Live from City Hall

This is a liveblog of two key presentations at City Hall: The public bikeshare program and the proposed Seaside Greenway and York Bikeway, best known as the controversial Kitsilano bike lane project. Refresh this page often to read the latest updates. Just click here for background information on the bikeshare program, as well as the relevant links.

- 4:00 Public Bike Share passes City Council. Louie, Reimer, Meggs, Tang, Carr, Deal, Stevenson in favour, Affleck, Ball opposed.

- 3:57 Councillor Raymond Louie: We're learning from the "horror stories" of failed programs elsewhere. "Sharing is good." Bikeshare is an extension of motorised transit/taxi/private vehicle system, and will "help people who are mobility challenged." [I hear someone whisper, "That's bullshit!"]

- 3:55 Meggs: "General trend is an exponential expansion of bikeshare programs." Confident that the program will work. Success of bikeshare will be tied to safe cycling infrastructure. Other cities would emulate our helmet-rental technology if we can get it to work.

- 3:54 Ball: "It's clear that this is going to go through." Still, not enough financial info and we don't know enough about the helmet aspect of the program. "I sincerely hope it's successful[...] but I have many, many worries that are not satisfied yet."

- 3:35 Tony Tang: Implementation will determine success of the program. "Of course there's risk", but "this program is still a good program."

- 3:50 Mayor Gregor Robertson: Strongly in favour of the bikeshare program. Thankful to other cities for going through the growing pains that Vancouver won't have to face. "I believe this is a very good investment of our public dollars."

- 3:48 Councillor Tim Stevenson: Anything we can do to encourage people to cycle, especially women, is a good thing. $54 million per year into roads: against that, Year 1 of bikeshare isn't that pricey. Will be voting in favour.

- 3:45 Councillor Andrea Reimer: "I have every confidence" that the City has thoroughly covered its bases, including stakeholder engagement. CIty legally required to recoup costs, but cannot make money off them. Ideally, Translink would be taking this on. Current plan presents "least possible financial exposure". "Just at the beginning of this."

- 3:42 Carr: Doesn't want to see negative impact on bike rental shops. "Concerns around potential legal risks" regading city charter compliance, though she was reassured by staff that it's above-board. Use of parking fund is "entirely appropriate" because it's transportation-related. Increasing # of cyclists will decrease greenhouse gas emissions, moving us towards Greenest City goals.

- 3:38 Affleck: "A very difficult decision," but "lots of examples of failures around the world" with no success stories that he's seen. "We're talking millions of dollars of taxpayers' money" into something that's "likely to fail". Bike rental companies don't feel like they've been heard, i.e. bikeshare stations in Stanley Park? NYC's was funded privately, but Vancouver's has no such guarantee. "Puts us at risk financially and potentially legally." He does not support the bikeshare proposal.

- 3:37 Deal: Expanding roads no longer feasible, so encouraging cycling/bikeshare is the best way to fit more commuters into existing spaces. "People are ready for it."

- 3:33 Deal: "So happy to support this; it's been a long time coming." We can learn from different cities and their weather, topography, etc. "It's time to get on with it." Integrated helmet system is a opportunity to innovate. Bikeshare will "be part of our transit system."

- 3:32 Johnston: Helmet vending machines will be a component of the system in terms of recouping costs. [Though they in turn must be built and tested]

- 3:31 Councillor Elizabeth Ball: What does each bike cost? Johnston: $800 per bike per year over 5-yr term of contract. So, 4 grand per bike.

- 3:30 Affleck really wants to hear some projected membership numbers, particularly with those $95 annual memberships. Johnston won't speculate.

- 3:28 Director of Transportation Jerry Dobrovolny: We worked with Translink on this; goal is to have a system that's expandable to other municipalities, and that could incorporate the Compass Card.