Free bike valet service every day at Vancouver City Centre Station this summer
Throughout Summer 2023, a free secured bike parking service will be operating on a daily basis in the heart of the Central Business District of downtown Vancouver.
The bike valet service will be found at the public plaza on the southwest corner of the intersection of Granville Street and West Georgia Street, right next to the street entrance into SkyTrain Vancouver City Centre Station.
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The summer-long facility will have a capacity for up to 100 devices, and it can accommodate not just bikes, but also e-scooters, bike trailers, strollers, and other personal mobility devices.
The bike valet operating daily between June 19 and September 1, 2023, will be staffed, similar to the bike valet found at special public events and festivals in the city. Their system is similar to a coat check.
The operating hours of the service are 7:30 am to 6:30 pm on weekdays and 10 am to 8 pm on weekends. It is emphasized that all devices cannot be left overnight, and any leftover bikes after operating hours will be at the owner’s risk and stored with the Vancouver Police Department.
All users will be offered free registration with Project 529, the national bike recovery system and database.
Location of SkyTrain Vancouver City Centre Station. (Google Maps)
Location of SkyTrain Vancouver City Centre Station. (Google Maps)
The free service — operated by Better Environmentally Sound Transportation (BEST) — is made possible as a partnership with Cadillac Fairview, the owner and operator of CF Pacific Centre shopping mall, and TransLink, Downtown Van (the local business improvement association), and the City of Vancouver.
“A new bike valet service in the heart of the city means you can explore everything downtown Vancouver has to offer knowing your bike is safe and secure. Active transportation users will be able to park their wheels for a few minutes or all day and stroll the city centre stress-free knowing their rides are protected,” said Ken Sim, the Mayor of Vancouver, in a statement.
Derek Hurley, the general manager of CF Pacific Centre Office Properties, added: “As one of the largest destinations for workers, shoppers, and visitors in the downtown core, we’re thrilled to participate in the Vancouver City Centre Bike Valet program.”
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The lack of secure public bike parking facilities and the high rate of bike theft in and around the downtown Vancouver peninsula is one of the leading deterrents to cycling.
According to BEST, it provided a secure space for over 30,000 bikes at 187 event days in 2022.
“Having a downtown Vancouver location is a dream come true for The Bike Valet and our thousands of users who since 2006 have trusted our service to keep their bikes safe and have demanded more and more long-term seasonal locations like this one,” said Pablo Zacarias, the executive director of BEST.