To everyone who was involved and showed up -

It was great to meet all of you! I'm looking forward to getting to know you better and participate in whatever events are available. I've been searching for like-minded people on cycling issues in Richmond and I'm glad to have found a good group. I know that there are a lot of people out there who do cycle on a daily basis who will probably not be directly involved in any activism, so I want to try to help them out by adding my voice if I can.

For those of you who I didn't meet, I've lived in Richmond most of my life, grew up in Steveston and have lived in the Brighouse area for the past 8 years or so. I've found Richmond to be almost naturally perfect for everyday cycling due to the urban form and the flat terrain, and other than my feet and the train and buses right beside me, that's how I get around. When I first rediscovered my love for cycling approximately 4 years ago, I lacked confidence and felt very unsafe. I know that there are many people who feel that way also through no fault of their own and that it may be the only thing keeping them from using a mode of transport that is both beneficial for their health as well as everyone else's. Admittedly, as I've grown more confident, that feeling of lack of safety has never gone away; I've just become better prepared for it.

I took a trip to Amsterdam recently as I was invited for this year's Bloomberg CityLab. It's almost like a parallel universe to see the majority of people getting around by bike, but it was also a good reality check to see that their infrastructure is also not perfect and that it takes time to make things better. It also started with the activists there - the country was headed in the same direction we continued on throughout the 60's and 70's and many highways and parking lots were built. They had a head start, but they've shown us that it's possible to create massive change. Once the bike bug bites someone, it usually doesn't let go, and it's even less likely if they feel safe and have a support network for when they don't feel safe. I was impressed by the number of mayors and city staff from around the world who attended CityLab who said that they would love to transform their cities similarly, but that political will is still a struggle. That's what we can help with. By getting more people on bikes and also being allies of pedestrians and people who need alternative forms of mobility, we can change minds exponentially.

Richmond is already not the same place it was 10 years ago, and we can push for the infrastructure to better reflect that fact, to the benefit of everyone who lives or works or visits here.

I formalized my HUB membership tonight because I can clearly see that you are a great group of people, and that you are reaching the people who are capable of making changes. I couldn't be more thankful that this community exists.

Hope to see you again soon,
--

Devyn Cairns

Good morning

Can l ask how do you feel about a bike lane on Steveston hwy between railway and Gilbert road? Would you prefer one on Williams road?

Thanks Councillor Carol Day
Richmond



On Dec 9, 2022, at 4:40 PM, Anna <ahychow@...> wrote:




City of Richmond Security Warning: This email was sent from an external source outside the City. Please do not click or open attachments unless you recognize the source of this email and the content is safe.


Hi Devyn,

We're so happy you joined us last night. Thank you for your message and for sharing your interest in cycling in Richmond and your experiences here and in Amsterdam. We really appreciate your enthusiasm for changing political will with regards to safer cycling. HUB Cycling Richmond/YVR recently has been involved with advocating for bike rail guards on city-owned trucks as has been done in Vancouver and as you heard about last night. This work is growing thanks to members like you.

Thanks for joining HUB and we look forward to seeing you again soon!

Kind regards,

Anna and Donna
Co-chairs, HUB Cycling Richmond/YVR

On Fri, Dec 9, 2022 at 1:37 AM Devyn Cairns <devyn.cairns@...<mailto:devyn.cairns@...>> wrote:
To everyone who was involved and showed up -

It was great to meet all of you! I'm looking forward to getting to know you better and participate in whatever events are available. I've been searching for like-minded people on cycling issues in Richmond and I'm glad to have found a good group. I know that there are a lot of people out there who do cycle on a daily basis who will probably not be directly involved in any activism, so I want to try to help them out by adding my voice if I can.

For those of you who I didn't meet, I've lived in Richmond most of my life, grew up in Steveston and have lived in the Brighouse area for the past 8 years or so. I've found Richmond to be almost naturally perfect for everyday cycling due to the urban form and the flat terrain, and other than my feet and the train and buses right beside me, that's how I get around. When I first rediscovered my love for cycling approximately 4 years ago, I lacked confidence and felt very unsafe. I know that there are many people who feel that way also through no fault of their own and that it may be the only thing keeping them from using a mode of transport that is both beneficial for their health as well as everyone else's. Admittedly, as I've grown more confident, that feeling of lack of safety has never gone away; I've just become better prepared for it.

I took a trip to Amsterdam recently as I was invited for this year's Bloomberg CityLab. It's almost like a parallel universe to see the majority of people getting around by bike, but it was also a good reality check to see that their infrastructure is also not perfect and that it takes time to make things better. It also started with the activists there - the country was headed in the same direction we continued on throughout the 60's and 70's and many highways and parking lots were built. They had a head start, but they've shown us that it's possible to create massive change. Once the bike bug bites someone, it usually doesn't let go, and it's even less likely if they feel safe and have a support network for when they don't feel safe. I was impressed by the number of mayors and city staff from around the world who attended CityLab who said that they would love to transform their cities similarly, but that political will is still a struggle. That's what we can help with. By getting more people on bikes and also being allies of pedestrians and people who need alternative forms of mobility, we can change minds exponentially.

Richmond is already not the same place it was 10 years ago, and we can push for the infrastructure to better reflect that fact, to the benefit of everyone who lives or works or visits here.

I formalized my HUB membership tonight because I can clearly see that you are a great group of people, and that you are reaching the people who are capable of making changes. I couldn't be more thankful that this community exists.

Hope to see you again soon,
--
Devyn Cairns

I believe Willams already has a bike lane for the most part.

I'd personally like to see more attention given to streets with a lot of commercial activity, a lot of trips are made and more could be made for shopping, or for work. Encouraging a street hierarchy with streets, which are destinations that people want to go through, and roads, which people go through to get from A to B, would be helpful. Streets can be slower and car traffic flow can be deprioritized. I'll also add that many people don't like cycling beside fast moving traffic, and wide lanes encourage people to go faster - so it's better to have cycling infrastructure where things are and where traffic is slow.

That said, I know that there are people who do travel longer distances for commutes and it's helpful for them to have a straight path with few intersections. Active transportation itself can also benefit from a hierarchy with faster connections and slower destinations.

That's my two cents though, others, especially those who live in that area, may feel differently.

On Sun, Dec 11, 2022 at 6:21 AM Day,Carol <CDay@...> wrote:

Good morning

Can l ask how do you feel about a bike lane on Steveston hwy between railway and Gilbert road? Would you prefer one on Williams road?

Thanks Councillor Carol Day
Richmond



On Dec 9, 2022, at 4:40 PM, Anna <ahychow@...> wrote:




City of Richmond Security Warning: This email was sent from an external source outside the City. Please do not click or open attachments unless you recognize the source of this email and the content is safe.


Hi Devyn,

We're so happy you joined us last night. Thank you for your message and for sharing your interest in cycling in Richmond and your experiences here and in Amsterdam. We really appreciate your enthusiasm for changing political will with regards to safer cycling. HUB Cycling Richmond/YVR recently has been involved with advocating for bike rail guards on city-owned trucks as has been done in Vancouver and as you heard about last night. This work is growing thanks to members like you.

Thanks for joining HUB and we look forward to seeing you again soon!

Kind regards,

Anna and Donna
Co-chairs, HUB Cycling Richmond/YVR

On Fri, Dec 9, 2022 at 1:37 AM Devyn Cairns <devyn.cairns@...<mailto:devyn.cairns@...>> wrote:
To everyone who was involved and showed up -

It was great to meet all of you! I'm looking forward to getting to know you better and participate in whatever events are available. I've been searching for like-minded people on cycling issues in Richmond and I'm glad to have found a good group. I know that there are a lot of people out there who do cycle on a daily basis who will probably not be directly involved in any activism, so I want to try to help them out by adding my voice if I can.

For those of you who I didn't meet, I've lived in Richmond most of my life, grew up in Steveston and have lived in the Brighouse area for the past 8 years or so. I've found Richmond to be almost naturally perfect for everyday cycling due to the urban form and the flat terrain, and other than my feet and the train and buses right beside me, that's how I get around. When I first rediscovered my love for cycling approximately 4 years ago, I lacked confidence and felt very unsafe. I know that there are many people who feel that way also through no fault of their own and that it may be the only thing keeping them from using a mode of transport that is both beneficial for their health as well as everyone else's. Admittedly, as I've grown more confident, that feeling of lack of safety has never gone away; I've just become better prepared for it.

I took a trip to Amsterdam recently as I was invited for this year's Bloomberg CityLab. It's almost like a parallel universe to see the majority of people getting around by bike, but it was also a good reality check to see that their infrastructure is also not perfect and that it takes time to make things better. It also started with the activists there - the country was headed in the same direction we continued on throughout the 60's and 70's and many highways and parking lots were built. They had a head start, but they've shown us that it's possible to create massive change. Once the bike bug bites someone, it usually doesn't let go, and it's even less likely if they feel safe and have a support network for when they don't feel safe. I was impressed by the number of mayors and city staff from around the world who attended CityLab who said that they would love to transform their cities similarly, but that political will is still a struggle. That's what we can help with. By getting more people on bikes and also being allies of pedestrians and people who need alternative forms of mobility, we can change minds exponentially.

Richmond is already not the same place it was 10 years ago, and we can push for the infrastructure to better reflect that fact, to the benefit of everyone who lives or works or visits here.

I formalized my HUB membership tonight because I can clearly see that you are a great group of people, and that you are reaching the people who are capable of making changes. I couldn't be more thankful that this community exists.

Hope to see you again soon,
--
Devyn Cairns

--

Devyn Cairns

I believe Willams already has a bike lane for the most part.

I'd personally like to see more attention given to streets with a lot of commercial activity, a lot of trips are made and more could be made for shopping, or for work. Encouraging a street hierarchy with streets, which are destinations that people want to go through, and roads, which people go through to get from A to B, would be helpful. Streets can be slower and car traffic flow can be deprioritized. I'll also add that many people don't like cycling beside fast moving traffic, and wide lanes encourage people to go faster - so it's better to have cycling infrastructure where things are and where traffic is slow.

That said, I know that there are people who do travel longer distances for commutes and it's helpful for them to have a straight path with few intersections. Active transportation itself can also benefit from a hierarchy with faster connections and slower destinations.

That's my two cents though, others, especially those who live in that area, may feel differently.

On Sun, Dec 11, 2022 at 6:21 AM Day,Carol <CDay@...> wrote:

Good morning

Can l ask how do you feel about a bike lane on Steveston hwy between railway and Gilbert road? Would you prefer one on Williams road?

Thanks Councillor Carol Day
Richmond



On Dec 9, 2022, at 4:40 PM, Anna <ahychow@...> wrote:




City of Richmond Security Warning: This email was sent from an external source outside the City. Please do not click or open attachments unless you recognize the source of this email and the content is safe.


Hi Devyn,

We're so happy you joined us last night. Thank you for your message and for sharing your interest in cycling in Richmond and your experiences here and in Amsterdam. We really appreciate your enthusiasm for changing political will with regards to safer cycling. HUB Cycling Richmond/YVR recently has been involved with advocating for bike rail guards on city-owned trucks as has been done in Vancouver and as you heard about last night. This work is growing thanks to members like you.

Thanks for joining HUB and we look forward to seeing you again soon!

Kind regards,

Anna and Donna
Co-chairs, HUB Cycling Richmond/YVR

On Fri, Dec 9, 2022 at 1:37 AM Devyn Cairns <devyn.cairns@...<mailto:devyn.cairns@...>> wrote:
To everyone who was involved and showed up -

It was great to meet all of you! I'm looking forward to getting to know you better and participate in whatever events are available. I've been searching for like-minded people on cycling issues in Richmond and I'm glad to have found a good group. I know that there are a lot of people out there who do cycle on a daily basis who will probably not be directly involved in any activism, so I want to try to help them out by adding my voice if I can.

For those of you who I didn't meet, I've lived in Richmond most of my life, grew up in Steveston and have lived in the Brighouse area for the past 8 years or so. I've found Richmond to be almost naturally perfect for everyday cycling due to the urban form and the flat terrain, and other than my feet and the train and buses right beside me, that's how I get around. When I first rediscovered my love for cycling approximately 4 years ago, I lacked confidence and felt very unsafe. I know that there are many people who feel that way also through no fault of their own and that it may be the only thing keeping them from using a mode of transport that is both beneficial for their health as well as everyone else's. Admittedly, as I've grown more confident, that feeling of lack of safety has never gone away; I've just become better prepared for it.

I took a trip to Amsterdam recently as I was invited for this year's Bloomberg CityLab. It's almost like a parallel universe to see the majority of people getting around by bike, but it was also a good reality check to see that their infrastructure is also not perfect and that it takes time to make things better. It also started with the activists there - the country was headed in the same direction we continued on throughout the 60's and 70's and many highways and parking lots were built. They had a head start, but they've shown us that it's possible to create massive change. Once the bike bug bites someone, it usually doesn't let go, and it's even less likely if they feel safe and have a support network for when they don't feel safe. I was impressed by the number of mayors and city staff from around the world who attended CityLab who said that they would love to transform their cities similarly, but that political will is still a struggle. That's what we can help with. By getting more people on bikes and also being allies of pedestrians and people who need alternative forms of mobility, we can change minds exponentially.

Richmond is already not the same place it was 10 years ago, and we can push for the infrastructure to better reflect that fact, to the benefit of everyone who lives or works or visits here.

I formalized my HUB membership tonight because I can clearly see that you are a great group of people, and that you are reaching the people who are capable of making changes. I couldn't be more thankful that this community exists.

Hope to see you again soon,
--
Devyn Cairns

--

Devyn Cairns

Loving this discussion, and particularly inspired by Devyn’s opening remarks and anecdote about how Amsterdam changed course in the 70s away from the car centric North American style towards what it is today. Happy to see another HUB member in Richmond up to the challenge of fighting for cyclists, pedestrians and those with limited mobility! Regarding the Steveston Hwy MUP the time for this discussion would have been in 2018 or 2019 when it was first proposed. As others have mentioned it is too far along now with the first phase of construction already set to begin. As others have also pointed out it is important to have connections to commercial areas like Ironwood and with the new tunnel going to have Active Transport lanes this pathway will form part of a cycling highway so to speak between Delta and Steveston. Personally I agree that Williams has too many driveways to really allow it to blossom as a AAA active transportation corridor. Anecdotally I have almost been hit half a dozen times from cars entering or exiting driveways without looking either as a pedestrian (I’ve walked 1000s of kilometers down Williams) or as a cyclist down that street. The Steveston Hwy MUP will be separated and I agree that I would love to see a green separation to buffer the street even more, although at a planned width of only 3m and potentially down to 2.5m it does feel like a project that might not live up to it’s potential. This weekend I biked my Christmas Tree home from Z&Z on Steveston Hwy and despite being a very confident cyclist it was not a fun ride. And it is easy to tell people, "just go down to Williams” but neither Gilbert nor 2 Rd are particularly safer streets to bike down. 

As for the cost of this project. Half of the funding is coming from Translink as they have identified the route as part of their regional network to connect municipalities to one another, and it makes sense for that purpose. When the route is finished it will require a fraction of the maintenance costs that our car roads incur. When you look at the capital budget for 2023 and the 5 year capital plan you can get a really good sense of how much car culture costs all of us. Many millions spent on re-paving roads (which will only get worse now that super heavy electric cars and behemoth trucks are becoming the standard and ripping up the roads faster than ever, not to mention the effects of  extreme weather events degrading the roads quicker). Active Transportation infrastructure is an investment that will inevitably allow more people to leave their cars behind and choose more sustainable modes of transport that will in turn prolong the life span of our car infrastructure and allow us to grow in a manageable way. 

It’s also important to remember that the way goods are transported is changing. Cargo bikes delivering take out, groceries, mail, and all sorts of other things are becoming more and more a part of our daily life and these essential workers need safe infrastructure to do their jobs. 

Looking through the 5 year capital budget plan it is great to see Shell Road MUP extension to River Road on there for 2024. That is another key piece to the puzzle.

Finally, one thing I wish we would all talk about more is the proliferation of car culture as we re-develop our city centre. We are blessed with an opportunity to design a City Centre fit for the future… and we are completely squandering that opportunity. While most world class cities are looking for ways to close streets to cars, removing parking minimums, trade street parking for pedestrian space or green space, create car free or car lite zones etc… Richmond is doubling down on car culture. Just off the top of my head we are expanding Cooney, Eckersley and Ketcheson roads while adding tens of thousands of parking spots in new developments walking distance to Canada Line. It is absolutely the wrong direction to be going in and will cost us so much more long term (and short term as these road extensions costs millions of dollars) than investing in safe pedestrian and cycling infrastructure will.

Anyway, thank you Councillor Day for reaching out and asking for feedback from HUB members. I hope this has been a useful discussion and given you some points of view not yet considered. I really appreciated your comments in HUBs Election Survey and am excited to have you championing Danish style separated cycling infrastructure here in Richmond!

Evan Dunfee

On Dec 12, 2022, at 9:12 AM, Graham Taylor via groups.io <grahamtaylor1954@...> wrote:

As I understand things, the section from Mortfield to Shell has already been approved and construction will begin this year.  If that is so, it only makes sense to have the route completed to Railway.  It makes a lot of people very uncomfortable  and is unsafe to have a bike lane suddenly terminate so that one is suddenly on a busy thoroughfare, i.e. the north end of Shell Road and the southern end of #3 Road.  

I agree with others who say that if there is to be a bike lane on Steveston, it must be separated from traffic because of the volume and the high speed at which people drive.  Williams does not require the separation due to the lower speeds and volume.

To those who might say why do you need bike lanes on bothe Williams and Steveston, I say would you expect a car driver to have to go a mile out of their way (1/2 mile one way and 1/2 mile back) to find a decent road.

Graham Taylor

On Sunday, December 11, 2022 at 11:54:32 p.m. PST, donna kwan <dkwan@...> wrote:

My 2 cents:

 

I will ride on a bike path such as Williams or Granville or Railway if I’m not rushed for time.  But when I’m needing to get to someplace fast, I will ride on Steveston Hwy from Steveston all the way to #5 Rd or to Country Farms over pass.  I will also, when going to work at Burnett Secondary in the morning from South Arm area,  take the shortest possible route considering traffic signals. That is, I will go along Gilbert or #3 Rd or #2 Rd and duck into Woodwards, Maple, etc. depending on green lights.  

I’m comfortable, in non rush hour traffic, to ride where there is no bike lane on busy streets. Especially when I want to shave distance and time. 

I do think it would great to have designated bike lanes/paths in Richmond but I do acknowledge that our subdivisions are mazes(our house is in the middle of Montrose Estates/South Arm) and that the roads which are straight NS and WE are the busy car thoroughfares.  To take lanes out of these would probably put cyclists on the naughty list for motorists.  That being said, I feel there is room for bike lanes on Gilbert as the GVRD has $$ set aside for the waste water treatment plant.  It would be amazing if we could have dedicated bike lanes for Steveston Hwy, Shell Rd, Hwy 99.  But then cyclists run the risk of being hated by motorists.

We don’t have the luxury like Vancouver of having a grid system of streets to have traffic calmed bike paths.  We are also an island so we have bridges/overpasses to contend with.  However, Richmond is flat and has crazy accessible marshland and river/delta vistas.  This should make us a world destination for cyclists. As Dwier Brown wrote, If You Build it, They will come. Or misquoted Ray Kinsella/Kevin Costner in the Field of Dreams.

If we develop a safe, dedicated bike paths like Greenway(which by the way, I don’t like that it’s too narrow—should have taken more of the RR tracks like Arbutus Corridor), we can and will become a North American Copenhagen/Amsterdam.  Nature gave us all we need; please put in the infrastructure to take full advantage of this.  Not only can tourists/travelers take advantage of our geography, but they can also experience true Asian culture/cuisine/shopping malls in Canada. Of course, as a bonus, cyclists will have safe routes.  And then people who would be fearful of riding on the roads will feel confident in riding in dedicated multiuse paths. More people will ride and therefore less cars.   Win win win.  Just do it!!!!

 

Are my aspirations for being a world cycling destination too high? With E-bikes, the barrier for entry for cycling has been lowered.  We just need more safe cycling infrastructure for recreation and work. E-bike touring can now become major tourist draw.

 

You’ll always stay young if you live honestly, eat healthily, sleep sufficiently, work industriously, and lie about your age.

 

Best regards,

 

Donna Kwan,

Co-chair Rmd/YVR HUB LC

 

 

From: RichmondYVR@hubcycling.groups.io <RichmondYVR@hubcycling.groups.io> On Behalf Of Stephen DesRoches via groups.io
Sent: December 11, 2022 8:26 AM
To: Devyn Cairns <devyn.cairns@...>
Cc: Day,Carol <CDay@...>; Anna <ahychow@...>; RichmondYVR@hubcycling.groups.io; Jonathan Mak <jonathan.mak@...>
Subject: Re: [RichmondYVR] Thanks for the December meet & greet

 

Good morning all,

 

Thanks for the request for feedback Carol.

 

I shook my head when I heard years ago of the plan to build a separated bike lane from #2 Road to, I'm assuming, eventually the Ironwood area. Cycling beside busy, fast-paced Steveston Highway is not my idea of a pleasant journey on two wheels.  But I do understand the rationale of eliminating the need for a Steveston resident to head north to Williams Road (a 3- to 5-minute detour) in order to venture crosstown. The Williams Road "bike shoulders" (westbound and eastbound) run the entire length of Williams Road from #5 Road to the Dike trail in the west.

 

I live adjacent to Garden City Road near Granville Ave. and have used the Williams Road bike route for the past 30 years as my preferred route to Steveston Village and surrounding neighbourhoods to the west of Garden City Road, and to the Ironwood district to the east. I have never had an incident with a motor vehicle. 

 

My cycling ability and comfort level is probably above many as I do cycle 3,000 km per year in Richmond. The Steveston Highway protected pathway will add comfort to others. In response to your enquiry, since the Mortfield Gate to Shell Road has already been approved, I think it's a foregone conclusion to support the extension of the new multi-use path to #2 Road, connecting to the #2 Road multi-use path south of Steveston Highway.

 

I do agree with Devyn in the need for point-to-point destination-based infrastructure. The Steveston Highway cycle/pedestrian path will provide a quicker journey between the southwest and southeast corners of Richmond. 

 

It is my hope that the project will include a 'green buffer' between the fast-paced Steveston Highway and the bike lane. I do get the feeling that the proposed lane will be like the existing lane along Westminster Highway, east of #6 Road - not a family friendly bike route.

 

And that would be my two cents :)

 

Regards,

Stephen DesRoches of General Currie Road

 

On Sun, Dec 11, 2022 at 7:36 AM Devyn Cairns <devyn.cairns@...> wrote:

I believe Willams already has a bike lane for the most part.

 

I'd personally like to see more attention given to streets with a lot of commercial activity, a lot of trips are made and more could be made for shopping, or for work. Encouraging a street hierarchy with streets, which are destinations that people want to go through, and roads, which people go through to get from A to B, would be helpful. Streets can be slower and car traffic flow can be deprioritized. I'll also add that many people don't like cycling beside fast moving traffic, and wide lanes encourage people to go faster - so it's better to have cycling infrastructure where things are and where traffic is slow.

 

That said, I know that there are people who do travel longer distances for commutes and it's helpful for them to have a straight path with few intersections. Active transportation itself can also benefit from a hierarchy with faster connections and slower destinations.

 

That's my two cents though, others, especially those who live in that area, may feel differently.

 

On Sun, Dec 11, 2022 at 6:21 AM Day,Carol <CDay@...> wrote:

Good morning

Can l ask how do you feel about a bike lane on Steveston hwy between railway and Gilbert road? Would you prefer one on Williams road?

Thanks Councillor Carol Day
Richmond



On Dec 9, 2022, at 4:40 PM, Anna <ahychow@...> wrote:




City of Richmond Security Warning: This email was sent from an external source outside the City. Please do not click or open attachments unless you recognize the source of this email and the content is safe.


Hi Devyn,

We're so happy you joined us last night. Thank you for your message and for sharing your interest in cycling in Richmond and your experiences here and in Amsterdam. We really appreciate your enthusiasm for changing political will with regards to safer cycling. HUB Cycling Richmond/YVR recently has been involved with advocating for bike rail guards on city-owned trucks as has been done in Vancouver and as you heard about last night. This work is growing thanks to members like you.

Thanks for joining HUB and we look forward to seeing you again soon!

Kind regards,

Anna and Donna
Co-chairs, HUB Cycling Richmond/YVR

On Fri, Dec 9, 2022 at 1:37 AM Devyn Cairns <devyn.cairns@...<mailto:devyn.cairns@...>> wrote:
To everyone who was involved and showed up -

It was great to meet all of you! I'm looking forward to getting to know you better and participate in whatever events are available. I've been searching for like-minded people on cycling issues in Richmond and I'm glad to have found a good group. I know that there are a lot of people out there who do cycle on a daily basis who will probably not be directly involved in any activism, so I want to try to help them out by adding my voice if I can.

For those of you who I didn't meet, I've lived in Richmond most of my life, grew up in Steveston and have lived in the Brighouse area for the past 8 years or so. I've found Richmond to be almost naturally perfect for everyday cycling due to the urban form and the flat terrain, and other than my feet and the train and buses right beside me, that's how I get around. When I first rediscovered my love for cycling approximately 4 years ago, I lacked confidence and felt very unsafe. I know that there are many people who feel that way also through no fault of their own and that it may be the only thing keeping them from using a mode of transport that is both beneficial for their health as well as everyone else's. Admittedly, as I've grown more confident, that feeling of lack of safety has never gone away; I've just become better prepared for it.

I took a trip to Amsterdam recently as I was invited for this year's Bloomberg CityLab. It's almost like a parallel universe to see the majority of people getting around by bike, but it was also a good reality check to see that their infrastructure is also not perfect and that it takes time to make things better. It also started with the activists there - the country was headed in the same direction we continued on throughout the 60's and 70's and many highways and parking lots were built. They had a head start, but they've shown us that it's possible to create massive change. Once the bike bug bites someone, it usually doesn't let go, and it's even less likely if they feel safe and have a support network for when they don't feel safe. I was impressed by the number of mayors and city staff from around the world who attended CityLab who said that they would love to transform their cities similarly, but that political will is still a struggle. That's what we can help with. By getting more people on bikes and also being allies of pedestrians and people who need alternative forms of mobility, we can change minds exponentially.

Richmond is already not the same place it was 10 years ago, and we can push for the infrastructure to better reflect that fact, to the benefit of everyone who lives or works or visits here.

I formalized my HUB membership tonight because I can clearly see that you are a great group of people, and that you are reaching the people who are capable of making changes. I couldn't be more thankful that this community exists.

Hope to see you again soon,
--
Devyn Cairns

-- 

Devyn Cairns