5 for $150
    Tire/tubes: 4 for $35

     

    Thanks!

    • Jake Benjamin
      Campus Bike Center Manager

  20. Weekly Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, As the numbers will show: we had a very slow week. Not a lot of visitors in but the weather was pretty gnarly, too. Snow never helps.

    All told, we have 40 bikes as in-progress shop builds or for sale, organized about as well as they can be in the back of the shop. Had my staff work on that last week.

    This week I’ll get a handle on summer availability for my staff and make a dent in the bike pile. I was contacted last week by an F&S intern about reviewing the Campus Bike Plan, so I’ll dig into that a bit this week, too.


    Numbers:

    Visitors: 29
    Sales: $20

    Thanks!

    Jake Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Manager

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