Yellow Bikes Adjacent to Swimming Pools

David Beard Feb 24, 2020 4 Comments

Photos by Yellow Bike Coffee.

I went to the Hermantown YMCA, which is somehow, I don’t entirely understand how, co-branded with Essentia. It’s an amazing complex, not least of which because it contains, as well, a Yellow Bike Coffeeshop.

Yellow Bike has received some good press for its three locations — Hermantown on the Highway, Hermantown in the Y, and Duluth at Fitger’s. (I’m not sure whether the Fitgers location is still a Yellow Bike — can someone confirm for me?)

I enjoyed some really tasty, pulpy juice after a swim. The Y has a lap pool, which the new Essentia at the mall sorely lacks. But the new Essentia at the Mall doesn’t have so very many children in the pool.

Is it wrong to pick a health club based on the presence of children? What I like most about Essentia at the mall now is the lack of kids and the Caribou after. Yellow Bike makes the coffee part of the decision equal … what else should I consider?

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4 Comments

Helmut Flaag

about 4 years ago

You should consider the fact that the Taliban and Isis are looking forward to the spring thaw again so they can continue their ethnic cleaning of the Hazara people, beheading of children, that sort of thing.

FranceneStarr

about 4 years ago

I understand that Essentia gave some money, and has offices/doctor services at the Hermantown facility, which is operated by the Y. I don't mind the many children, trying not to think about all the peeing in the pool. Chlorine is our friend. The Essentia facility at the mall I will never go to, as I need a lap pool.

I think many people who went to the Essentia Center for Personal Fitness may not be going anywhere now, as the CPF had indoor parking, and was very easy for old and differently-abled people to access. The Hermantown Y is pretty spectacular.

Kristin Riker-Coleman

about 4 years ago

I don't think its wrong to consider kid-free as a bonus. I have two kids, I like kids, I even adore spending time playing a pool with kids. But I don't always like swimming in a pool with a zillion other kids. 

I'd love for the Y to have a punch card system for swimming. I don't always have time for $60/month of swimming. I mean once a week those swims are $15, which is not a horrible rate for a yoga class with a teacher. But if it's just me and the lap lane, its expensive. UMD's rate is $4 if I buy a punch card. But the times are more limited and it ends up being more like $6 if I park at the meters. 

The mall needs to reconfigure parking because it is a total pain in the rear to get to the new CPF when there's a whole lot of snow there. And I'm able bodied. I'd love to see them think creatively about how the lot is striped and also add a sidewalk through the parking lot that they really clear access to so that if you're walking with a cane or a walker or something you can be confident you'll make it.

David Beard

about 4 years ago

Francenestarr, I am able-bodied and oh my, on the coldest nights, I miss that covered parking terribly.  I can't imagine being someone who would need to worry about ice or falling sleet or snow.  (I drive my companion to the door when we go -- and they, too, are able-bodied.  It's just so cold.)

So yeah, I can imagine some people just stopping going.

Honestly, even creating actual handicap/accessible parking adjacent to the building would do the trick, yeah?  Maybe there are fire codes that make the parking more like the accessible parking at Target instead of the accessible parking by Best Buy.  

But it will never be warm, covered parking in a ramp.

Kristin, thanks for the thoughts.  I wish UMD were open into the evenings.

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