During the week of September 12th, 2016 we had the pleasure of playing a role in Vancouver’s hosting of the Pro Walk / Pro Bike / Pro Place Conference. As a part of our activities, we were asked to give a short talk at the Dutch Urban Design Centre, at an event hosted by the Consulate General of The Netherlands. The following is our presentation, which compiled ten lessons for aspiring cycling cities, based on our #CyclingAbroad travels.

Earlier this year, we were lucky enough to spend five weeks in The Netherlands, to learn about the drastic cultural changes needed to shift away from the car-centric paradigm, to one that puts people first. We visited five Dutch cities (Rotterdam, Eindhoven, Amsterdam, Utrecht, and Groningen), and spoke with local politicians, planners, and citizens about the strategies utilized to improve livability, mobility, and social equity. Drawing from those experiences, we have assembled a list of ten cycling lessons for Vancouver (or any other aspiring cycling city).

1. Functional, Everyday City Bikes