Media Advisory/Photo-Opportunity - Ryerson University Interior Design
students to create unique bike racks for Toronto's Mount Pleasant Cemetery

Designs on display Thursday, January 21 ; Mount Pleasant offers students prizes of $1,000 , $2,000 and $3,000 to top student designs

TORONTO , Jan. 19 /CNW/ - Mount Pleasant Group of Cemeteries has asked Ryerson's School of Interior Design students to create specially-designed bicycle racks that will enhance the unique and bicycle-friendly environment that exists within the Mount Pleasant grounds.

    
    What:  Judging and Winners announced
    When:  3:00 p.m., Thursday, January 21, 2010
    Where: Room SID 106, School of Interior Design, 302 Church Street,
           Ryerson University
    Who:   Ryerson student design teams
           Dean Daniel Doz, 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
    

For over 130 years this 200 plus acre green space north of St. Clair Avenue and bordered by Yonge Street and Bayview Avenue has been a special sanctuary for the people of Toronto . Walkers, runners, and cyclists have enjoyed the calm and peaceful nature of the grounds that feature more than 5,000 trees and scenic paths.

Thanks to the creativity and work of Ryerson's Interior Design students, this summer Mount Pleasant cyclists will have the addition of a creative and visually appealing bike rack to secure their bikes while they rest or visit the cemetery.

"At all times of day, every day of the week you will see people enjoying this tranquil cemetery setting by walking, cycling and running through Mount Pleasant. We offer the community a beautiful quiet green oasis in the heart of Toronto ," said Mount Pleasant's President and CEO, Glenn McClary. "After our great experience with students of Royal Conservatory offering free Sunday summer concerts, we decided to tap into the creative juices of the Ryerson's design students."

"When Mount Pleasant approached us about this unique challenge for our students, we were thrilled to be part of this opportunity," said Dr. Daniel Doz , Dean of Faculty of Communication & Design at Ryerson. "This kind of joint initiative speaks to so many aspects of what Ryerson is about - in particular, challenging our students with unique experiential learning opportunities in engaging with our community."

Last September, Ryerson Interior Design professor Andrew Furman handed seven 3rd and 4th year students in his Interior Design Course the competition details. These already high-achieving students (they must maintain a grade point average of 2.5 or higher to be considered) committed to select and lead their teams of up to three full-time Ryerson students from across the University. On December 14 , teams submitted their final designs for course evaluation. The designs will be on display for the general public from January 21 to February 12, 2010 .

Unique Design Challenges:

Each design team will work on one site designated as a possible future bicycle rack in locations throughout the cemetery. As Mount Pleasant Cemetery is a working cemetery and a well-established arboretum, the designs must respect and enhance the use of the cemetery for all users and consider road allowances, drainage and the mature plant forms. Due to the sensitivity of the environment in which they will be placing their bicycle rack, special care will need to be paid to the appropriate use of colour and shape to enhance, not detract, from the current cemetery setting.

The proposals must explain how the bicycle rack will successfully work with the existing character of the cemetery. The bicycle rack must function for the bicycling community of Toronto , and should accommodate at least three bicycles at any one time. Materials and fabrication is entirely up to the contestants, noting that it should be feasible to fabricate most, if not all of the bicycle rack in Ontario.

Judging will take place on Thursday, January 21 . The design jury will be chaired by Landscape Architect Janet Rosenberg and includes Andy Barrie , CBC; Dr. Daniel Doz , Dean of Faculty of Communication & Design at Ryerson; Daniel Egan , City of Toronto , Cycling Infrastructure and Programs; Christopher Hume , Toronto Star; and Glenn McClary, President and CEO, Mount Pleasant Group of Cemeteries.

Besides the course credit and marks, and having a great case study for their portfolios, the students have an added incentive to succeed including three cash award prizes given; $3,000 for first place, $2,000 for second place, and $1,000 for third place.

    
    Competition timeline:

    January 21   Jury review of submissions; Winners announced, Designs on
                 display - Room SID 106, School of Interior Design, 302
                 Church Street, Ryerson University
    April 5      Winning team begins to produce prototype with fabricator
    Summer       Installation of the winning bike rack design at Mount
                 Pleasant Cemetery
    

Ryerson University:

Ryerson University is Canada's leader in innovative career-focused education, offering close to 100 PhD, master's, and undergraduate programs in the Faculty of Arts; the Faculty of Communication & Design; the Faculty of Community Services; the Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Science; and the Ted Rogers School of Management.

The School of Interior Design offers the only degree program in this field in Ontario and combines intensive curriculum and in-depth professional practice with theory and contextual studies, emphasizing experiential learning in and beyond the classroom.

For more information on Ryerson's Faculty of Communication & Design, its Schools and programs, contact [email protected].

Mount Pleasant:

Mount Pleasant Cemetery is the largest private arboretum in Canada offering a majestic and peaceful retreat in the centre of the city. As one of Canada's most historic cemeteries, Mount Pleasant Cemetery has served the Toronto community since 1876. It's 200 plus acres are the final resting place of many prominent Canadians, as varied as former prime minister William Lyon Mackenzie King , Jennie Smillie-Robinson, Canada's first female surgeon, and pianist Glenn Gould .

This past summer, Mount Pleasant inaugurated a free Sunday afternoon music series with students from the Royal Conservatory that was so successful the series will return in the summer of 2010. For more information on Mount Pleasant Cemetery visit www.mountpleasantgroup.com or call 416-485-9129.

For further information: Media contact: Victoria Ollers, [phone]; or Paul Tyler, [phone]