Yellowknifers hoping to try cycling around town this summer are in luck. A free bicycle-borrowing program is returning to the city for its second year.
Through the Shift program, which launched last year, people can reserve a bike online for two weeks. A variety of options are available to try including an e-trike, electric and non-electrical bikes and a cargo bike.
Adam Denley, who co-founded the program along with his wife Becca, said during its first year, all of the bikes were rented throughout the season and users provided a lot of positive feedback.
“I would say it was a success,” he said, adding one program participant decided to buy her own bike just five days after borrowing one from Shift.
“She fell in love with the stuff we had made available and so she just went out and bought one for herself.”
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Denley said the program, which is volunteer-run, allows residents to experience the benefits of a less car-dependent lifestyle first-hand.
“We wanted to make it free so that people could try out the lifestyle and see how suitable it is for them,” he said. “Because otherwise, if you’re just looking at the price tag, you just might never take that plunge.”
The first Shift participants this season will pick up their bikes on May 2 at Somba K’e Park.
City trialling bike lanes
The Denleys were inspired to start the program after moving back to Yellowknife from Denmark, which has a strong cycling culture.
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Denley said cycling is good for the environment, healthy and fun.
The couple have been a key part of efforts, alongside other Yellowknife cyclists, to encourage the city to develop cycling infrastructure and bike storage.
The city is currently working to develop a transportation master plan that will consider such infrastructure.
City councillors approved $10,000 in the municipality’s latest budget to trial painting bike lanes on some roadways this summer.
Denley said that’s a positive step but some cyclists may be uncomfortable using them due to the proximity to vehicle traffic. He said he hopes to speak with city staff before they begin painting the lanes to discuss things like the plan for intersections.
“I’m glad they’re doing it and it’s good that they’re doing it in a way that it’s easy to adapt when changes come,” he said, “but it would be nice if we could see some physical separation.”
