Tour de Gastown (Photo by Ray Van Eng)
[This article contains EXCLUSIVE INFO!]
Vancouver is being selected among other metropolises around the world including Portland, Melbourne and a number of European cities to host the 2012 Velo-City Global conference, a bi-yearly international cyclist convention. This will also be the first time since 1996 that Velo-City will be held outside Europe.
[In fact, Vancouver may well be the first North American city to host Velo-City based on information listed at the European Cyclist Federation (ECF), the organizer of the event. Outside of Europe, only Australia has ever hosted the event - Perth in 1996.]
“Velo-city will bring together hundreds of planners, transportation experts and cycling specialists from around the world to discuss the fast-growing role of cycling in urban transportation,” said Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson on October 19, 2010 when he and ECF President Manfred Neun joined announced the city’s winning bid at City Hall.
In odd-numbered years, Velo-City is mainly a European program or one that targets a specific region. For example, Velo-city 2009 Brussels and Velo-city 2011 Sevilla. In June this year, the event was global in scope and held in Copenhagen which marked the 30th anniversary of the convention that started in Bremen, Germany, in 1980.
Cyclist on Dunsmuir dedicated bike lane (Photo by Ray Van Eng)
It is estimated that 1,000 delegates and their guests will come to Vancouver in 2012 for the event which will be held in June. The exactly location of the Velo-City 2010 conference has not been decided yet. Neither is the budget which will likely be shared by the City of Vancouver, TransLink, Tourism Vancouver and corporate sponsorships. Unlike the 2010 Olympics, however, the cost is expected to be quite minor. The Province had reported on Oct 19, 2010 that City Councilor Geoff Meggs indicated the city’s cost “would be closer to $10,000 than $100,000.”
Rick Antonson, president and CEO of Tourism Vancouver is excited about the prospect of Velo-City 2012. “Not only will Velo-City generate business for the local tourism industry, it reinforces Vancouver’s reputation as a clean and green travel destination with exceptional offerings for cyclists”, he said.
Vancouver City Hall 453 West 12th Ave., Vancouver BC
View Larger Map
