That title – “Stanley Park for Everyone” – could easily be used by all sides of the debate, and it is. Those who oppose the bike lane maintain it deprives marginalized groups like the disabled from having (easy) access to the park. Those who advocate for it make the case that total road allocation for vehicles is unfair to the tens of thousands of cyclists – of all ages and abilities – who want to use the park.
I call it the ‘Fairness Finesse’ – using the lexicon of equity to justify completely opposite positions, but using the same language. (It’s already being done, on one hand, by who oppose parking city-wide permit fees by listing the groups for whom the proposal is unfair. There are many. And then, on the other, you can list the arguments in favour by using the same words. There are many.)
This video is by HUB, so you know it will make the case for … let’s see, how do they describe it: “Equitable access to Stanley Park for people of all ages and abilities.” But the best part is seeing the sheer volume of cyclists using the roads in a way that brings safety and pleasure.
Credit to Shaun Lang.
The Park over the last year has def. transformed. With people no longer cutting through the park and Beach ave in the morning in their cars noise levels in the park, and along Beach in general, have come down.
The end result is if you walk through there now you hear many more birds, see a lot more small critters etc.
At the end what it has shown is just how disruptive and destructive cars are to the environment, way beyond what comes out of the tail pipe.
Strangely, the businesses don’t see the hungry, caffeine starved cyclists rolling by their restaurants as potential customers. The $10 they save on parking is $10 more than can spend on food.
Other than cycling, there are many ways aging and mobility challenged people could get to Stanley Park if we were a bit more creative – seeing that is where much of the pushback is coming from.
Here are some of the ideas that could be considered:
– a free, frequent shuttle bus – at least in spring, summer and fall
– and maybe one that can hold bikes for those who are able to ride a short distance
– also to allow those with disabled stickers on their cars to enter the Park
– covered electric golf carts
– allowing taxis going to restaurants during the evenings
Most people who drive through the Park do not need to (I used to be one myself). Let’s be creative, rather than letting Stanley Park become gridlocked with cars again.