Vancouver Park Board moves bike lane discussion forward after calmer meeting

After a heated Vancouver Park Board meeting that was stopped early when the chair said commissioners felt unsafe, Tuesday’s discussion was a much calmer affair.

Only one speaker was let in at a time and security was on-site to prevent the chaos that happened Monday during debate about bike lanes in Stanley Park.

In the end, commissioners voted to move ahead with a plan to look at the future of bike lanes and vehicle traffic in the park. The report is expected back next year.

On Monday, the board was given a presentation on the current state of the Stanley Park Mobility Study, which was followed by a series of registered speakers. Over the course of that meeting, Committee Chair Camil Dumont had to sternly remind both speakers and commissioners to stay on topic.

Read more: Vancouver Park Board meeting over Stanley Park bike lanes ends in bedlam

Things came to a grinding halt Monday when the third speaker, local lawyer Phil Rankin, told the commissioners “we’ve lost faith with this board, we think it’s ideologically driven … your staff is ideological.”

The board took a recess, but when the meeting resumed, a flustered Dumont told the room he felt targeted by the comments.

“I am feeling that this is a threat to me,” he explained.

After one last attempt to recess for calm, the decision was made to postpone the conversation. Dumont said Monday commissioners and staff members “feel threatened and do not feel safe.”

Members of the gallery voiced their displeasure with the board, including one who cried out “you guys are a disgrace.”

Stanley Park bike lanes

In April 2020, changes were made to give cyclists and pedestrians more room within Stanley Park, with vehicle restrictions brought in and bike lanes set up.

A few months later, the Park Board moved to reopen Stanley Park to vehicle traffic, though some lanes remained closed for bikes. That same month, staff were asked to look at “the long term feasibility of reducing motor vehicle traffic in Stanley Park, including but not restricted to, reducing roadways to single lanes while maintaining access to the park, while increasing accessibility for those with disabilities.”

As work was conducted, the Park Board voted in November 2021 to keep the temporary bike lane set up on Park Drive until the Stanley Park Mobility Study was completed and recommendations were put forward.

Related articles: 

• Stanley Park bike lane up for Vancouver Park Board debate

• Temporary Stanley Park bike lane creates accessibility challenges

• Stanley Park bike lane opposed by coalition decrying ‘chaos, reduced access’

Some commissioners say businesses within the park have been hit hard by the separated lane, while others say a car-free park is more welcoming. There are also many accessibility concerns, which are acknowledged in the report.

The report says public and stakeholder engagement is needed before any changes are made, with safety, accessibility, economic vitality, climate action, resilience, connectivity, and experience listed as the seven guiding principles.

With files from Hana Mae Nassar and Dean Recksiedler