COQUITLAM, B.C., May 24, 2023 – Celebrate Go by Bike Week with us May 29 to June 4 with two public events to help residents learn about the health and societal benefits of cycling.
Consider swapping four wheels for two for your daily commute or even adding cycling to your recreation activities. The City has two events planned and encourages Coquitlam residents to know of the services available for cyclists, including route maps, bike repair stations and over 100 kilometres of bike routes. With the right gear, cycling is possible year-round in Coquitlam. And with the popularity of e-bikes continuing to rise, hills and longer distances are no longer the obstacles that they once were.
Go by Bike Week Events
Every year, we partner with local non-profit HUB Cycling on promotional events and activities, encouraging the health and environmental benefits of bike commuting with education, celebration stations and team or personal challenges. Coquitlam-sponsored celebration stations hosted by HUB Cycling will offer snacks, hard copies of the Tri-Cities Cycling Map, quick bike maintenance and prize giveaways.
Date: Tuesday, May 30
Time: 4 - 6 p.m.
Location: Burquitlam SkyTrain Station
Date: Wednesday, May 31
Time: 4 - 6 p.m.
Location: Lafarge-Lake Douglas SkyTrain Station
The full calendar of events can be found online at HUB Cycling. Participants are encouraged to register for free and log their cycling trips to be entered to win daily prizes. Registration also provides access to online tools for creating routes, inviting team members and more.
Coquitlam’s Transportation Future: A Conversation with Experts
Also taking place during Go by Bike Week is a panel discussion in support of the development of Coquitlam’s updated Strategic Transportation Plan. Reimagining Coquitlam’s Transportation Future: A Conversation with Experts will be moderated by Dale Bracewell, a global mobility leader and catalyst for enabling sustainable mobility to create healthy, safe communities.
Date: Wednesday, May 31
Time: 7 - 8:30 p.m.
Location: Douglas College Coquitlam Campus (1250 Pinetree Way), Main Building Room A1470
Learn more about the panelists and register at letstalkcoquitlam.ca/TransportationPlan
Coquitlam’s Commitment to Cycling
The City’s annual participation in Go by Bike Week events are just one example of our ongoing commitment to sustainable transportation. Phase 1 of the Guildford Greenway Micromobility project is set to begin construction in June, providing an upgrade to the existing painted bicycle lane on Guildford Way from the Port Moody border to Johnson Street. When completed, cyclists will have protection from vehicles through physically separated micromobility lanes - additional upgrades include improved lighting, landscaping and wayfinding as well as operational and safety improvements.
In recent years, Coquitlam has also adopted bylaw amendments, including increased numbers of bike parking spaces, bicycle maintenance and end-of-trip facilities in new buildings, to encourage cycling in the community and make it easier for future residents and commercial office users to travel by bike.
Coquitlam is closely examining the role of micromobility — the use of light transportation modes such bikes and scooters, both human-powered and electric-assist — as part of the update to the City’s Strategic Transportation Plan, given the rapid growth in demand for these forms of transportation.
Coquitlam wants to encourage sustainable modes and has also launched an e-scooter pilot coquitlam.ca/e-scooter. More recently the City launched a process to seek an e-bike and e-scooter sharing provider, with the service anticipated to launch by summer 2023.
Cycling Support
Coquitlam has over 100 kilometres of bike routes including bikeways, bike lanes and multi-use pathways. Hit the road with this virtual video bike ride that highlights routes and cycling infrastructure with notes for context and location.
For quick repairs, stop by the bike maintenance stations at Poirier Sport & Leisure Complex (633 Poirier St.) and City Centre Aquatic Complex (1210 Pinetree Way). Fully equipped with the basic tools to change a flat, adjust brakes and derailleurs, and more.
For temporary parking, use the TransLink bike parkades at Lafarge Lake-Douglas and Burquitlam SkyTrain stations.
Coquitlam micromobility users can choose their route on the go with the CoquitlamConnect app, available free through the App Store and Google Play. Find interactive routes in Coquitlam and throughout Metro Vancouver and filter routes based on skill level, as well as whether the routes are off-street, on-street or on a major street. Visit coquitlam.ca/CoquitlamConnect for details.
About Coquitlam’s Updated Strategic Transportation Plan
The City adopted the current Strategic Transportation Plan in 2012, and since then made progress in increasing sustainable transportation in Coquitlam such as walking, cycling and public transit. There have also been significant changes and improvements including the addition of SkyTrain and consideration for different kinds of street users, and emerging technologies to address climate change mitigation and adaptation.
A new Strategic Transportation Plan will provide an updated long-term vision for Coquitlam’s transportation network that integrates these changes and provides a focus on prioritizing key actions and policy changes for the next 10 years. It will also align with other City plans such as the recently adopted Environmental Sustainability Plan and the Economic Development Strategy, while also applying the City’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. Learn more at coquitlam.ca/TransportationPlan.
Media contact:
Thomas Thivener
Transportation Planning Manager
604-927-3500
epw@coquitlam.ca
We acknowledge with gratitude and respect that the name Coquitlam was derived from the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ word kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (kwee-kwuh-tlum) meaning “Red Fish Up the River”. The City is honoured to be located on the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) traditional and ancestral lands, including those parts that were historically shared with the sq̓əc̓iy̓aɁɬ təməxʷ (Katzie), and other Coast Salish Peoples.