Commuters and cyclists may soon see changes in Stanley Park after park board commissioners approved a multi-year mobility plan Monday that paves the way for new bus service. Good news for cyclists too! The plan is also factoring in the possibility of a partial bike lane on the west side of Stanley Park.
“We’re excited by the opportunity to reintroduce busing, public transport into Stanley Park,” commissioner Brennan Bastyovanszky said to CBC News after the vote.
Bastyovanszky joined commissioners Scott Jensen, Laura Christensen and Tom Digby in supporting the Stanley Park Mobility Study. Angela Haer voted against it. Jas Virdi and Marie-Claire Howard were absent.
Monday’s vote means that there will be a bus route along Stanley Park Drive, with service potentially starting in 2027.
Commissioners also approved amendments barring any parking garage construction, keeping Beach Avenue pedestrian-friendly with one traffic lane, and studying a permanent, partial bike lane from Prospect Point to Second Beach.
“Safety is an issue in Stanley Park. There’s no doubt about that for drivers, for people cycling,” Haer said while discussing the bike lane amendment.
Digby, who proposed the amendment, said staff should report back on feasibility and costs in time for the 2027 capital plan. “It should not impact any businesses and it should not lead to any traffic backups outside of the park,” he told CBC.
There already was a separated bike lane on Stanley Park Drive. It was installed during the COVID-19 pandemic. However it was removed in 2023 in a controversial way. Secret votes, political moves came to light in a bombshell report earlier this year.
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Canadian Cycling Magazine…