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 for transportation in North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Bowen Island and Lions Bay. This includes commuting to work and school, shopping, personal trips and any other short to medium length journeys.

Announcements

• The next NS-VACC meeting will be on November 3, 2011 at 6pm in the Welsh Hall West room of the West Vancouver Public Library. For information on past meetings and agendas please refer to the Meetings page.

• Fall Bike to Work Week is from Oct 31 to Nov 6, 2011. Check out VACC Bike to Work for how to participate and where to find celebration stations on the North Shore and elsewhere in Metro Vancouver. We are planning to co-host a station with John Henry Bikes on Monday morning, tentatively at 13th and Lonsdale.

• Welch Street closure: The District of West Vancouver advises cyclists that Welch Street will be closed between Taylor Way and Capilano Road from October 4 until mid-December. When complete, Welch Street will feature concrete sidewalks, traffic signs and pavement markings, a gravel shoulder and drainage system as well as improved facilities for cycling. The corridor will be completely closed to all traffic from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday to Friday until the paving and pedestrian safety enhancements are completed. The corridor will be open 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. Monday to Friday and on weekends. Check the Welch project page for updates.

Know your Candidates on November 19th

November 19th is the day we all are supposed to go to the polls and vote for our Mayors, Councillors and School Trustees. The VACC has assembled a list of questions to send to candidates asking them to clarify their position on cycling issues. For more information visit our Election 2011 page.

It's Better on a Bike!

When many people think about riding on the North Shore they envision an armoured mountain biker riding the challenging trails that the North Shore is well-known for, or people riding for recreation along one of our many multi-use trails. But there is another type of rider on the North Shore: 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 many cases they are not a good match for City Bikers. Traveling speeds are 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

Some of the existing designated bike routes 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 sight 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. Most importantly, 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 & 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.

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.

Hill Climbing 101

While many road cyclists come to the North Shore specifically to train hill climbing on Cypress and Seymour, some of us feel that the North Shore hills can be a challenge or something to be avoided. Hill Climbing 101 has tips and techniques that make it easier getting to the top of your least-favourite hill.

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 & Other Official Entities

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

In the News and Media Releases

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

Our handbill is a colour PDF file that can be printed two sided (short edge binding) with three up per page.