In case you haven't seen them yet, or are wondering where the heck they came from, here are a few pics and a bit of background on the "on-street bicycle parking" downtown. The Winnipeg Parking Authority is piloting a total of 10 on-street bike racks this summer. These portable units – essentially a pad with a bike rack bolted on top – are placed in a parking spot on the street.

It sure shows how many bikes (and therefore people) you can accommodate with one parking spot for a car. This also frees up sidewalk space for pedestrians, buskers, sidewalk cafes and street furniture (benches, planters, etc).