Cycling in Waterloo Region

[danbrotherston]

I'm not sure it's a good comparison, since you're pretty much at your own risk with free parking, as opposed to the protection and convenience offered by a valet service.  It would be interesting to compare interest in paid valet bicycle parking by charging a fee for an event that saw heavy use for free the previous year.

I disagree.  People are accustomed to parking cars in public, they come equipped with door locks, etc.  This is just what we do.  But the type of people the city is trying to attract to bike are ones who may not even have a bike lock, and may not be entirely comfortable using it, or leaving their bikes unattended.  Bikes are quite a lot more frequently stolen, or at least, that's the impression people have.

I'd argue the effective service provided to people is identical, the ability to bring a vehicle of a certain type and leave it unattended in comfort that it will be there when you return.