Making Stanley Park car free has been a “tremendous success” in transforming people’s experience of the park, according to the general manager of the Vancouver Park Board.
Malcolm Bromley said Tuesday that the board is learning from its move to limit the seawall to people on foot, move cyclists onto Stanley Park Drive, and ban cars in the park. The change came into effect on April 8.
“People have really loved it,” said Bromley. “It put a lot more people in a safe environment to cycle. It’s been transformational, really, for the experience of the park.”
Any move to either create permanent car-free sections of set aside car-free days has to be measured against ensuring people can get to and from amenities such as restaurants at Prospect Point and Ferguson Point, he said.
“Cycling has taught us something about how the park sounds and feels when it’s quiet,” Bromley said.
“You notice more birds. It smells different. It feels different. It’s a very interesting experiment we’re doing in the name of the pandemic, and it’s teaching us some things.”
Bromley said staff is collecting data on the number of cyclists on the roadway and pedestrians on the seawall and will be reporting back to the board about how to promote active transportation around the park.