Free Downtown Bike Valet Launches
We are proud to partner with BEST to deliver the City of Victoria’s free Downtown Bike Valet service!
A free, coat-check style valet service for bicycles, strollers, and other forms of active transportation is opening in downtown Victoria on Friday, June 24, 2022.
The valet service will be staffed and located in a secure, covered zone at City Hall, adjacent to the Pandora Avenue cycling route. The service will be free for users and open seven days a week until early November. Initial operating hours are:
- 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday
- 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday
- 10:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Saturday
- 10:00 a.m.- 6:30 p.m. Sundays
The service is also anticipated to be open extended hours for select special events throughout the summer months.
Bicycles, including cargo, recumbent, e-bikes, and adaptive bikes, along with push scooters, strollers and other modes of active transportation are welcome. Users can leave their lights, helmets and panniers that are securely attached. All users will be offered free registration with Project 529 Garage, the bicycle recovery system used by the Victoria Police Department.
“The valet service will offer exceptional convenience and peace of mind for those looking to ride downtown, particularly for families, commuters, and visitors,” said Mayor Lisa Helps. “This pilot project is one of the ways we are working to improve bicycle parking, attract new riders and deter theft in the City.”
This service replicates other successful public bike valet services. Cities including in Vancouver at BC Place and Granville Island, and in downtown Portland, Oregon have been running similar services for years. The pilot will be operated by Better Environmentally Sound Transportation (BEST) and Capital Bike, both of whom have successfully operated bicycle valet services in Vancouver and Victoria.
For more information on the bike valet and bike parking in the City, visit: Victoria.ca/bikeparking.