North Shore Committee Wiki

The North Shore committee of the Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition is dedicated to enhancing the safety and feasibility of using bicycles as an alternative mode of transportation for purposeful trips in the North Shore. This includes commuting to work, shopping, personal trips and any other short to medium length journeys that do not require heavy loads or passengers.

Announcements

The next NS-VACC meeting is scheduled for Thursday August 5th, 2010 at 6:00 in the Welsh Hall West room of the West Vancouver Public Library

Streetwise Poster

Streetwise is coming to North Vancouver - July 24

Learn how to ride safely and confidently in the city. The VACC's highly recommended Streetwise cycling class is being held on July 24th at the John Braithwaite Community Centre. This fun, practical and hands‐on course is for anyone who’d like to be more comfortable riding in traffic. Through classroom and on‐road training you'll learn about the safest place on the road to ride, how to maneuver your bike effectively, communicate with other road users, handle riding at night and in the rain, and more. You’ll gain the skills and confidence you need to enjoy riding in the city!

Price is $35. Call 604-878-8222 to register.

MEC Bikefest Poster

MEC BikeFest - July 25th

The Mountain Equipment Co-op Bikefest will be Sunday July 25th between 10:00 and 4:00 at Mahon Park (Jones Ave and W 16th in North Vancouver). Admission is free and there will be free bike parking by The Bike Valet. Drop by for:

• Free clinics and demos
• Kids cycling and safety
• Cycling skills clinic
• Adult cycling safety
• Bike maintenance
• Yoga for cyclists
• Treasure hunt
• Bike ramps
• Cycling clubs and advocacy groups

NS-VACC riders at the parade

NS-VACC had seven riders in the North Vancouver Canada Day parade and handed out 500 handbills! There was a lot of interest from the spectatators about what we are working on. Thanks to Bill, Dave, Peter, Ken, Jay, Kristin and Tristan (behind the camera) for a job well done!

It's Better on a Bike!

When many people think about riding on the North Shore they envision an armoured mountain biker riding over logs and boulders or people riding slowly along one of our many multi purpose trails. Much of our cycling policy has been directed specifically toward those kinds of riders. But there is another type of rider in the North Shore that probably needs advocacy more urgently than both Mountain Bikers and Recreational Riders: The City Biker.

Advocacy

City Bikers are those riders using a bicycle for purposeful trips. They have a destination objective in mind and want to take the quickest route to get there. This includes people commuting to work or school, going to an appointment, visiting friends, shopping, etc. The municipal governments of the North Shore have all been working on plans for increasing the number of trips made by bicycle. Fundamental to realizing those plans is the development of safe and convenient infrastructure for cyclists. The NS-VACC is committed to helping make this a reality by advocating for:

Dedicated bicycle routes, paths and lanes

Multi-use paths like the Spirit Trail are valued infrastructure for recreational use and short distance trips. In most cases they are not a good match for City Bikers. Travelling speeds are very slow and the potential for conflict is high because the paths are shared with walkers, children, runners and dogs. Multi-use paths usually do not connect well with shopping areas and other important destinations. Safety is an issue where multi-use paths run through forests and parks. Multi-use paths should be provided in addition to on-street facilities, but they should not replace them. Establishing safe and dedicated bike routes for everybody is imperative to the overall safety and livability of our community.

Proper design of routes and access to them

Sometimes it seems like the designated bike routes were created by someone who is not a rider just drawing a line on a map. They have not taken into account difficulties like hills by contouring the route, safety issues like crossing traffic, parked cars and driveways, proper signal triggering access, curb drops for trail access and connector routes. Advocating for well designed routes and access is key to increasing the use of cycling as an alternative means of transportation on the North Shore.

End point facilities

Once a City Biker arrives at a destination it is not a matter of pulling out a key and locking things in the trunk. Bicycle theft is one of the most common crimes in the Lower Mainland. Cyclists are often required to lock their vehicle to trees and poles and hope that it has not been stolen or vandalized by the time they return. Additionally they need to carry helmets and bags with them wherever they go and usually have no facilities in which to clean up or change into dry clothing. We need policies in place for ensuring that all business-related destinations provide proper bike racks in plain site of public eyes, have available lockers and also shower and changing facilities for employees.

Education

Increasing the community's awareness of cycling is a major aspect of the NS-VACC's purpose. This includes media, a VACC booth at events on the North Shore, and free bike valet parking at events.

For cyclists who would like to be more comfortable and safer riding in traffic, the VACC Streetwise Cycling course is offered on the North Shore every summer.

The Method

Achieving the goal of increased ridership requires a logical approach based on Design, Education and Enforcement. Enforcement is a cost that will never go away, but to keep it manageable first requires proper Design and Education. By focusing our main effort on these latter components the NS-VACC hopes to help our communities achieve their cycling goals resulting in a healthier, fitter and happier place to live. By working together we can make this happen.

How to participate

Participating in the NS-VACC is as simple as joining us at our monthly Meetings, participating in Group Rides, contributing to our Email List or joining us at various events. If you want to help contribute to this Wiki page get to know us first then register for an account. If nothing else, just get on your bike and ride!

If you have any questions or comments that are not answered on this site please send email to nsvacc-info@cheakamus.com.

Pages

Routes and Short Cuts

Our Routes and Short Cuts page lists routes commonly used by experienced riders to get around the North Shore.

Hot Spots & Issues

Our Hot Spots page lists specific locations on the North Shore that need attention for advocacy. If you're a rider who has recently encounter a Hot Spot please see if it is listed and, if not, submit it for inclusion in the list.

Our Issues page is a more general non-location specific page to help track issues that need addressing.

Meetings

NS-VACC holds regular meetings at 6:00 pm on the first Thursday of every month. Our regular meeting location is the Elizabeth Musto seminar room of the West Vancouver Public Library at 1950 Marine Drive in West Vancouver.

For information on past meetings and agendas please refer to the Meetings page.

Group Rides

Periodically the NS-VACC holds group rides to help familiarize members with issues and locations of concern.

For more information on past and upcoming group rides please refer to the Group Rides page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are you new to riding the streets of the North Shore? Browse through our Frequently Asked Questions page for information and tips about riding in our beautiful area.

Governments and other official entities

Unlike many communities, the development of official policy concerning cycling on the North Shore involves the cooperation of many governments and counsels. For more information please refer to our Governments and Other Official Entities page.

Media

Read about the NS-VACC in the media, including our own media releases, on our Media page.