By Jason Islas
Lookout Staff

December 13, 2011 -- After three weeks of operation, Downtown Santa Monica's new bike center has 25 members and is growing.

The largest full-service bike center in the country, located at Parking Structures 7 and 8 at Santa Monica Place, has more than 350 secure bike parking spaces, rentals, guided tours, bike safety and maintenance classes as well as bike repairs.

Center officials are optimistic that with all it has to offer, the center will attract plenty of users.

“I'd love to have 100 or 200 members by spring time,” Bike Center General Manager Ron Durgin told The Lookout Friday.

Members have 24-hour access to secure parking and, depending on the membership package, lockers and showers.

However, the center is not exclusively for members. During operating hours, there is a bike valet for visitors looking to leave their bikes while they stroll the Downtown area.

Guests who want to leave their bikes at the valet get two free hours of bike parking, and each subsequent hour costs $1, with a daily maximum of $5.

“It's actually cheaper to park your bike than a car,” Durgin said, pointing out that the rate for parking a car is $1 every half hour after the first two free hours, with a daily maximum of $9.

One of the goals of the bike center is to get commuters, who work and play in Downtown Santa Monica, to leave their cars at home, Durgin said.

Will Ashe, a regular bike commuter who works at Bloomingdale's in the Santa Monica Place, is one of those people. When the bike center opened up back in November, Ashe become one of the first members.

“It's a great way to protect your asset,” said Ashe, who pays $99 a year for his membership.

Before the bike center opened, Ashe used to park his bike outside, where he had his tire stolen. The new bike center has given him a sense of security about his bike while he's at work.

“I just roll up to [the center] now, slide my key card and I don't have to worry about my bike,” said Ashe, who had a tire stolen when he parked his bike outdoors.

"I think it's really good for Downtown commuters to use," said Lucy Dyke, the City's Director of Special Projects and one of the architects of Santa Monica's new Bike Action Plan adopted by the City Council November 22.

The facility is staffed from 6:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until midnight on Friday and Saturday.

It's open from 8:30 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Sunday.

“The city has requirements to get people out of their cars,” said Durgin, referring to the Land Use and Circulation Element's goal of no new car trips. “We're a solution to that problem.”

The center opened to much fanfare on November 19. The ribbon cutting ceremony was attended by Mayor Richard Bloom, Council members Pam O'Connor, Kevin McKeown as well as members of Santa Monica Spoke and many other community notables.

For more information or to make reservations for bike tours or rentals, visit www.smbikecenter.com.