Vancouver to Host Velo-City Global 2012

Credit: Flickr / ItzaFineDay

Vancouver wins bid to host Velo-city Global 2012, an international conference that focuses on cycling as a re-emerging form of urban transportation

In June 2012, Velo-city will bring together 1,000 planners, transportation experts and cycling specialists for a four-day cycling conference to discuss the increasing role of cycling in urban transportation. The conference will consist of keynote speeches by cycling experts, breakout sessions on strategies for new cycling-based infrastucture and public events, such as group rides.

Velo-city was established in Bremen, Germany, in 1980 by the European Cycling Federation (ECF), a network of European cyclists that spans 39 countries. The ECF will be bringing its cycling expertise to Velo-city Global 2012 to share Europe’s successful cycling programs with Vancouver.

Cycling is already a popular choice of transportation in Vancouver—more than one out of 10 cycle to work in some neighbourhoods, reports Francis Bula. Mayor Gregor Robertson hopes Velo-city will raise further awareness in Vancouver about cycling as a sustainable, healthy mode of transportation and improve current cycling infrastructure, such as the seawall, downtown bike lanes and traffic-calmed bike routes, and in turn bringing the city one step closer to becoming the Greenest City in the World by 2020.