In early June, at Lynn Valley Road & Dempsey, I chatted with a group of about 10–12 retirees on ebikes about the planned bike lane, and I was surprised they were not in favour of the second phase of the mobility lane on Lynn Valley Road.
In fact - only one person spoke - but she expressed concern about The End of the Line store & café – “I want that store to remain open” – or something similar, that others in the group didn't contradict. And I thought:
- Wait: don’t you know bikes are good for business? I guess she didn’t.
Why bikes are good for business - this is well established:
Improving access to people on bikes, people on transit, and people walking is good for business. This has been proven many times locally and globally, including by the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association (DVBIA) - who initially opposed bike lanes a couple of decades ago, and have since become strong advocates in favour of mobility lanes – because they increase foot-traffic, and result in healthier retail business.
Here are some of the facts, as I see them:
- Kilmer parking lot
- Dempsey Road
- spots at Lynn Headwaters.
- and more
a. Better Access via Transit = Busesb. Better mobility lanes, so that:
- More people can feel safe travelling there by bike - especially those who are not yet biking
- More people know there is a safe bike route so that they feel safe biking there
____
Too Many People?
Now if you feel “there are already too many people there” - that’s another topic. I suggest you spend some time reflecting on equality. Specifically: Why are you so special you deserve to access all that nature, when another person travelling there by bus, bike or otherwise doesn’t deserve the same access and privilege you enjoy? A topic for another day.____
The bottom line for End of the Line: Better mobility lanes are not going to cause it to close - quite the opposite!
The most surprising thing about the interaction to me was to find a group of people like me - who just enjoy getting around on their bike and ebike, and - whose leader at least - didn’t understand how good mobility lanes are for all road users:
- people who walk
- people who take transit
- people who roll in other ways (eg. 4-wheel mobility scooters)
- people who bike
- yes - even people who use cars & trucks (less cars on the road, because of the above!)
- The downtown Vancouver business association figured out mobility lanes were good for business
- This Canadian YouTube guy (@NotJustBikes) will help you see our urban & suburban choices differently.
- It’s not just Canada. Here is a 2023 Wired article recapping that “...installing bike lanes and making streets more pedestrian-friendly boosts the economic fortunes of a place.”
My family & I love End of the Line. The coffee & treats are great, and the gift section is simply amazing for all kinds of occasions. We often show up there on our bikes, and I look forward to seeing you there soon.
Duncan Wilcock
Lynn Valley
I ride & love my e-bike to get around town. No traffic & no trouble parking – join the fun!