Free parking might seem like a quaint concept to some, particularly if you're used to living and/or working in a bustling metropolis. But located near the city center, and reportedly free of charge, while also being regarded as reasonably safe? Maybe it's not quite a unicorn, but this motorcycle park sure sounds like it's close.
A quick note on the phrase "motorcycle park," which will look completely normal to Brits while simultaneously making Americans tilt their heads and stare at their screens in mild consternation. You see, it's another instance in which we're apparently separated by a common language. While UK folks refer to what we Americans call "parking lots" as "parks," they are not necessarily referring to either local/state/national green spaces intended for outdoor recreation, nor the kind of parks that are full of paid actors in mascot suits, outfitted with rollercoasters and other rides, and offering eye-wateringly expensive corn dogs.
And now, back to your regularly scheduled article.
Where was I? Ah, yes. Add to that the fact that this motorcycle park has apparently been serving the community for decades, and you begin to understand why some riders were apparently a bit worried when the Norwich City Council started to consider whether they should change it in some way, including the possibility of closure, or moving it elsewhere.
A representative for the Council told the BBC that they don't plan to close it, but wanted to get input from the local community to better inform its future plans for development in the area. That might be the case today, but what about tomorrow? No one can truly know, because things can (and often do) change.
Understandably, local riders of all ages that the BBC spoke to talked about how it's more than just a place to park their bikes; it's also a community center. Now, I don't have something similar near me; there are motorcycle gatherings, for sure, but they're usually scheduled events, not just a place where you can pull up and find a different range of bikes and riders every time you roll in. That's incredibly special, and surely must be something that encourages community to spring up between groups of riders who might not otherwise meet up.
Think about all the times you've parked your bike somewhere, and a conversation has happened just because you parked where you did. I'm definitely not always in the mood to chat (or have time to do so, sometimes), but ask most riders and they'll tell you that they don't know where the time goes if they get started chatting about bikes. We can be incredibly introverted on other topics, but get us going on motorcycles and pretty soon, we don't know where that last hour went.
While I've never been to the motorcycle park in question, I can definitely appreciate what it represents, and hope from afar that it stays an accessible and vital part of the community where it's currently located. Third places like these, particularly ones that cater to motorcyclists, aren't so common, and they should be protected and cherished at all costs.
