Monday, July 27, 2020

New Ride: The Pitt Pedal

We’ve got a new ride this summer: The Pitt Pedal! This COVID-compatible ride on Sunday, August 23 highlights routes around Pitt Meadows, with city and country paths for a route that surrounds nearly all of the city.

We’ll start by meeting on the south side of Pitt Meadows Heritage Hall at 2pm. From there we’ll get onto Harris Road south, past the Pitt Meadows Museum, library, City Hall and Spirit Square. Then we’ll take Hammond east to within a stone's throw from Maple Ridge onto a bike/ped pathway, south to Airport Way, west to Bonson Road past Osprey Village and onto the dike trail by the Fraser River. We’ll then follow this trail past the airport to the Pitt River, then north to Ferryslip Road and Kennedy Road onto the bike/ped path next to Lougheed Highway. We’ll take this through MacLean Park onto McMyn Road past Harris and the Pitt Meadows Art Gallery and back to Heritage Hall once again, with optional end-of-ride socializing a short distance south at Foamer’s Folly Brewing.

Our route takes us past:

  • Pitt Meadows Museum 
  • West Coast Express station and Park and Ride 
  • Pitt Meadows Public Library 
  • City Hall 
  • Spirit Square 
  • Katzie Slough 
  • Osprey Village 
  • South Bonson Community Centre 
  • Fraser River 
  • Pitt Meadows Regional Airport 
  • Pitt River 
  • Meadow Vale Shopping Centre 
  • Pitt Meadows Art Gallery

The route is about 20km with no hills and should take about 1.5 hours. (map)

This will be a casually paced ride. For legal reasons, we must ride in groups with a maximum size, so it is important to register and not just turn up at the event so we know how many riders to expect. Please note that the dike trail is unpaved.

To register, please visit our registration page on Eventbrite.

Sunday, October 6, 2019

Bike to Work Week: October 21 to 27


Pump your tires, lube your chain, check your brakes and get ready for Bike to Work Week!

For more information, go to https://bikehub.ca/bike-events/bike-to-work-week.

Saturday, August 24, 2019

East Side Ride

Ride with us us as we explore bike routes between downtown Maple Ridge and neighbourhoods to the east!

The ride is Sunday, September 15. We will meet at 2pm at Memorial Peace Park in Maple Ridge.

We have two routes planned, and we will lead one or both rides depending on interest. The shorter ride (map) is about 20 km with some elevation changes and explores downtown and the east side north of Dewdney Trunk Road, passing through Cottonwood Drive, Academy Park east of 240th, and the 248th Street area.

The longer ride (map) is about 30 km with greater elevation changes and takes in downtown, Cottonwood, Albion, Kanaka Creek Park, and Websters Corners.

Both routes start at the Memorial Peace Park bandstand and finish at the Witch Craft Pub for refueling and socializing.

To register, go to our event page on Eventbrite.

Saturday, July 13, 2019

Katzie Slough Bike Tour, July 27


Watershed Watch Salmon Society is once again partnering with us to organize the 3rd Katzie Slough Bike Tour on July 27. It's a very popular ride for all ages, with tons of stuff to learn about the Katzie Slough and why Watershed Watch Salmon Society is working on its rehabilitation as salmon habitat.

This is an easy ride. We're starting from in front of the ACT in Maple Ridge (total distance about 22 km), with the option to join the tour at the Meadowtown Mall parking lot (Dunn Ave. side) in Pitt Meadows (distance about 11 km).

For details and registration, click here.

Monday, June 17, 2019

Meeting dates from Sept. 2019 until Aug. 2020

Meetings are at the Maple Ridge Library in the Alouette Room (upstairs), every second Thursday of the month, from 6:45 until 8:45 pm.

Meeting dates for the current year up to August can be found here.

The library room has now been booked for Sept. 2019 until August 2020. Meeting dates are:

September 12
October 10
November 14
December: no meeting
January 9
February 13
March 12
April 9
May 14
June 11
July 9
August 13

Wednesday, June 5, 2019

"Maple Ridge 101" Ride Returns!

We're bringing back our "Maple Ridge 101" bike ride for 2019!

This ride is about showcasing bike routes for making practical trips around our city. You may be surprised how easy it is to get from your neighbourhood to popular destinations for shopping, dining, business, and recreation by bike.

The route is unchanged from last year. Our route takes in downtown Maple Ridge and areas to the west. We call it "Maple Ridge 101" as it uses some of our most-used paths and goes near a lot of popular destinations. We'll meet at the Bandstand at Memorial Peace Park, cycle through downtown, head past the hospital toward Hammond, then head north past Westgate, turn east, and head back into downtown, finishing at the Witch Craft Pub for refueling and socializing. Nearly the entire route is on separated bike lanes, marked bike lanes, or signed bike routes. Here's the map again:



This year's ride takes place on Sunday, June 30 at 2pm. This is an inclusive, casually paced ride. For legal reasons, we must ride in groups with a maximum size, so it is important to register and not just turn up at the event so we know how many riders to expect. To register, visit the event page on Eventbrite.

Thursday, May 17, 2018


Bike to Work Week is upon us once again!

Perhaps this is something you would like to try, but you aren't sure about a good route to take through Maple Ridge and/or Pitt Meadows? We might be able to help. If you need advice or tips on how to make a commute by bike work for you, send an e-mail to mapleridge-pittmeadows@bikehub.ca.

You can register for Bike to Work Week here. This is also where you log your daily trips, for a chance to win one of five daily bike giveaways and over $10,000 in additional prizes!

Visit one of the celebration stations in our area for a drink, a snack and a chat:

Monday May 28, 3:30 - 5:30 pm
Golden Ears Bridge, south side
supported by HUB Langley, Surrey and Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows

Wednesday May 30, 7:00 - 9:30 am
Memorial Peace Park in Maple Ridge, along 224 Street
sponsored by the City of Maple Ridge
(free quick bike tune-up, courtesy of Pitt Meadows Cycle)

Hope to see you at one of these stations!

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Meeting dates September 2018 until August 2019

Our meetings are on the second Thursday of the month.

Location: Maple Ridge Library, Alouette Room (upstairs).

Time: 6:45 - 8:45 pm.

Here's a list of the meeting dates from September 2018 until August 2019:

2018

13 September
11 October
08 November
December: no regular meeting 

2019

10 January
14 February
14 March
11 April
09 May
13 June
11 July 
08 August 

Saturday, April 28, 2018

New Ride: Maple Ridge 101

UPDATE: This ride took place in May 2018, in case you're arriving here afterwards. Don't worry though; we're planning to host this ride again in summer 2019 - come back for details!

We're hosting a community ride in May to show off some bike routes for getting around Maple Ridge. Not everyone is a seasoned cyclist and/or knowledgeable about our local network of bike paths, lanes, and routes. For newer cyclists, the routes you might take using a motorized vehicle probably aren't appropriate for use with a bike. It can also be intimidating to ride a bike in traffic. This ride is about sharing routes you may not know about to get from your neighbourhood to shopping, restaurants, and recreation, and to give you a chance to try out the routes as part of a guided tour.

Our route takes in downtown Maple Ridge and areas to the west. We call it "Maple Ridge 101" as it uses some of our most-used paths and goes near a lot of popular destinations. We'll meet at the Bandstand at Memorial Peace Park, cycle through downtown, head past the hospital toward Hammond, then head north past Westgate, turn east, and head back into downtown, finishing at the Witch Craft Pub for refueling and socializing.



The ride is Sunday, May 20, 2-4 PM. This is an inclusive, casually paced ride. For legal reasons, we must ride in groups with a maximum size, so it is important to register and not just turn up at the event so we know how many riders to expect. To register, visit the event page and sign in or sign up.

Sunday, January 21, 2018

Cycling on the sidewalk on certain street segments in downtown Maple Ridge

At Council Workshop on January 9, Maple Ridge Council had a discussion on two recommendations by the Active Transportation Advisory Committee. Here is the link to the recordings of the meeting.

The recommendations were:

1.  to ban cycling on the sidewalk on:

  • 224 Street, from North Avenue to 122 Avenue
  • Dewdney Trunk Road, from 222 Street to 227 Street
  • Lougheed Highway, from 222 Street to 227 Street
  • Edge Street, from McIntosh Avenue to Dewdney Trunk Road.


The discussion on cycling on the sidewalk starts at 1:57.

2. Reducing the speed limit on 224th Street between Lougheed and Dewdney from 50 to 30 km/h.
Discussion begins at 2:13.

This issue will go back to the Active Transportation Advisory Committee, with the request to look at extending the section of 224th to North Ave. to the south, and 122nd Ave. to the north, and also to look at the feasibility of reducing the speed limit on Dewdney.

Regarding cycling on the sidewalk:

In principle it's a good idea not to allow cycling on the sidewalk. The problem, however, is that cycling on some of these roads is too dangerous, and people on bikes tend to disregard any laws that will put their lives in danger.

For some reason the Active Transportation Advisory Committee decided to recommend to apply the changes to the by-law only to bikes, but not roller blades and skateboards. Coun. Masse would like to see those added.

Note especially the comments by Coun. Shymkiw, at 2:06. He would like to ban bikes altogether, as he feels they're the cause of all congestion and greenhouse gas emissions in Maple Ridge!

All but Coun. Speirs are in support of the cycling ban on the above mentioned sidewalks.

I sent the following personal comments to Maple Ridge Council:

Mayor and Council,

I would like to make the following comments after listening to Council members' comments  made during Council Workshop of January 9 with regard to banning cycling on the sidewalks on certain sections of streets in the downtown core.

First of all, it's nice to once again hear the voice of reason: thank you Councillor Speirs, for standing up for the needs of people on bikes of all ages and abilities, and for a healthier, more livable city that works for everyone, not just for those in cars!

The topic of cycling on the sidewalks has come back time and time again over the past decade since the by-law allowing it in Maple Ridge came into force.

I'll just repeat some points that our HUB Committee has tried to explain to respective Councils over the years:

  • The only effective way to solve the problem of cycling on the sidewalk is to give people on bikes a safe place on the road. Even if it is no longer allowed, people will continue to ride on the sidewalk (the majority will do so with due care and consideration) as long as they fear for their lives when riding on the road.
  • Under the by-law that's now to be rescinded, cycling on the sidewalk is only allowed with due care and consideration. That means that the by-law already gave the RCMP the full ability to address irresponsible behaviour. There is no reason whatsoever to assume that this behaviour will change by banning cycling on certain sidewalks. The changed by-law will, however, make our downtown less accessible and welcoming for the law-abiding segment of the cycling population, as the RCMP have already stated they will now need to go after all people on bikes who seek refuge on the sidewalk, whether they ride with due care and consideration or not.

I sincerely hope that this will not distract the RCMP from dealing with the more serious dangers on our roads: speeding, distracted driving and otherwise irresponsible behaviour by drivers who can and do kill and maim their fellow road users.

I totally understand the concern that especially elderly pedestrians have with those riding their bikes on the sidewalks "zooming" along with no consideration for the safety of others.

However, somehow the concerns that people on bikes have about hostile, aggressive and inconsiderate behaviour of some drivers (it only takes one!) continue to be entirely ignored by the majority of members of Council. As Coun. Speirs rightly stated: "there's a big difference between being scared as a senior and being dead as a cyclist".

A few more years and I'll be part of the senior demographic myself. I find it totally incomprehensible that my life only appears to matter as a pedestrian, but is seen as expendable when I happen to be riding my bike, senior or no senior. I've met numerous seniors who get around by bike, whether by necessity or by choice. I think they should be enthusiastically welcomed to our downtown, and they should be encouraged in their efforts to keep active and healthy for as long as they possibly can. We're making it pretty darn difficult for them sometimes!

Hopefully, now that the decision has been made, we can move on and do more to make people on bikes feel more welcome and safe in our downtown, and to improve designated bike routes in the downtown core, which are still mostly no more than lines on a map. There should be more to a designated bike route than merely directing people on bikes away from the more convenient and busier routes, and to the routes with all the stop signs, where the cyclist is almost always required to give the right of way to the car.  

Safer cyclists means safer pedestrians. Dangerous road conditions for cyclists means more dangerous sidewalk conditions for pedestrians AND cyclists. Increasing density in our downtown makes cycling an increasingly viable mode of transportation, but only when and if cyclists are given a safe space.

I would further like to touch on some comments made by Coun. Shymkiw, who appears to blame bikes for congestion and increased greenhouse gas emissions due to "ripping out car lanes and replacing them with bike lanes". He's even of the opinion that bikes should be banned altogether. Some on Council may seem to find his comments hilariously funny, however, we're talking about human lives here, and I feel any comments made in a Council meeting regarding life and death issues should be taken dead serious.

I would like to point out that:

  • Nowhere in Maple Ridge have road lanes been taken away from cars and given to bikes. On 203rd Street residents now have less public street parking due to the cycle track, but the available road space for moving cars has not changed. Ample street parking is still available in the area. Reduced parking on this street does not result in congestion. Cars are still prioritized above every other road user on every single road in Maple Ridge. Congestion is caused by too many cars on our roads, and a lack of viable alternative transportation options. Bikes can cause delays for cars where they are forced to use narrow road lanes, and no bike lanes, shoulders or separated infrastructure are available. The problem is poor infrastructure, not the presence of bikes.
  • Community greenhouse gas emissions in our city from transportation sources are almost entirely caused by cars and trucks - not by bikes - and they're going up. Maple Ridge has committed to reducing community greenhouse gas emissions by 33% from 2007 levels by 2020, regardless of our population growth. I find it very disturbing that reducing greenhouse gasses is seen as a joke, judging from the suggestion by Coun. Shymkiw to ban bikes and push more people into cars. Scientists are overwhelmingly in agreement that climate change is for a large part to be blamed on human activity. I think that, being among the biggest emitters in the world, as Canadians we have a responsibility to our children and to those living in the countries and regions most seriously affected by climate change, to take this issue most seriously and to offer individuals the opportunity to do their share.
  • As to cyclists inhaling harmful emissions: again, the emissions are caused by cars. People on bikes tend to avoid the main roads where feasible, mostly avoiding adverse effects on their health. As our road system presently doesn't always provide alternative routes, using (sometimes sidewalks along) the main roads is not always avoidable. In future more and more cars will be electric, and harmful effects from emissions (as well as excessive noise pollution from cars and trucks) will be significantly reduced, which is why planning for fast and convenient bike routes along the main corridors makes a lot of sense. It most definitely does NOT make sense to ban the bike. The general and overwhelming consensus is  that cycling provides numerous health benefits that far outweigh the negative health effects (lots of empirical evidence available, Mr. Shymkiw!).

With kind regards,

Jackie Chow