MEDIA ADVISORY/ PHOTO-OPPORTUNITY - Winning Ryerson Students See Their
Larger-than-Life Lotus Bike Racks Blossom in Mount Pleasant Cemetery

Students' prize winning design to join extensive collection of historical monuments and sculpture in Mount Pleasant Cemetery

TORONTO, Sept. 24 /CNW/ - For over 130 years Mount Pleasant Cemetery's 200 acre green space has been a special sanctuary for the people of Toronto. Walkers, runners, and cyclists have enjoyed the calm and peaceful grounds that feature more than 5,000 trees and scenic paths.

On September 30, the completed bike racks from the Ryerson/Mount Pleasant competition will be unveiled and ready for the Cemetery's many cyclists. Katy Alter and Jeff Cogliati, from Ryerson's Faculty of Communications & Design won the competition with their bike rack themed around two larger-than-life lotus blossoms. This past summer the students along with their professor Andrew Furman, manufacturer KNL Manufacturing and Mount Pleasant Cemetery produced the bike racks and brought the design to life.  The installation marks a significant and celebratory day for the students, Ryerson and Mount Pleasant and is a new addition to the collection of unique sculptures and monuments in the Cemetery.

Where:	Garden of Remembrance, Mount Pleasant Cemetery (east off Mount Pleasant Road, north of St. Clair Avenue)
When:	11:00 a.m., Thursday, September 30, 2010
Who:	Nathan Johnson, Family Service Manager, Mount Pleasant Cemetery Andrew Furman, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Communication & Design at Ryerson Ryerson Students winners - Katy Alter and Jeff Cogliati Gerd Hauck, Dean of Faculty of Communication & Design at Ryerson Glenn McClary, President, Mount Pleasant Group of Cemeteries Janet Rosenberg, Bike Rack Competition Jury Chair; Principal, Janet Rosenberg + Associates

"Partnering with such a fine institution as Ryerson University on this project has been extremely gratifying" said Mount Pleasant Group of Cemeteries' President and CEO, Glenn McClary.  "In addition to Ryerson's Faculty of Communication & Design, we thank the students for their enthusiasm, creativity and commitment towards making this community-minded initiative a reality." 

McClary continued, "Mount Pleasant Cemetery is proud to be a place that provides opportunities for and showcases the work and talents of Toronto students. In addition to the Bike Rack Competition with Ryerson University, for the past two years we have also partnered with the Royal Conservatory of Music whose students have performed free Sunday Summer concerts. We have received such tremendous feedback about the concerts and expect the same positive response to the beautiful bike racks."

Production details: Each of the six lotus petals is approximately 5 feet high and is constructed from aluminium that has been precisely cut with the assistance of a CNC (Computer Numerically Controlled) water jet.  The aluminum has a brushed finish and has been clear anodized for lasting protection and durability.  The rack can hold up to ten bicycles. 

Each bike rack is secured to a concrete foundation manufactured by Stone Crete Innovations. The custom grey slate-like patterned concrete pad also holds the cast aluminium plaques with the following information: Ryerson University/Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Bicycle Rack Design Competition 2010, Winning Design: Lotus by Katy Alter and Jeff Cogliati.

Background: Mount Pleasant Cemetery is known as one of Toronto's most consumer-sensitive organizations. So when the mid-town cemetery needed new bike racks that were unique and appropriate to this most sensitive urban environment, they naturally approached Ryerson University Department of Design and asked their students to come up with a look for the new bicycle racks. Mount Pleasant provided the prize money for the top designs and Ryerson and its students set to work.

On January 21, 2010, the winning design was announced by Jury Chair and respected landscape architect Janet Rosenberg. Along with the $3,000 prize money, Ryerson Students Katy Alter and Jeff Cogliati won the enviable opportunity to work through and experience the production of their design. 

For further information:

Ryerson's Faculty of Communication & Design, its Schools and programs, contact [email protected]

Mount Pleasant Cemetery visit www.mountpleasantgroup.com or call 416-485-9129.

Media contact: Victoria Ollers 416-822-2288 or Paul Tyler 416-254-0698. For images of the winning design, background material and news release go to www.mountpleasantgroup.com/New.