The Central Valley Greenway officially opens

central valley greenway: Pathway connects Science World with New West Quay
 
By John Colebourn, The Province

June 28, 2009

The Route Map

Cyclists yesterday heaped praise on a new 25-kilometre bike route stretching from Science World in Vancouver to the New Westminster Quay.
At the official opening of the Central Valley Greenway, cycling advocates said the new route will get people out of their cars and on bikes.

"From Science World in Vancouver to New Westminster, it is going to be a nice ride," said Richard Campbell, who is with the British Columbia Cycling Coalition and a hard-core rider, who began making a pitch for the route back in 1998.

Campbell said cycling around the Greater Vancouver area is coming of age as municipalities try to get people using other forms of transportation besides cars: "There seems to be more interest all the time."

Cliff Green, 56, commutes from Burnaby to his job in Vancouver each day and with the new bike-only route, he said it will be much safer: "I think this is an amazing route. It means I don't have to battle with traffic. This has been well done."

Arno Schortinghuis, president of the Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition, said the route is exactly what was needed to get people commuting on bikes.

"This is great, it is a beautiful east-west cycling route. There will be a lot of people commuting with this new route. For people working downtown, it will be a beautiful way to get downtown."

He said the fact cyclists are not battling traffic is a huge improvement.

Now, Schortinghuis said, additional funds should be put toward improving the B.C. Parkway bike route that runs along the SkyTrain routes from New West past Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, by Trout Lake and then down to Terminal Avenue and Science World.

With those improvements, cyclists could have a major route that would loop around the Greater Vancouver area. "They need money to put together a route like that," he added.

The Greenway's 25-km route has a price tag of about $25 million.

Cathi Schulz of Otter Lake Bamboo was at the bikeway opening providing free fencing for the bike area.

"To see this new route it is inspiring," she said. "I want to get on my bike and ride it."

Despite the hype, however, the Greenway is still a work in progress. Some minor sections have yet to be completed.

The Burnaby portion of the route cost $12 million, with $5 million coming from the city and costs shared by TransLink, the federal and provincial governments and the cities of Vancouver, Burnaby and New West.

The new trail comes on the heels of Vancouver city council approving a test project on the Burrard bridge in which a lane of the bridge is being taken away from cars and being made into a bike-only lane.

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