The future of Stanley Park's divisive temporary bike lane is now set in pavement.
The bike lane along Stanley Park Drive was installed in 2021 to allow social distancing between cyclists and other park-goers. However, it has become a concern to some for various reasons and even caused a Park Board meeting to recess early due to a heated altercation.
Vancouverites who support the bike lane have organized protests to keep it in place.
Following a motion brought by ABC parks board commissioners on Jan. 16, it seemed like both sides of the bike lane debate will get their way. A recent vote officialized the bike lane's future.
What will happen to the Stanley Park bike lane?
The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation voted Monday night (Feb. 13) to proceed with the third of three options for what to do with the bike lane.
The third option, Option C, aims to return most of Stanley Park Drive to pre-pandemic two-lane vehicle traffic, with some exceptions.
Though most of the temporary bike lane will be removed, a few areas will be left in place for safety and accessibility reasons. These areas include Brockton Point, Lumberman's Arch to Old Pipeline Road, Prospect Point Café Parking Lot, Second Beach, and the Ceperley Meadow Area.
This option is also expected to be completed sooner than the first two, wrapping up in the late spring rather than summer of 2023.
It also costs less than the estimated $400,000 full removal cost and $220,000 less than the other two options, coming in at approximately $330,000.
Other upgrades to Stanley Park
All three proposed options included a number of additional changes and improvements to the park.
In areas where the bike lane will remain, the traffic cones and delineators will be replaced with mountable concrete curbs.
Brockton Point and Lumberman's Arch will feature a by-pass; one to by-pass the Brockton Point parking lot and the other to bypass the check gates at Lumberman's Arch to access the seawall. Prospect Point will also be upgraded to include additional coach bus parking.
An exit to the West End neighbourhood will also be constructed. Visitors can exit at Beach Avenue onto Park Lane as the fourth exit from the park, in addition to the North Lagoon and Georgia Street exit, roundabout to Georgia Street exit, and the northbound Causeway exit.
