Stanley Park bike lane up for Vancouver Park Board debate

There could be some heated debates around the Vancouver Park Board table Monday night.

Commissioners are set to discuss the future of vehicle traffic in Stanley Park.

This comes after a new study looked into things like how people are getting to the park, how they’re travelling within it, and what the potential challenges would be if the board continues with its current policies restricting vehicle use.

Among the various recommendations for how traffic should move through the park in the future, the Stanley Park Mobility Study, which looked at various jurisdictions around the world, as well as local data, includes proposals to keep a separated bike lane in place.

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

A few months later, in June, 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.

The subject of bike lanes has been a divisive one — both publicly and within the board.

Related articles: 

• 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 the report looks at.

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.