Hugh Bartling

The initial plan was to dig post holes, but we figured that an easier and just as effective way to elevate the coop was simply to use deck blocks to hold the posts.  They may settle a bit, and we'll have to keep an eye on how the deck blocks deal with cold Chicago winters, but the structure is small enough that we're hoping there will be minimal problems. 

After we put the frame together we lifted the coop on top and secured it to the frame.  We finished with the roof.  The roof is a separate element with a slight pitch that will be a "green roof."  I plan to plant some species of sedum which have been shown to perform well in Midwestern climates.  Although I may just settle for some type of grass depending on the eventual substrate depth.

Before I put the growing medium on the roof I will need to install a waterproof membrane, a filter, and a drainage layer.

Next steps are to get the roof squared away, paint the coop, and then build the run.

My local Whole Foods recently switched out their useless grammar-school jail-bar bike rack for a new, but only slightly-less-useless, "wave" rack.

In urban areas where bicycle security is essential, most cyclists favor the inverted-U bike rack for its ease of use and security. Two points of contact with the rack allow the use of compact U-locks which can secure the tires and frame to the rack and leave minimal leverage space for a thief to defeat the lock.

This is why U-racks are the standard municipal issue in Chicago, Portland and elsewhere.

So the fact that Whole Foods didn't put in standard racks is bad enough. What's worse is that absolutely no thought was given to spacing. If you use a popular anti-theft lock like the Kryptonite Evolution, there is not enough clearance to secure your back tire and frame to the rack because the rack is placed too close to the building.

Unfortunately you see these installation failures all too frequently. Whole Foods should shoulder the blame to a certain extent.

More egregious, however, is the fact that the City of Evanston has no policy or regulations pertaining to bike parking requirements for commercially zoned property. Compare this to the auto parking guidelines which are detailed and enforceable.

When the city treats biking as an afterthought, is it any wonder that businesses treat it in the same manner? If cities want to really enhance their transportation mode shifts they need to start paying as much attention to biking, pedestrian, and transit infrastructure as they do for cars.