A petition calling for changes to a proposed bike lane on Eaglewind Boulevard, and the preservation of on-street parking, was added to today’s District of Squamish council meeting agenda.
Submitted by local business owner Dr. Brandon Baker, of Garibaldi Eye Care, he says the petition has gathered more than 300 signatures, along with dozens of written comments from residents and customers concerned about the potential loss of parking along the corridor.
The issue has drawn support from many local organizations and businesses in the area, including Peak Integrated Health, BreatheWorks Studio, Element Pilates Studio, the 55 Activity Centre and the Squamish Chamber of Commerce.
Baker, whose business sits on Eaglewind Boulevard, said the petition asks council to reconsider the current plan and retain parking on at least one side of the street.
“We have over 300 signatures… and over 60 comments from residents and patrons stating how this is going to affect them on their day-to-day and to access health care and wellness,” Dr. Baker said.
The petition was first submitted in late February but, according to Baker, did not initially receive a response. It has since been acknowledged and added to the agenda, but Baker is still waiting for an opportunity to speak to council directly.
Baker said his primary concern is not opposition to cycling infrastructure, but the potential impact on accessibility for patients visiting health and wellness businesses in the area.
“What I am is pro-accessibility,” he said. “All the businesses around that area are health care or wellness. To restrict people from accessing these services is a disservice to the community.”
He noted that many patients are older or have mobility challenges, and may struggle to walk longer distances if nearby parking is removed.
“To assume that everyone is 25 to 55 and an athlete is negligent to people that are, say, 70 or 75 with mobility restrictions,” he said. “They may need to walk two and a half blocks in the rain to access services.”
Concerns raised in letters submitted to council echo those points, particularly around access for seniors and the concentration of health services along Eaglewind Boulevard.
In a letter to council, the Squamish 55+ Community Society wrote that “the removal of parking spaces does not serve the greater good,” noting that the area functions as a hub for seniors accessing wellness services and programs.
“There currently is insufficient parking available to meet the needs of seniors accessing these venues, many of whom have mobility issues which makes nearby parking a necessity,” the letter states.
A separate submission from Squamish resident Christine Patel, who frequents the BreathWorks Studio next to Garibaldi Eye Care, warned of broader impacts to local businesses, writing she is “vehemently opposed to the removal of parking that is essential for the operations of the surrounding businesses.”
Baker said he only became aware of the bike lane plan through conversations related to nearby construction of the Three Summits development. He was surprised to learn that a public hearing had already taken place roughly two years prior. He said neither he nor other nearby businesses were made directly aware of that process at the time.
“When we dug through the public hearings, there was very little input,” he said, adding that the rationale for placing a bike lane on Eaglewind, rather than other routes, remains unclear to him.
The proposed changes would remove on-street parking along Eaglewind Boulevard, though parking within the boulevard median would remain. Baker argued that existing parking enforcement challenges already limit availability.
“We have vehicles that have been there for weeks,” he said. “If those spots were properly managed, it might change things a little bit, but I don’t foresee them being able to police it more than they are right now.”
He added that removing an estimated 30 or more on-street spaces could further strain an already tight parking situation in downtown Squamish.
The bike lane is expected to be constructed as part of the Three Summits development in the area, with Baker noting he has been told by the developer it would be completed later in the project timeline. He believes there is still time for council to revisit the design.
“There’s about a year before that piece is done,” he said. “What I’m asking them to do is nothing, just pause and reconsider.”
Council has acknowledged receipt of the petition, though it remains unclear when, or if, Baker will have an opportunity to present directly. He said his goal is to ensure decision-makers fully consider the needs of businesses and patients who rely on accessible parking.
