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January 18, 2019 - 3:00 PM
VERNON - The Downtown Vernon Association is pedalling a new strategy for boosting the bicycle lifestyle and they're looking for support from city council to kickstart a new program this spring.
Angela Broadbent, active transport coordinator for the City of Vernon, submitted a report to council recommending they approve the Association's request to test out on-street bicycle parking this year. The pilot project is part of the group's "cycling strategy" which seeks to improve biking infrastructure downtown.
The report detailed how the Association is looking to test on-street bicycle parking from May to September this year. These stalls, which have been used in other major cities such as Vancouver and Halifax, provide secure parking in downtown areas for bikers, hopefully encouraging cyclists to regularly visit such spots. Broadbent noted in her report that the Association has received support from local businesses to install bicycle parking on the corner of 30 Avenue and 30 Street.
The 2019-2023 financial plan for Vernon allocated $30,000 in 2019 for improvements to bus stops and bicycle parking. The Association believes its pilot project could be achieved under the budget's limits.
The Association is also seeking to create street murals (artwork painted on roads) in an attempt to beautify the downtown area and increase cyclist traffic. The street murals would be temporary and could be maintained or removed at the City's discretion after a report on the project is submitted at the end of the regular cycling season.
Vernon council will consider the recommendation at their regular meeting on Monday, Jan. 21.
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