Celebrating 25 Years of Cycling Wins
September 6, 2023
History
In 1998, the Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition, now HUB Cycling, was established by a handful of individuals aspiring to make cycling accessible and safe.
HUB Cycling, a non-profit charity, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, culminating in a Veloversary celebration on Saturday, September 9th, in honour of a quarter century of impact. Today, HUB has more than 25 full-time staff members, 20 instructors, 10 Board of Directors, and 100,000 members, volunteers, and subscribers.
HUB Cycling’s mission is to get more people cycling more often. HUB Cycling makes cycling better through education, advocacy, and events. More cycling means healthier, happier, more connected communities.
HUB Cycling began with successes like bikes on transit and bridges, and more bike-related signage, signals, and separated paths and lanes. As the HUB Cycling community grew with volunteers and memberships, HUB continued to impact the cycling network across Metro Vancouver. In 2006, we ran our first public cycling education courses, now called StreetWise Cycling Courses. In 2007, HUB hosted its first Bike to Work Week in Metro Vancouver, and soon we became known for not just action but also education and events. Today, there are ten Local HUB Committees, representing 18 Metro Vancouver communities, each with a primary focus on working with local communities and governments to keep cycling growing.
Over the past 25 years, HUB Cycling has a lot to celebrate!
How
HUB Cycling has achieved incredible cycling achievements over the past 25 years. This was done through Events, Education, Advocacy, and Research.
HUB Cycling's volunteers and staff have been the driving force behind their advocacy efforts.
HUB Cycling has been instrumental in creating and delivering cycling education programs. Initiatives like Bike to Work Week (now Go by Bike Week) and Learn2Ride have equipped countless individuals, including children and adults, with the skills and confidence to cycle safely. HUB Cycling's annual Bike the Night and Go by Bike Week events have become iconic Vancouver celebrations.
HUB Cycling recognizes that cycling should be inclusive for all. Volunteers and staff have tirelessly advocated for equity in cycling infrastructure, ensuring it serves underrepresented groups and marginalized communities.
Who
This work was accomplished with the generous support from our members and donors who have supported HUB’s work financially. The dedicated work of HUB Cycling’s Local Committees working directly with municipalities across Metro Vancouver was critical in making cycling better in our communities. The hands-on help of our volunteers, dedicating time and energy to our events, has been instrumental in creating and delivering education programs, and advocacy work.
Our Board of Directors has tirelessly lobbied for cycling-friendly policies, resulting in the development of an extensive network of bike lanes and infrastructure, ensuring safer and more efficient commuting options.
If you want to contribute to HUB Cycling’s work, you can donate here.
Here are some of the incredible wins from the past 25 years:
- Reached over 3,000 lifetime members that are crucial in giving HUB Cycling a voice to advocate for better and safer conditions for people who bike.
- Led education programs for thousands of children and people of all ages and cycling backgrounds since 2006.
- This includes low-cost adult cycling courses out of Trout Lake and Richmond through our StreetWise Program
- Led Go By Bike Week, Bike to Shop, Bike the Night, and other events getting people cycling for 16 years. Since its start in 2007, Go by Bike Week has motivated almost 200,000 people across Metro Vancouver to cycle for transportation.
- Every year, Bike to School Week runs alongside Spring Go by Bike Week. The event began in 2013 with 17 schools participating. Last year, 137 Metro Vancouver schools participated in Bike to School Week!
- In 2022, HUB Cycling launched the Youth Advisory Committee. This youth-led group focuses on getting more youth—high-school and university-aged people—to get on their bikes.
- In 2017, HUB Cycling created the #UnGapTheMap campaign, presented by FedEx, to identify and prioritize gaps in the existing cycling network and advocate for implementing safe and accessible cycling infrastructure in these areas. HUB Cycling has identified over 400 priority gaps in Metro Vancouver's bicycle network that, if filled, would get more people cycling more often. Since it began, over 200 gaps have been filled and infrastructure successes completed as part of the campaign.
- Published six in-depth cycling research reports including:
- Launched the Newcomer Bike Mentorship Program in 2017.
- Launched the Bike Friendly Buildings Consulting program in 2019.
- Worked to allow bikes on public transit, including buses, Seabus, the West Coast Express, and the SkyTrain.
HUB Cycling has achieved significant advocacy and cycling infrastructure milestones including:
- MVA Reforms in Spring 2023
- A safe passing distance law that was passed in the B.C. legislature in Spring 2023
- $100 million new dollars for BC active transportation, significantly increasing funding for the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI) active transportation capital projects
- Worked with the provincial government, who launched an income-qualified e-bike rebate program to make cycling more affordable and accessible in June 2023
- HUB Cycling provides advice and comments on the implementation of the Active Transportation Strategy as part of the provincial External Stakeholders Working Group
- HUB Cycling is instrumental in the release of the BC Government's first-ever Active Transportation Strategy
- HUB Cycling provides feedback on the BC Active Transportation Design Guide
- Vision for the future released as part of TransLink's Transport 2050
- Protected intersection at Pacific and Burrard (Vancouver)
- Protected intersection at East 1st and Quebec (Vancouver)
- New bike lanes on 56 Ave (City of Langley)
- Protected bike lanes on 10th Ave from Cambie to Oak (Vancouver)
- Completion of Parkside and Midtown Bikeways (Richmond)
- Protected bike lanes on 80 Ave (Surrey)
- Mixed-use pathway was installed on W Keith Road (North Shore)
- Completion of Phase 1 of the Brunette Fraser Greenway near Braid Station (New Westminster)
- Upgrade to a protected bike lane along the South False Creek Seaside Greenway from Cambie to Granville Island (Vancouver)
- Southbound protected bike lane on Cambie Bridge (Vancouver)
- Complete Street upgrade of the Burrard Street corridor from Burnaby Street to West 7th Avenue, including the Burrard Bridge and one block of Pacific Avenue in each direction from the intersection with Burrard Street (Vancouver)
- The complete, temporary paving of the Arbutus Greenway for all active transportation modes
- Adoption of ambitious new urban standards to require protected bike lanes on select new roadways in the City of Surrey’s downtown core
- Widened bike lanes on Hwy 17 (Delta)
- Improvements to Seaside Greenway along Point Grey Road (Vancouver)
- Painted bike lanes on 75/76th Ave from 120th St - 128th St, 121A/122nd St from 72nd Ave to 75th Ave, 82nd Ave from 124th - 128th Ave (Surrey)
- Bike lanes on 203rd St, Michaud Crescent to Grade Crescent (City of Langley)
- Bike lanes to 32nd Ave between 264th - 276th Street (Langley Township)
- Green Necklace extension on East Keith Road, from St. Andrew’s to Grand Boulevard and north to 19th Street (North Vancouver)
- Completion of sections of the western portion of the Spirit Trail from 13th to 14th Streets, 16th to 17th Streets, Orchill Road to Gleneagles School, and Exit 0 to Raleigh Street (West Vancouver)
- Off-street MUP on the south side of Westminster Hwy from Nelson Rd to McMillan Way (Richmond)
- City of Vancouver's landmark agreement to purchase CP's Arbutus railway lands and commitment to develop a 9-km greenway
- Cycling safety improvements, including a protected barrier, added on the Stanley Park Causeway (Vancouver)
- Neighborhood bike route on Ash Street between Williams Road And Granville Ave (Richmond)
- 105 A Ave separated bike lanes in the City Centre (2016) (Surrey)
- Bi-directional protected bike lane on 203 St (Maple Ridge)
- Ironworkers Memorial Bridge east side bikeway widening completed (Vancouver/ North Shore)
- Improvements to wayfinding signage in the vicinity of the Queensborough Bridge and along the BC Parkway (Vancouver/ Burnaby / New Westminster / Surrey)
- Spirit Trail overpass on 3rd St E, between Heywood Srt. and Kennard Ave, and re-route west to St. Davids (City of North Vancouver)
- Protected/buffered bike lanes on one block of 13th St, between Lonsdale & Chesterfield (City of North Vancouver)
- Port Mann Bridge cycling and walking path completed (Coquitlam / Surrey)
- Approval of AAA Cycling Network Plan for the City of North Vancouver
- Bike route and safety improvements & traffic calming in Kitsilano (Vancouver)
- New 4 meter multi-use path on the west side of Kensington Avenue Overpass (crossing Hwy 1) and a 1.5m cycle lane on the east side (Burnaby)
- New bike path along Eighth Street by the Anvil Centre between Columbia Street and Carnarvon Street (New Westminster)
- Bike lanes on Low-Level Road (City of North Vancouver)
- Completion of No. 6 Road Pathway, a 2-way off-street multi-use pathway, part of the Westminster Highway-Commerce Parkway road widening project (Richmond)
- Commitment from the Provincial Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure and the Vancouver Park Board to improve cycling safety on the Stanley Park Causeway
- Canada Line Bridge, Cambie Bridge, and Union-Adanac Bikeway improvements approved and construction begins (Vancouver)
- Opening of Phase 1 of the Comox-Helmcken Greenway Phase (Vancouver)
- Ironworkers Memorial Bridge Bikeway widening commitment (Vancouver / North Shore)
- Railway Avenue Greenway completed (Richmond)
- North Shore cycling map developed in partnership with HUB Local Committee
- Dunsmuir and Hornby St. protected bike lanes made Permanent
- Improved access to Pemberton Heights and Westview from Capilano Rd (North Vancouver)
- The City of Richmond’s first neighborhood bike route (Crab Apple Ridge) completed
- Completion of Surrey's First Neighbourhood Bike Boulevard
- Improvements to southbound approaches to the Lions Gate Bridge and West Vancouver (2011) (North Vancouver)
- Grand opening of a pedestrian/cycling overpass over Hwy 1 and paved pedestrian/cycle paths in Tynehead Park (Surrey)
- Completion of Surrey's first neighbourhood bike boulevard route in South Surrey
- Dunsmuir and Hornby St. protected bike lane trial begins (Vancouver)
- Canada Line Separated Cycling Bridge between Richmond and Vancouver Completed (2009)
- Burrard Bridge Separated Bike Lane Trial (Vancouver)
- Opening of the Central Valley Greenway (Vancouver / Burnaby / New Westminster)
- Golden Ears Bridge bike lanes (Langley / Maple Ridge)
- Bike racks implemented on all buses
- Pedestrian & cycling improvements on the Queensborough Bridge (New Westminster)
- Assisted with the design of the Victory and Cariboo bike routes (Burnaby)
- Bike lanes on the south side of 16 Ave., 148 St. to 152 St. (Surrey)
- Bicycles allowed on the Skytrain
- Assisted with the design of the Sea to River bike route (Burnaby)
- Improvements to the Patullo Bridge mixed-use path off-ramp (Surrey)
- Improved access ramps to both sides of Pattullo Bridge (New Westminster)
- Lions Gate Bridge sidewalk widening (Vancouver / North Shore)
- The mixed-use path widened on Lions Gate Bridge and Stanley Park Causeway (Vancouver / North Shore)
- Preservation of the Lougheed Bike Lanes (Burnaby)
- Completion of the Crosstown Greenway on 7th Avenue with safe pedestrian overpass and bike signals (New Westminster)
- Creation of the New Westminster Bicycle Advisory Committee
We are celebrating these incredible highlights at our Members-only party on September 9, 2023.
Sign up here to become a lifetime member today for as little as $10 to join us at the party!