The Vancouver Park Board voted to remove the temporary bike lane along Stanley Park Drive back in February but it’s not going without a fight.
On Sunday, Protesters came out to share their dismay over the board’s decision and they say removing the protected bike lane is putting the lives of cyclists at risk.
“People are stunned that this bicycle lane is coming out,” according to Hub Cycling’s park board liaison Lisa Slakov.
“People need it for safety, for enjoyment. It’s the direction that cities and parks are going all over the world and somehow Vancouver is now moving in the opposite direction and ripping out bike lanes.”
The temporary bike lane was set up in 2020 during the pandemic when cars were banned from driving on park roads before being brought back in June later that year.
The city began dismantling part of the lane back in December last year with a plan to create a permanent bike lane by 2024.
A post on the City of Vancouver website says the seawall will remain open for cyclists, providing cyclists the option to ride on either the seawall or Stanley Park Drive.
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But Slakov says that’s not good enough.
“There’s storm action happening on the far side of the park that regularly causes it to be closed. So, when that happens, there’s very little way for anybody walking and biking to access the park,” Slakov explained.
A staff report to the Park Board outlined three options for the bike lane. Ultimately, staff voted on option C at an estimated cost of $330,000.
This plan removes most of the bike lane, which is set to be fully removed by the end of May.