Valet bike parking at Riverside Park in Kamloops. (Photo via Kamloops Cycling Coalition)
The Kamloops Cycling Coalition says plans for an expanded bike valet service this summer could help ease fears that people have when it comes to riding their bikes.
Co-Founder Deb Alore says the Coalition has heard from a number of Kamloopsians who say they want to ride their bikes more, but don’t because they are afraid it will be stolen, if it is left unattended.
“And so we have to address that, “Alore said. “A bike valet service is certainly one key solution that I think would be wonderful to have in this city. I’ve used bike valets in other communities and they do offer a lot of peace of mind.”
“When I take my bike out and I go on a trip, I do think very carefully about where I am going to stow my bike and will it be safe and how long will I go and so on and so forth. I think that is a concern that a lot of people have.”
Alore says a bike valet is just one solution, telling Radio NL that work to improve the quality and number of bike racks in Kamloops could also help ease those fears. She also said she hopes the program will be as low barrier as possible, noting that would help entice more people to use their bikes.
“The lack of really great parking options is a bit of a barrier,” she said. “If we can put some time and energy into thinking these processes out and come up with some solutions, this is going to give people in Kamloops the opportunity to ride their bike a little bit more.”
“Can I get my bike attached to the bike rack? How many bikes will it accommodate? Is the bike rack itself fairly secure? Are people using good locks? Could we have a lock loan program implemented in the city? There are all kinds of things we can do to address this issue.”
Bike Valet could run six days a week
City staff are asking for council’s approval to spend $69,500 from the Climate Action Fund Reserve to implement a bike valet pilot from early May to Labour Day. They propose running it between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. from Monday to Saturday.
A report from Glen Cheetham, the City’s Climate and Sustainability Manager said there are a few locations in downtown Kamloops being considered for this pilot.
“Both are centrally located and adjacent to Victoria Street and, if approved, staff will work with Tourism Kamloops, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association, to finalize the location and other logistics such as marketing and space activation opportunities (e.g. seating, lights, banners),” Cheetham said.
“Community and Protective Services staff will be consulted to ensure the space layout is safe and secure by applying crime prevention through environmental design principles.”
Cheetham previously noted that nearly 1,000 bike owners in Kamloops used the pop-up bike valets at community events like Ribfest, Canada Day, the 2023 Memorial Cup, and the Farmers Market last summer.
“The intent is to target the communing crowd,” Cheetham previously told Radio NL.
“It is really intended to provide that longer term parking solution for folks that might otherwise not be inclined to ride their bikes because of concern for the security of their bike.”
