Vancouver Cycle Home

The North Vancouver bicycle master plan has now been approved and is available on the website.

Map 3 (Bicycle Master Plan) and map 4 (which adds some lower priority routes on the peripheral) are virtually identical and a very safe master plan. I think that most of the recommended routes are easy to achieve and pretty obvious as necessary for anyone who bicycles.

The best part of the plan though is the Map 2 showing "Issues and Opportunities" which identifies the areas where there are opportunities to significantly add to the bicycle network or to improve the existing bicycle network. This mentions a number of locations where new crossings should be considered. I think that the idea is to have this in place, so that if funding comes available from other levels of government they can then create projects for these items to get the funding. I am looking forward to seeing some of these proposals.

Translink is hiring a "planning Assitant" to ride all of the bicycle routes in the lower mainland to assess a number of things about each route.

This is a great idea and I'm glad to see translink undertaking this kind of project.

Columbia St. is an important link for the Central Valley Greenway to
complete the loop back to the BC Parkway. It is also part of a bigger plan to revitalize Columbia St and transform it from an unattractive commuter thoroughfare with decaying businesses to a revitalized urban space with attractive pedestrian and cyclist ammenities and local traffic whose destination is the local business (and not the quickest route through town).

One election is over. I think it was good that many municipal politicians seemed to understand the importance promoting cycling in our communities. We will have to see if this translates into action by the municipal councils.

Before all the municipal election signs even come down it is likely that we will be heading into a federal election. Are there any cycling issues that are relevant to the Federal election? Should we be sending out questionaires to federal candidates?

If you have any thoughts on this please add a comment to this story.

David Dixon is a Mayoral candidate in the District of North Vancouver.

1. What type of bicycle riding do you do and how often?

Love my kids, 2,4 and six years old, my first bike had solid rubber tires, new sled can't even set up properly, but at 60 km/h know the brakes work. Still hit the trails for stress relief, what goes up must come down, for me as fast as possible.

Marlene Unger is a running for Council in the City of North Vancouver.

1. What type of bicycle riding do you do and how often?

When I lived in Ontario I only had a bike. Since moving here I have not ridden, my kids have bikes but they are just getting at the age where they can handle riding the city streets.(ages- 9,7&4)My husband and I were just discussing in the spring about getting bikes now that they are getting better at handling the gear changing to manage the hills.

Rod Clark is a current Councillor in the City of North Vancouver he is running for Mayor.

1. What type of bicycle riding do you do and how often?

I spin cycle 3 times a week ... in the good weather I road bike once a week or so for 5 miles plus.

The Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition (VACC) has asked questions for a number of candidates for mayor and council. Two questionaires one for mayors and another for councillors.

Sabine Jessen is running for council in the District of North Vancouver.

1. What type of bicycle riding do you do and how often?

I have done some commuter cycling from North Vancouver to my office downtown and cycling for pleasure with my daughters in areas away from traffic, such as the Lower Seymour Conservation Area, Stanley Park/False Creek Seawall, and the Richmond/Steveston Dikes.

Mike Molson is running for council in the District of North Vancouver.

1. What type of bicycle riding do you do and how often?

I am proud to tell you that I ride a 1984 Nishiki Bushwacker- reliable, fun and purchased locally from Deep Cove Bicycles.