Push for more bike-friendly Freo
From a pile of disused bicycles and an old sea container, Simon Naber wants to introduce a "bit of Holland" to Fremantle.
The local councillor and cafe owner's vision for a city buzzing with bicycles, as in Europe, is a step closer after the "bike shelter" he helped design was given a home in the centre of Fremantle last week.
The brightly coloured shelter, built from a sea container and recycled bicycles, has drawn a few curious looks from locals since it appeared in a carpark near Paddy Troy mall.
Mr Naber hopes it will entice more motorists to swap four wheels for two.
"It's the most frequently used carpark where people go, 'Oh, no parking'," he said.
"Now they'll see this.
"I remember seeing Holland where there are bike racks everywhere. This is Fremantle's version of that."
A fundraising night, initiated by Mr Naber's business Moore and Moore Cafe, helped raise $10,000 for the shelter, which was designed by Mr Naber and TAFE student Max McCann.
Fremantle Men's Shed helped put together the ideas to create the structure, which can be shifted around Fremantle if needed.
Mr Naber, a keen cyclist, said it was important for a city that was leading the way in bicycle use to be as bike-friendly as possible.
"We have to be a little more conscientious and sustainable and this ticks all the boxes," he said.
