VANCOUVER -- Months after traffic patterns were adjusted in Stanley Park to make room for pedestrians on the seawall, the City of Vancouver is asking for public feedback on the changes.
The city launched the online survey on Tuesday, asking locals to give feedback on how their park experience has been impacted by the traffic changes.
In April, the park was first closed to vehicle traffic, and cyclists were moved off the seawall due to overcrowding concerns. But in late June, single-lane traffic reopened for drivers, with the other lane still reserved for cyclists.
The city's survey asks how the respondent uses the park, how frequently and how their visits changed during the pandemic.
Some of the questions include:
- If you visited Stanley Park while it was closed to vehicles, how was your park experience compared to before the closure?
- If you experienced Stanley Park and felt it was better when it was temporarily closed to vehicles, let us know why.
- If you experienced Stanley Park and felt it was worse when it was temporarily closed to vehicles, let us know why.
Respondents are also asked if they'd like the traffic configuration to stay as it is now or revert to the way it was before to COVID-19.
Not all Vancouverites have been happy with the traffic changes, with some businesses saying the lack of parking has impacted their revenue.
For example, Teahouse General Manager Jason Kelly told CTV News Vancouver in June that 90 per cent of the restaurant's clientele comes in their vehicles.
"There's no question that the new parking regulations and the new traffic regulations in Stanley Park are going to hurt our business," Kelly said when one-lane traffic reopened. "If there's no parking you have to go around the park again, people are going to turn around and not come back."
The online survey will be open until Sept. 13.
