Quick, when you think of the entrance to Stanley Park, is this what comes to mind?
For many, this is their first impression: a parking lot. But others are not noticing the asphalt – instead trying to navigate through one of the most congested points in the park:
For those renting bikes at Denman and Georgia, it’s even worse:
And only the sidewalks seem like a reasonable option:
In an ideal world, some of the parking lot would be assigned for bike rental, accompanying restrooms and services, with proper separation and sufficient gathering space. But this is the domain of the Park Board. And we should know by now, when it comes to cycling, the Board really doesn’t give a damn.
You may know already, but the park is the most popular Strava route in the country (this story https://cyclingmagazine.ca/spotlight/10-popular-strava-segments-across-canada/ says it’s the second most popular route, but if you check the numbers, many more people crest Prospect Point; it’s just that the Montrealers go round and round more often). And that speaks only to the road bike riders who actually WANT to climb the Prospect Point hill. Many thousands more riders circle the park on the seawall. Further accommodations, for safety and convenience, could increase those numbers and reduce the potential for conflict or accidents between bicycles and automobiles or between bikes and pedestrians.
Stanley Park appeals to ALL – from far away tourists on a cruise or visiting friends, to locals to BCers or other Canadians.
it is THE JEWEL of Vancouver.
Yes, biking is important in Stanley Park, but so is access by other means, incl. by bus, car, wheel chair, e-scooter, skateboard or by foot.
Given the massive volume of traffic on foot, by car or on bike, the sea wall certainly could be widened as it is far too narrow in many points. Maybe charge a buck a bike to pay for it ?
Agreed, Gordon!! I’ve always found the entrance to Stanley Park to be incredibly uninspiring and car-dominated. Granted, it’s a super challenging site, given that Hwy 99 takes up nearly half the width of the super narrow isthmus of an entrance.
And, of course, Portland’s Waterfront Park is *way* more embarrassing. Naito Parkway is a lifeless car sewer, and the entire park (other than the riverwall path) is empty, dead grass–*other* than times when Portland Parks has a MASSIVE event (which privatizes half the park).
So, it sounds like our two parks departments have the same apathy toward non-car-based modes…
The parking lot down there (501 Denman) is for the adjacent Harbour Cruises dock.
https://www.boatcruises.com/faq.php
https://www.boatcruises.com/images/map_big.jpg
https://www.boatcruises.com/contact.php
The Harbour cruises parking lot is owned by the parks board—– It would be interesting to know how much rent the politically connected graham clarke pays for this public land—– If it is not needed for a park -It should be sold with the proceeds used to buy neighborhood parks elsewhere—– If it is needed for a park it should be used as a park instead of a private parking lot
B C assessment shows the parking lot is a separate lot from devonian park with an assessed value of about 2 & 1/2 million ?????? Possible that it is not public land
The whole front edge of the park from Second Beach through lost Lagoon to the Vancouver Rowing Club needs a unified overhaul. It’s such a mish-mash of poor design and half-hearted fix up projects . It’s the crown jewel… spend some money on it.
I think it is basically fine as is.
We could tunnel W Georgia / Lionsgate Bridge connector so one sees or hears less of the many cars and create some nice surface park on top. Plus widen seawall bike lanes as far too narrow.
A cut & cover road including bus lanes that could be a future subway tunnel