Take a walk this winter!

Winter can be a busy time for many, and with days getting darker sooner it can be a challenge to make time for leisure activities. Taking a short walk in the evening is a great way to unwind, relax, and end your day on a positive note! The fresh, crisp winter air, sparkling holiday lights, and calmer streets are lovely at this time of year.

As part of our Living Streets program, we proudly launched our Winter Festive Walks in 2021 with the Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House to promote walking in the winter months. We created these events with the goal of encouraging people of all ages and abilities to enjoy a walk/roll in the darker hours of the winter season and to show how being outdoors any time of the year can be fun! Going for a walk in your own neighbourhood or a new area you aren’t familiar with is an excellent way to connect with the local community, become more familiar with the city, and develop more sustainable transportation habits.

We organized three Winter Festive Walks in different areas in Metro Vancouver: the Spirit Trail/Lonsdale Quay on the North Shore, Lafarge Lake in Coquitlam, and Mount Pleasant in Vancouver. TransLink kindly provided Compass Cards for participants when we used transit to get to our location, and we showed participants how to reload their cards for future use! 

NORTH SHORE SPIRIT TRAIL/LONSDALE QUAY

Winding along the scenic waterfront, the North Shore Spirit Trail is a fully accessible trail providing pedestrians, cyclists, inline skaters and people with wheeled mobility aids safe access across the North Shore. A collaboration between the City of North Vancouver, First Nations, North Shore municipalities, and the provincial and federal governments, the Spirit Trail connects neighbourhoods and new landmarks with popular destinations such as Lonsdale Quay. It’s a dynamic and unique feature of the city worth checking out!

We met at the seawall by Science World in Vancouver and encouraged participants to chat with each other about walking and how it makes them feel connected. We hopped on the SkyTrain to Waterfront Station, and transferred onto the SeaBus where we arrived at the Lonsdale Quay terminal in North Vancouver. From there, we walked west to Kings Mill Walk Park, and then turned towards the Shipyards where we enjoyed beautiful festive decorations and a warm hot chocolate next to the skating rink. We caught the sunset and took in the stunning views of Vancouver’s skyline! After a refreshing break, we walked back to the Lonsdale Quay terminal where we used our Compass Cards to take the SeaBus and Skytrain back to Vancouver. 

What is there to experience?

• Walkable trail along the North Shore waterfront

• Benches and seating to enjoy the views of Vancouver’s skyline

• BCIT Marine Campus

• The Polygon Gallery

• Inuit Gallery of Vancouver 

• Lonsdale Quay Market (tons of delicious food and lovely gifts!)

• The Shipyards, an outdoor public space and retail waterfront complete with skating rink, restaurants, coffee shops, and many oceanfront lookout spots

LAFARGE LAKE

This route is set at the man-made Lafarge Lake, located in Town Centre Park in central Coquitlam. Lights at Lafarge, presented by Coquitlam Centre and produced by the City of Coquitlam, is a beautiful festival of holiday lights open to the public until January 31, 2022.

We met in the afternoon at the seawall by Science World. We initiated our activity with a stimulating conversation about walking and what it means to everyone, and made our way to the SkyTrain station. We used our Compass Cards to get on board and had a smooth journey to Coquitlam, where we disembarked at the Lafarge Lake-Douglas station. We then walked to the lake together. We enjoyed the lovely holiday lights and a leisurely stroll around the lake in the evening, taking in the festive atmosphere! We enjoyed a hot drink at the Evergreen Cultural Centre Portico, and made our way back to the SkyTrain where we used our Compass Cards to return to Vancouver. 

What is there to experience?

• Festive lights in the evening

• A calm, leisurely walk around the lake

• TransLake: an art exhibition by the SkyTrain

• Town Centre Park

• TD Community Plaza

MOUNT PLEASANT

As the final walk of the series, the Mount Pleasant walk was a great way to wrap-up a fun and successful walking program! We met in the afternoon at the Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood house on Broadway, and made our way strolling through the residential streets of Mount Pleasant. We chatted about walking, neighbourliness, and community connections as we pointed out beautiful houses, unique decorations, and historic architecture. 

We walked to the parklet at 3010 Main Street where we sat together at a large table and had great conversations with wam hot chocolates from JJ Bean! The lights from the businesses on Main Street were glowing in the dark as we enjoyed the sights of people walking by, cycling, and chatting away as a busker entertained the crowd at the parklet. The parklet, called Parallel Park, is Vancouver’s first parklet. Located just off of Main Street in front of JJ Bean, the parklet was installed in 2011 and has recently been redesigned as part of a larger initiative to transform this block into a neighbourhood plaza. The parklet was also the first to be paired with a bike corral! 

After finishing our hot chocolates, we walked along Main Street back to the Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House, pointing out different restaurants and small businesses. Walking is a great way to get inspiration for your next dinner outing! It was lovely to see people out and about in the evening with friends and family, having a bite to eat, and studying at coffee shops while the lights sparkled! Although we didn’t use transit as part of our group activities on this walk because the theme was connecting to one local neighbourhood, most participants took transit to and from the event, or cycled!

What is there to experience?

• Public mural art

• Decorated houses

• Unique and historic architecture

• Parklet with bike corral

• Parks and playgrounds

• Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House 

• Bike lanes

• Listening to stories from locals

• Delicious food and coffee 

We hope these walks encourage you to make walking a part of your winter routine! Exploring new neighbourhoods (or your own!) by walking, rolling, cycling, or however you choose to get around without a car is an excellent way to foster community ties and become more familiar with where you live. You don’t have to view walking as a workout, in fact, taking a leisurely stroll is an even better way to take in the sights and sounds of a neighbourhood and familiarize yourself with your surroundings! Walking in the evening is calming, relaxing, and refreshing.

Check out this video showing all the routes!

Where will you walk this winter? 

VMF - Foundations tour

Did you say let's go for a walk on a summer night? We don't know about you, but we couldn't resist such an offer, especially if you are telling us stories about the streets we usually wander.

We joined the guided Foundations VMF Mural Tours of the Vancouver Mural Festival. This is the 6th year of the festival and it’s loaded with new murals and activities, from August 4th to the 22nd.

You can cycle to Mount Pleasant and use The Bike Valet on weekends and holidays, Aug. 7 – Sept. 6, while you enjoy the walk along the alleys and lanes.

We did a 2 km route in one hour and a half, but in the VMF app, you can find all the murals, descriptions, and locations on an interactive map...and stay walking all day long!

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These murals have been created for the community to enjoy. The organization believes in the beautification and engagement component of the public space...because a white wall can be quite boring. These artists create pieces that spark conversations and invite the viewers to reflect on the concerns and situations that we live in these days.

The festival is a training opportunity for first-time muralists and exposure for other renamed ones.

Check the video to get inspired, but we recommend you to put on your walking shoes and go out to explore!

Happy Walking!

This blog post is written by BEST’s Isabel Garcia. #walkability

Green Timbers Urban Forest with Surrey Walks

For the second day of volunteer-led walks from the City of Surrey, we did a 2.3 km route around Green Timbers Urban Forest.

Green Timbers information post

The meeting point was the parking lot off of 100 Avenue. If you take your bike to transit, it will take you no time to cycle from Surrey Central Station. Or you could do like we did: from Surrey Central Station, took the R1, and walked one kilometer down from EB 104 Ave @144 St.

Surrey Central Station

R1 boarding lines

The best part about this route is that once you step inside, you might forget you are in the city. Big trees, bodies of water, and a diverse animal population. Beavers, ducks, herons, eagles, and chipmunks coexist in one of Surrey's largest parks.

We walked around Green Timbers Lake, a popular place for fishing towards the picnic area. Here you can find fully accessible tables with barbeque stands.

Beavers lodge

Green Timbers Lake

Accessible picnic tables

Walking under the trees

We ended with a cool-down session led by Sue Hodson from Live Well. 

Here we prepared a little video of the route.

Happy Walking!

This blog post is written by BEST’s Isabel Garcia. #walkability

Now trending: #WALKING

“Be calm. Be kind. Be safe.” - Dr. Bonnie Henry

Walking is one of the most effective remedies and a preventive measure that we all may access at no cost, and improve our health.

It has been backed by so many studies. They show that walking helps us overcome some of the most difficult moments, and in these pandemic times, we all have been living it together.

If you haven’t heard about Twitter yet, let us define it in quite a clichéd way: it is an online platform where people go to express how they feel, what is going on, and in your own style (meaning, don’t be surprised if you find messages to be impolite).

Twitter like many other social media platforms, isn’t real life, but these are places where people go to destress. Sharing your problems, many times helps. Many go on these platforms to read about what others (influencers included) think and sometimes to fight for a point of view. Twitter’s known to be quite the opinion driven, ‘intending to uphold facts’ kind of a platform, and you will be pleased to find out how positively walking has been talked about, especially since COVID-19’s lockdowns.

So, we run a simple search on Twitter with the terms “walk”, and “fresh air” during this one year that definitely set a milestone in our lives. We got thousands of results.

There are few topics that are nicer to read about than how walking encourages everyone to keep going. Oh, and the pictures are so beautiful and encouraging!

We conclude that this reflects how we have been feeling, what we have been using for dealing with the lockdown, the isolation, the staying distanced…we have been going out and walking. We have been starving for fresh air, for a serendipity moment, for hope.

We read that we stopped walking for commuting but we have walked for leisure and wellness. We have been discovering our localities better and ‘claimed’ streets for just trips on-foot.

We found out that one of the benefits of working from home is that we are working from anywhere. No one is stopping us from walking up to a park, setting up our computer, and having a productive hour or two out there. If you think this would be waste of time, think twice: you walked, stretched your legs, had time away from your screen, got out of the house with a purpose, and probably did more work than you would just be sitting at the office staring at your screen.

Some people have switched long sitting meetings for a walking meeting (weather permitting of course). We substituted eating lunch at our desks for a quick take-out run from a new local eatery place every time.

What most people agree to is that we need time away from the screen, even as you are reading this right now, well, on a screen. Moving most of our social interactions to video-conferences and webinars has stressed more than ever on the need to go out and ‘disconnect"‘. And what a better way than going for a short stroll around the neighborhood.

Since gyms and recreation spaces are at limited capacity, people have switched indoor workout for yoga in the park, or a couple of laps around the block instead of the once-beloved treadmill.

Walking helps your mind think clearly and that’s how you find yourself getting the best ideas while walking! Walking with a purpose is highly satisfying. Don’t think twice. Turn off this device and step outside.

Happy Walking!

This blog post is written by BEST’s Isabel Garcia. #walkability

Walking gets you from A to B

By now, you probably have heard about the 15-minute city and how Paris is championing this concept. (There are also 5-min, 20-min models out there, all basically hinting at the same thing) If this is new for you, let us tell you a little bit about it. A simple idea; plan and build our communities in the form that our daily needs can be covered in no more than a 15-minute walk, bike ride, or by using public transit. In fact, by any mode but a private car. The major advantage of 15-minute city neighborhoods is that they offer convenience and quality of life, but not isolation. This trend in urban design is not something that should surprise us. The cities, as we know them today, in North America are not more than 60-70 years old. Before that, they were communities where walking was as prioritized as an essential mode of transport. 

Walking with a purpose saves you time during the day and makes you feel a higher level of accomplishment than just going around a track. Being able to step outside and go to the market for your groceries, or realize that school is just a couple of blocks away is only one of the benefits of pursuing this urban trend. 

It’s surprising to notice how our travel modes shift when we travel (mostly for leisure) yet we come back to our car-centric lives when we’re back home. We usually love traveling to Europe and wander around its little streets discovering shops and businesses. We could do the same on our own streets. This is exciting but requires bold leadership and a commitment to support active transportation.

We realize that a 2-week European vacation is not as stressful as having to rush to school, to the doctor, or a playdate. Although, planning accordingly and giving yourself enough time to walk your daily trips will shift the way you interact with the city. 

Walking is not an exclusionary way to navigate across your region. The transit system in Metro Vancouver is a reliable option for going a little bit further, or when the hill is too steep, or even when you load your shopping cart more than usual.

Navigating the public transit system in Metro Vancouver

Both the City of New Westminster and the City of Burnaby know it is time to rethink and review their transportation options to direct us to a more sustainable and equitable society. An example would be the Agnes Street Greenway in the City of New Westminster or the Transportation Plan Update that the City of Burnaby is undergoing.

Counting steps instead of mileage seems like a much more fun activity to do. Still not convinced? When you walk to the places, you don’t need to worry about if there is parking or how much it costs or taking a detour just to fill up on gas!

Being aware that life circumstances vary, we are positive that as an able adult we are capable to do up to 2-3 km walk easily and comfortably. The topography is something that we cannot control, but searching for alternate routes will step up your transportation game!

Kids are welcome in TransLink

Happy Walking!

This blog post is written by BEST’s Isabel Garcia. #walkability

Isabel Garcia’s Work with Women4Climate

Women around the world are championing new ideas for sustainable cities, healthy communities, and active transportation. The Women4Climate global mentorship program is set on helping grow and support this new generation of change-makers.

Women4Climate is an initiative launched by C40 Cities to empower and inspire women to lead the charge against climate change. Through the mentorship program, emerging leaders are connected with local mayors, politicians, and women on the forefront of climate activism around the world. Mentees are supported through collaboration, creativity, and community to work towards measurable progress in sustainable development and thought leadership. With 16 cities already participating in the mentorship program, including the Canadian cities of Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal, the power of shared knowledge and experiences is rippling change and progress through major cities across the globe.

We are proud to share about BEST’s own Isabel Garcia and her involvement in the Women4Climate global mentorship program. Isabel is an avid advocate for walking and public transit as an accessible, healthy means of getting around without relying on personal automobile ownership. With a background in Sustainable Transportation and Mobility Management, Isabel is well equipped to speak about safe and comfortable traveler experiences, particularly as someone who personally moves through Vancouver on foot with a toddler and stroller. 

Isabel encourages walking and public transit as sustainable, accessible ways to get around (stroller-tested!).

Isabel is the Manager of the Living Streets Program at BEST. Living Streets seeks to encourage walking as a means of transportation and health to build vibrant, active communities and accessible transportation infrastructure. With the changes that COVID-19 brought to city life and mobility, active transportation in outdoor settings has become even more crucial in keeping communities safe and strong. The Walk30 Challenge running from May 10 to June 13 is just one way Living Streets is encouraging people to get outdoors and get moving. Isabel’s involvement with the W4C program promises to move Living Streets forward through strategic storytelling and valuable experience from her mentor, Marion Town. 

Marion is the Director of Climate and Environment with the Vancouver Airport Authority, working closely with the YVR’s Board of Directors and Executive Team to minimize negative environmental impacts at YVR and encourage sustainability and high standards. With a deep history of government work at all levels as well as a professional background in planning, Marion’s guidance and mentorship are helping Isabel develop the Living Streets Program to its highest potential and leverage communications to amplify the program’s reach.

Women are changing the world. We are excited to see this leadership and growth within our own team at BEST and thrilled to see the W4C mentorship program transforming and empowering future leaders in all cities and communities. Hats off to you, Isabel!

This blog post is written by BEST’s Molly Peters.

Walking for All. Walking with the senses.

Walking next to a lavender path, or a wall with jasmine flowers isn’t just a soothing sight for a stroll. Ever heard of aromatherapy? Aromatic plants are known for their healing and calming effects, however we often forget how effectively such a pleasant sensory experience helps kindle our memory - to locate and to identify a place. 

Walking for the senses

Many of us are fortunate to be able to walk pretty instinctively. But walking is not only being able to put one foot in front of the other and repeat. Walking is an occurrence that is highly influenced by the surroundings. Everyday happenings such as traffic noises, kids on a playground, or the melody of a busker impact how we feel emotionally. A flight of stairs might ruin my walking path, and a sidewalk full of tree roots will make walking a tad bit more attentive. Walking on grass, a glossy laminate, wood board, or on cobbled streets bears different connotations. For some, it’s the city skyline, whereas for others it’s the mountains or vintage-style houses or a bed of colorful flowers when it comes to triggers of a pleasant walking experience.

But once the sun is set, darkness falls over even on our most desired walking havens. Living in Metro Vancouver, we need to be aware of the fluctuating weather (for the most part of the year) which gives us a mix of bright sunny days (longer days during summer) and overcast days (shorter days in winter). Light influences us in a way that we feel safer and more welcome. We are attracted to festive lights, an evening along a busy street with patios, and local shops with striking window displays. We seem to need artificial lighting as much as we do the natural one.

Traffic engineers introduced light posts on roads and streets. And, at intersections, we have traffic lights that help organize vehicle traffic. Many of these intersections are equipped with begging buttons. These stop traffic allowing pedestrians a couple of extra seconds and some are fitted with voice messaging and/or beeping sounds. Blinking lights, speaker countdowns, or motion sensors are some patterns that illustrate the diversity of road users and necessities to every person.

No matter how you may say it, walk, stroll, hike, caminar, pasear, andar, टहल लो, ਤੁਰਨਾ, camminare, coiseachd, ходить, 步行, wandelen, lakad, 산책, marche, Περπατήστε, gehen, راه رفتن, gå, or 歩く, we invite you to walk more and we wish you to stay motivated and keep at it.

Happy Walking!

This blog post is written by BEST’s Isabel Garcia. #walkability

Walk for your body & mind. Get out, get walking!

For over a year, we have been under a Provincial Health Order that prohibits us from socializing in person, exercising, and performing our daily activities in ways we were accustomed to. Nevertheless, going for a walk or a hike is an activity that remains open and termed safe as per the order. We have been encouraged to walk while staying safely apart just because of the innumerable benefits attached to walking.

Suddenly, working and attending school from home has become a routine in many households. We switched the commuting, the walk for a coffee, or the simple changing classes into just moving in and out of the many zoom meetings. Call it unintended, but we’ve pressed pause on the usual reasons to take casual strolls and all the socio-personal benefits that are derived from them.

We are all aware of how these times have influenced our lives, but if there must be some positive aspect to it, then it is that we’ve reassured ourselves that being able to go for a walk is like a lifeline. Walking might be a light physical activity but it comes with a huge mental exercise bonus!

This isn’t something new or an unexpected habit change; this has been well known from ancient Greek times. The great philosopher Aristotle’s students were required to walk along during class as he taught them. This walk up and down behaviour is called peripatetic, from the Greek word περιπατητικός (peripatētikós), which means, ‘of walking’.

Walking is great for increasing blood circulation, which also means that it helps to relieve stress from our brains. This boosts creativity, problem-solving, improves our mood making us feel happier, and allows for better concentration. The physical aspect of it builds and maintains a healthy body and promotes well-being and decreases feelings of anxiety and depression. A particular relevant remark is if you practice mindful walking. This too isn’t a novel idea. For generations and in different cultures, the practice of pilgrimages, religious walks, and meditation existed. When you are walking, focusing on your steps, breathing, or simply noticing your surroundings, and how it makes you feel, you are nurturing your mental health.

You can imagine such a walk to be very relaxing. However, it will work as an energizer at the same time. Just as you hit that point in your day that all you want to do is take a nap, you should try going for a walk instead. You will probably start slow, even grumpy, but as the walk progresses (especially in a nice environment like a park or a quiet neighbourhood street), you will feel how your energy levels start going up again.

There, now you have all that you need to know about walking and that it does work wonders for your physical and mental health. Congratulations! Happens to be that today is not only our Walk30 start day but also the day on which the World Health Organization (WHO) formally instituted Move for Health Day.

Happy walking!

This blog post is written by BEST’s Isabel Garcia. #walkability

Twelfth St. - New West’s 150yr old heritage

This week we wanted to highlight local businesses and walking around your neighbourhood. 

The route takes you through one of the commercial yet beautiful streets in New Westminster. It starts at the Edmonds station, from where we took the 112 bus route. We covered another area near Edmonds station in our last week’s walk.

Starting at the outer edge, where Kingsway culminates into Twelfth st., you have a sign post welcoming you to the City of New Westminster. Did you miss the sign? Never mind, take a look at the crosswalk. Every city has a unique style to it. Could you tell?

The Upper Twelfth Street is defined in the New Westminster Community Plan as one of New West’s Great Streets. It’s an important local corridor that connects the West End and Moody Park neighbourhoods to Brow of the Hill and Downtown, as well as connecting the city to Burnaby. This corridor has also played an important role in New Westminster’s history and remains home to several buildings designed in the Art Deco style. Twelfth Street supports small-scale neighbourhood retail and commercial businesses along the corridor, providing services to the surrounding neighbourhoods. 

We were very fortunate to have Mary Wilson guide and show us the hidden gems of this part of New Westminster. There is some nostalgia about the street from its best days around the ‘40s.

Mary’s concern is that no one walks around the 12th and the area might be forgotten. Nevertheless, she stops at the corner store's facade “Isn’t this beautiful?” she asks pointing at the beautiful stores: the tiles and the flowers growing whimsically on the facades. Every store is different, some even feature murals. “I like it. I like the colours” she says.

Tile facade

Wildflowers growing on bricks

Tiles on facade

She also showed us the first mosaics in the City, a community project that she initiated in cooperation with the Parks & Recreation team and the city’s Engineering department. The mosaics were made to commemorate 150 years of the 12th. Each of them tells a story about the block they are in. They are only visible if you walk along the street.

You will be able to learn more by signing up to Jane's Walk. The artful mosaics reflect the character and culture of the street.

150 th Anniversary

Step up to 12th!

The Royal Rose

Environmental mosaic

Past views

Transportation, placed in the Crosstown Greenway.

The street is a favorite among film production teams for its unique and picturesque look. The area is well served with salons, barbershops, a laundry place, fitness centers. There are also a couple of churches for the residents in the area. 

The City added a public parklet last year as part of the COVID-19 recovery strategy. 

Parklet on 12th

We visited our partners i.e. small businesses that serve the neighbourhood nurturing people’s minds and palates. Visit Kamini’s Corner Café for homestyle food, Paradise Donair with a patio dining area, and Renaissance Books with shelves fully stacked with interesting titles. By registering on Walk30 you could win one of the $50 gift cards to spend on one of these establishments.

While we were walking down the street, we met Con. Chuck Puchmayr. What says more local than running into your city officials!

Chuck Puchmayr possing for Walk30.

We then turned on the 4th into the Historic Brow of the Hill. “It is now an eclectic mix of rental apartments, corner stores, places of worship, heritage homes, and light industrial buildings. While much has changed, the neighbourhood still prides itself on its diversity and inclusiveness heritage.”

Brow of the Hill intersection

Shortly we followed down along the 9th and walked part of what was the Cool Streets pilot project last year. What a pretty sight with all flowers blooming!

We passed the Fraser River Middle School and had some rest at Simcoe Park, a city-center access-to-nature point.

Fraser River Middle School

Simcoe Park

Simcoe Park and intersection

Keep heading along the same road and you’ll find yourself at the New Westminster SkyTrain station.

Happy Walking!

This blog post is written by BEST’s Isabel Garcia. #walkability

Walk along Byrne Creek: A nature walk connected by zero-emission transit

For this week’s walking route tour, we have a short and easy one for you. Tip: You might want to try it soon as some major changes are anticipated in the area. And this weekend is expected to be a beautiful sunny one too!

We begin the route at Edmonds SkyTrain station. Right now this route is quite a calming, but it might not be as quiet as you can expect the development of the new Southgate City - a pedestrian-friendly development - to start soon.

Speaking of future plans, this neighborhood will soon be home to the new Skytrain Control Centre but as of today, Edmonds station and bus loop has a unique design. Westbound trains platforms are at street level and the bus stop is located in a convenient roundabout. The bus shelters share an interesting display that congregates all waiting passengers at the same location in the middle of the circle.

Edmonds Station

There are several options to walk around the station, but we chose to go down on Station Hill Drive towards the BC Parkway.

We crossed to the Parkway and walked along the paved trail. Did you know that this is a pedestrian and bike lane connecting Edmonds to Downtown New West? It’s a long walk (1 hour+) to downtown, but quite inviting we must say.

Wayfinding for Active Transportation

Intersection signals

All the intersections with the road are well indicated and traffic wasn’t especially dense or fast.

On your left, you will see directions to Byrne Creek Secondary. If you hear some train track noises from behind the blackberry bushes, it’s from the SkyTrain maintenance and operations center located there.

Signs to Byrne Creek Secondary

Shared path

To New Westminster

We kept walking towards Taylor Park which can be quite busy with school kids during their break time. There’s a well equipped playground in the area along with off-leash area for our four-legged friends.

Playground

We followed some of the trail and just managed to have a peek at the Byrne Creek urban trail, but it’s a nice long nature walk, highly recommended for enjoying some fresh air. Plan your leisure time well and you’ll have a great experience!

For our return journey, we took the bus route #100. It is located at Southridge Dr and Byrnepark Dr. The #100 also is the first route where TransLink has one of its first battery-electric buses running on trials. In January, they announced that they are incorporating another 15 such buses. Preserving this pristine nature walk to the fullest with zero-emission transit, we love Metro Vancouver!

Take a look at the virtual tour.

Happy Walking!

This blog post is written by BEST’s Isabel Garcia. #walkability

The Burnaby Lake: a perfect nature-walk right within the city

Regular walking and being in contact with nature are two very important habits one must cultivate as a part of their everyday ‘To-dos’. We’re fortunate that we are able to cherish close-to-nature walking havens in the Metro Vancouver area and above all access them conveniently through public transit.

This week we take you around the Burnaby Lake. It is located in the central area of Burnaby and it is part of the Central Valley Greenway. We took the Millenium Line and arrived at Sperling/Burnaby Lake SkyTrain station. The station is a hub for three bus routes: 144 (Metrotown Station-SFU), 110 (Lougheed Station-Metrotown Station), 134 (Brentwood Station-Lake City Station).

Right out of the station, one of the outstanding features is the pedestrian and cycling overpass. This bridge was completed in 2009 is access friendly. A gentle ramp all the way up and down across the Central Valley Greenway over the Burlington Northern rail tracks.

View of the Overpass and Bus Loop from the Skytrain Station

View of the Central Valley Greenway signs

View of the Skytrain Station

We sure hope you love to walk this route as much as we did as this route that is 12.5 km long - a little longer than the usual routes that we’ve published so far. Give it 2-3 hours and enjoy a slow stroll along the route. We bet that you won’t regret it. Although it’s mostly flat, the route we did here is not fully accessible due to two portions featuring short flight of stairs.

Got kids on strollers? Or if you’re looking for an accessible route, we suggest starting the walk (clockwise) from the transit hub heading to the habitat area. This way, it is a perfect walking family day-out. This way the route is shorter viz., 5 km (approx. 1 hour long) until the Cariboo Dam. It is in this stretch where you will find the watch-tower and there are public washrooms available. A nice addition is also that this route has a couple of picnic tables convenient for having that delightful outdoor snack-time before you head back.

Within the Still Creek area sits the Burnaby Lake Nature House which also features public washrooms. If you follow trail, you will come up to two points of interests: the tower and a deck which is ideal for observing the beautiful bird-life that the park offers.

Information panel at Cariboo Dam

Information stand in the picnic area

Watching point at Still Creek

Views from the watching tower

View from the watching tower (South)

You will enjoy lush trees, blackberry bushes, and in the early spring these the flowers (see below) known as Skunk Cabbage….how interesting! Quick trivia, this wildflower grows in swampy, wet areas of forest lands. This unusual plant has a bright yellow colour and attracts pollinators (allergens alert). As for wildlife, you could see squirrels, ducks, salmon, turtles…and we also spotted a heron!

Skunk cabbage

Chipmunk

Heron

The Regional Park is not accessible for bikes although you might occasionally meet a horse from the nearby Burnaby Horsemen’s Association.

At the beginning of our walk, we passed by the sports complex. A range of activities available here. From an archery range, tennis courts, a rugby club, public pool, a playground to a rowing pavilion.

Burnaby Lake was used as a transportation route and harvesting site for thousands of years by First Nations people. The water levels of the shallow lake, we learned, naturally varied seasonally. The lake and the adjacent marshes of Still Creek expanded in size during peak rainfall periods. When you visit, you can read and learn how human intervention has affected this ecosystem through the last century. The Trans Canada Highway in the south and the factories of the industrial area with the railway along the north are some examples of how this haven has adapted, remained resilient and sustained over the years.

Hope you can experience yourself soon!

Happy Walking!

Walkable Burnaby - A fun way to explore your neighborhood

Have you heard about the RapidBus? It’s a faster and more frequent bus service introduced by TransLink on select routes. And we know it can be faster than driving your car along the same route at times! Don’t just take our word for it, we checked this while planning our route.

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Travel time by car from Burrard to E Hastings @ Gilmore.

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Travel time by RapidBus from Burrard to E Hastings @ Gilmore.

The RapidBus has more similarities to the SkyTrain than to a regular bus. Fewer, further apart stops and with a frequency of just 6 minutes, the articulated buses aren’t just more reliable but also more comfortable as they have more room.

We hopped on to the R5 from Burrard SkyTrain station. If you leave the station by the elevator, you need to turn left (head North) and go to the start of the bus line.

Burrard Station. Elevator entrance.

While aboard the RapidBus, you can sit and admire the Downtown high-rises as you zoom through different neighborhoods of Vancouver and Burnaby. We bet before you notice, you will find yourself at Gilmore Avenue (Burnaby). In our other video route from Gilmore to Brentwood we cover the southern stretch between these two avenues. That part of the Gilmore Ave has a more industrial look-and-feel to it and you see future developments happening around the SkyTrain station. The northern stretch, is a more town-like neighborhood where buildings are not very tall.

East Hastings is a buzzing colorful street filled with local restaurants with flavors from all around the world, salons, spas, and other local retailers making it the perfect neighborhood walking route.

Although there is quite a bit of traffic, this neighborhood is a crosswalk for several bus routes, sidewalk lighting, benches, garbage cans making this one of the perfect walkable neighborhood. Walking along this street by yourself is quite entertaining and is also very comfortable to do with the whole family. Full marks for walkability!

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R5 bus stop indicates bus connections, next bus departures and next stops. They have a button for audible messages as well (not shown in the picture)

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Sidewalk design at The Heights

Going north on Willingdon Avenue there is Confederation Park which is home to many recreational opportunities.

Crosswalk at Albert and Willingdon Avenue

View of the playground, public washrooms, and trees

If you are unfamiliar with the Confederation Park area, you must check it out. It houses the McGill Branch of Burnaby’s Public Library, a seniors centre, a pool and fitness center, a soccer field, a lacrosse box, a new playground, an elementary school, a water park, tennis courts, a lawn bowling green, a skate park, an off-leash dog park and convenient public washrooms. The park is well endowed with tables, benches and tall trees! Talk about facilities in a neighborhood.

The Burnaby Central Railway is temporarily closed, and for our return trip we chose the bus stop in front of the North Burnaby Neighbourhood House.

You will see in our walking tour video below that the route is mostly flat and accessible. We hardly think you’d follow our route and are sure to spend a lot more time taking the beauty of this wonderful neighborhood in.

Happy Walking!

This blog post is written by BEST’s Isabel Garcia. #walkability

Neighborhood walking tour - Promising developments in Burnaby

Burnaby is a lovely, growing city witnessing so many new developments. In this walking tour, we took a short walk-hop-SkyTrain from Gilmore to Brentwood Town Center (Millennium line). So many developments coming up, so we thought of checking out the neighborhood. For starters, every new building is putting their piece of sidewalk and bike patch which is welcome.

Talk about creating denser cities, towers in Brentwood (50+ floors) can potentially accommodate an ‘entire village’. Planning the mobility needs for that many people can quickly get challenging, especially if everyone needs to travel in their own car. Thankfully, this neighborhood is so well connected by transit, that any travel need can be met with a quick walk-transit combo. Thanks to TransLink! And the City of Burnaby is taking steps to ensure convenient and safe connectivity - walk, roll and cycle friendly.

Access to the SkyTrain station. Gilmore.

Apart from a hub for bulk shopping (Home Depot, Walmart etc.), the area is a hub for technology. In less than 15mins from Brentwood Town Centre SkyTrain station you could be at the BCIT campus with route 25 bus (which also connects to Burnaby Hospital). With such great connections, we recommend you leave your cars behind and explore this friendly town with a short pleasant walk.

Cycling infrastructure is quite improving in Burnaby. The city just finished 19 quick fixes last year and was quite deservingly felicitated with the #1 spot in the HUB Bike Awards for the 20-in-20 Infrastructure Challenge category. Way to go City of Burnaby! These new developments that we toured, as mentioned earlier, are making efforts to include walking, cycling ways around (needs improvement, but a great start).

Walk and Cycle ways outside new buildings near the Gilmore station.

The route we took is quite away from most of the noisy streets, so if you find yourself deterring walking around this neighborhood because of the noise levels - pick our route. We did the route and fully recognize that it’s not very pleasant right now because of the construction and it’s promisingly getting there, but it will serve you as a walk nonetheless without the need to drive somewhere else for it. The terrain is paved and mostly flat for a walk under 2 km. Convenient, also on a wet day (like the one we ended up picking).

Our route starts at Gilmore Skytrain station heading South. One of the first things you will notice are the train tracks crossing, which occasionally annoy with the loud noise, but kids love it. Moreover, consider watching the train from the green space in the nearby Jim Lorimer Park. The park playground has a nice set of slides too. All the more reason for that short family-time walk.

Jim Lorimer Park

The City of Burnaby considers taking steps to help its residents get closer to nature and is investing in the Gilmore Urban Trail, part of the Central Valley Greenway.

Once out of the trail there are two options to access Willingdon Avenue: one with a flight of stairs along Still Creek Drive and the other right across which requires crossing traffic. We of course opted for the former as it is more accessible. The sidewalk is a little narrow compared to the others, but enough for a person-a-time to pass, and you’ll come up to the bridge over the train tracks now. At the end of our route, is the Brentwood Town Centre Skytrain Station. Most walking routes end up turning out to be a lot different in reverse, but this one was almost the same. There’s a park near this SkyTrain station. The reverse route has several more benches along the walkway and more green space for you to stretch your legs.

Happy walking!

This blog post is written by BEST’s Isabel Garcia. #walkability

Know your transit...

The wheels of the bus go...

Public transit is the best option to complement a truly walkable community. MetroVancouver is one of the well serviced regions. Whether your destination is too far, too steep, the day is too hot or too rainy you can always take the bus and/or Skytrain.

Public transit is probably the most comfortable way to travel longer distances, especially with young kids. You might be surprised how much they love it and how well they behave. This might also be because they can travel in their beloved cozy stroller. As for you, you can sit next to them and relax, not worrying about the traffic. If they become a little bit fussy, there’s always the bear-hug or lap-time that they very much love. My (now) 2 year old and I have been traveling via the Skytrain and buses since we moved to the city and can tell you a thing or two about how convenient it has been.

Prefer the Skytrain to the bus? For all you young stroller-pushing mothers out there with doubts about boarding the bus, there are only a few simple rules to follow so that you enjoy your journey. When you arrive at the bus stop, make sure to position yourself near the boarding area. You will have priority boarding, of course after wheelchair/mobility aid users. The driver will kneel the bus (this means that it will lower down the entrance to make it closer to the curb). My little one just loves to see this!

After greeting the driver, you tap your Compass card and move toward the reserved area. The seats fold up leaving space for at least two strollers. The driver will wait until you put the breaks on your stroller. Let them know with a simple “...brakes on”.

Source: BEST

Image description: Two strollers travelling on a bus in their reserved area.

When you need to leave, let the driver know in advance so you will have priority getting off. Depending on your stroller and ability to maneuver it, you might want to back up all the way to the street, so your little one has a smoother way out.

Ah and one last thing, don’t forget to thank your driver!

For the Skytrain it is a little bit easier. Tap your Compass card, go to the elevator (most of the platforms are a level or two above/below the entrance level), and wait at the platform. Simple as A-B-C! Waiting times are usually less than 3 minutes and in no time, you can enjoy amazing views of the city. The newer trains have seat-less areas designated to give extra space for wheelchairs, strollers or bicycles, but if it is possible have a seat on the front window (that’s what I prefer). Your little one would love playing the train-driver..toot-toot!

If it works for you, plan your trip at off-peak hours where the experience is even better. Check out what precautionary measures TransLink’s taking to ensure safe transit commutes here. Always wear a mask while it’s mandatory (preferably one for your little one too) and disinfect your hands before and after boarding for that safer experience. Be safe. Enjoy transit.

Increased bus services in Surrey - TransLink

Owing to increased ridership and in line with efforts to support essential workers as we kick-start the new year, TransLink announced adding additional services in 15 bus routes in and around Surrey. Despite the steep fall in ridership last year, TransLink made efforts and had been able to maintain most services. Overall in MetroVancouver, TransLink has increased services in 27 routes. More information on TransLink’s service changes here.

COVID-19: How to safely ride transit during a pandemic?

TransLink has taken many measures to ensure safety of its riders. While promoting social distancing norms, it has also encouraged using the Compass Card (which by the way can be remotely loaded through the website or Park&Go app) supporting contactless payments.

Firstly, the basics. If you’re unwell, stay home and help keep our community safe. While on transit and waiting at platforms, please wear a mask. An added precaution is also to remain as silent as possible. This not only prevents the remote chance of transmission but also allows one to be polite to others. Physical distancing is encouraged, but might not be very effective during peak hours. Planning ahead and working towards adjusting your timings to skip the rush-hour is always helpful. That way you don’t rush and can mindfully take the transit while following all safety precautions. 

TransLink is the first transit operator in North America to install and test Copper and Organosilane coated surfaces on buses. Copper alloy surfaces are naturally antimicrobial with self-sanitizing properties. Literature shows that copper alloy surfaces destroy up to 99.9% of bacteria and viruses within four hours. Organosilane is a wipe-on coating that can provide long-lasting protection against damaging microbes such as bacteria, mold, mildew and many viruses. When used in tandem with good hygiene and cleaning protocols, copper and organosilanes can help inhibit the buildup and growth of viruses and bacteria. Currently there are 2 buses and 2 SkyTrain cars featuring these installations. Learn more about it here.

TransLink (TL) has deployed Pit Crews for cleaning surfaces on transit frequently (platforms, stations and even the interiors of trains). In addition to daily schedules, buses, HandyDART vehicles are being cleaned twice a week to ensure disinfection of high touch surfaces.

Do make sure to subscribe to Transit Alerts on TL’s website or follow them on social media for regular updates about services. More information on TL’s COVID-19 precautions here.

Walkable New Westminster - A short walking tour of the Agnes Street Greenway

Source: www.newwestcity.ca

Image description: Map with the Greenway intervention phases

Happy New Year! What better way to welcome the new year than taking a stroll down the neighborhood. Especially, when it’s a new walkability project!

The Agnes Street Greenway is a part of the City of New Westminster’s commitment to sustainable transportation and climate emergency response. This is a new 1.2-kilometre greenway along Agnes Street to support Active Transportation.

Always excited about new infrastructure advancements promoting walkability, we could not wait to experience it ourselves and virtually take you on a tour. As a part of the engagement process, the City has been installing an interim greenway using temporary materials along a portion of the designated route. The temporary route will run along Agnes Street from First Street in the east, connecting south onto Lorne Street before terminating at Carnarvon Street. 

Video shot on relive.cc APP

We took the Phase-1 route. This route connects, in about 15 minutes walk, Queen’s Park with New Westminster Skytrain Station. It is comfortable to walk and a relief from the noisy streets. Owing to the route's elevation, you are treated to great views of the river. We noticed some shared pathways which encourages all road users to be more aware of their surroundings.

The elevation is mostly flat with the exception of Lorne Street where the BC Provincial Court building is located. This area might be challenging due the natural inclination of Lorne and its connection with Agnes by stairs. You might find it safer to share the lane with cyclists in this section because the sidewalk provides access to the Court garages.

If you have difficulty using stairs, we recommend you take a detour through Carnarvon Street until Fourth and then head up back to Agnes. If you are cycling and/or able, you might use the short bicycle ramp/stairway.

Source: BEST

Image description: a mother pushing a baby stroller in front of the Agnes-Lorne intersection

Still under construction, the bike lane intersections look like they will be protected from the vehicular traffic, but they will need to share lanes with pedestrians at certain nodes.

In the images below you can see Agnes-Fourth intersection lined with protected (concrete markers) bike lanes.

Source: BEST

Image description: Provisional intersection Agnes-Fourth

One of the added benefits of this route is that it will expand the mobility choices for the students and staff of the École Qayqayt. The Merivale intersection is a traffic calmed zone (speed limit 30km/h) where the bike lane merges into the curb extension creating a shared space for cyclists and pedestrians.

Source: BEST

Image description: Provisional intersection where the bike lane merges into the sidewalk

Active Transportation allows us to move safely and responsibly in our communities and more so grown in popularity since the pandemic. 

So there you have it, our short take on the Agnes Greenway project. Check it our for yourself and we encourage you to share your inputs with the City. It will be considered by the project design team as they create a greenway that is safe, comfortable, and accessible for people of all ages and abilities in this link. Help design your neighbourhood better. More about it here.

Happy walking!

This article is written by BEST’s Isabel Garcia. #walkability