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4 * WATERLOO CHRONICLE + Wednesday, April 30, 2008 ILUTHER VILLAGE SGive Mom a GTif of Health with Style On 2009 Europe River Cruises with Uniworld‘s Preâ€"season Super ® on TtHE PaARK ® UNIWERLD 55 PLUS PREMIUM LIVING "We‘re just trying our best to encourage people toâ€"go to the uptown area, and to find other ways to get there than cars," said Philip Hewitâ€" son, the city‘s director of transâ€" i Fmogt portation. esidents with scooters and R:'xotorcydes will soon find it easiâ€" to park in uptown Waterloo. City council recently approved a plan to create 11 new spaces for those twoâ€"wheelers, as well as 24 more for bicycles. And the best thing about these spots is that parking is free. Plan makes core twoâ€"wheel friendly By Jennirea Ormston _ _ Chronicle Staff _ Coun. Diane Freeman, who spearheaded this initiative, rides her Piaggio scootâ€" er to work, at Conâ€" estogaâ€"Rovers and Associates, and to City Hall when the conditions are right. "We have lots of parking, but it‘s better if people can walk or cycle or ride motorâ€" bikes." "I really wantâ€" ed to cut down on gas," she said of her twoâ€"seater, which she also uses to get her sons around town. Coun. Diane Freeman and Cam Rapp, the city‘s general manager of development services, will have a new place to park their bikes in the uptown core. Her other vehicle is a compact SUV that costs $60 to fill up. That‘s good for a little more than 500 kilometres of inâ€" town driving. Meanwhile, the scooter only costs $6 for 160 kilometres. Phase 1 â€" which will bring the number of motorcycle and scooter spaces in the uptown to 17 and bicycle spots to 91 â€" will begin this spring in areas that are underutilized. The plan aims to encourage the use of fuelâ€"efficient vehicles, which will be better for the environment, according to a staff report to council. "We think over time we may be able to create some more, but there may be some construction modifications needed, so this was an easy one to start off with," Hewitson said. The uptown‘s six existing motorcyâ€" cle spaces are in the lot behind Waterâ€" loo Town Square. The 11 new spaces, The bicycles will be accommodated in the Uptown Parkade, and two posts will be installed in the Bridgeport Road West location. which will be identified by signs readâ€" ing No Parking: Motorcycles and Bicyâ€" cles Excepted, will be in the Caroline Lot, William Lot and on a parcel of land at Bridgeport Road and King Street. Phase 2 of the plan, which calls for the creation of additional motorcycle, scooter and bicycle parking in lots that are scheduled to be rehabilitated and resurfaced, could begin to be impleâ€" mented as early as this summer, Hewitâ€" son said. This initiative is in line with the goals of the city‘s Strategic Plan, which looks at reducing the impact on the environment, Freeman said. "Certainly, riding on two wheels does that." JENNIFER ORMSTON PHOTO