Bikeshare pedals into town

Photo: Contributed

An 18-month pilot project to bring a bikeshare service to Kelowna is close to becoming reality.

A month ago, at a Monday morning council meeting, city staff were given the go-ahead to pursue the service, which allows people to rent bicycles on an hourly basis for short trips around the city.

The bikeshare system allows users to pick up a bike at one location and return it to another location within a defined service area.

Matt Worona, the city's active transportation co-ordinator, will present a proposal for the 18-month pilot to council Monday afternoon.

"The City of Kelowna is a bike friendly city and the establishment of a bikeshare system that allows residents and visitors to access affordable and convenient bicycles for short distance trips would provide a number of community benefits that support the City’s mobility, carbon reduction and economic development goals," Worona said in his presentation.

Staff stated they wanted to go with just one operator for the service, Ontario-based Dropbike.

Dropbike uses a dockless system which allows the company to shed costs, making the service more profitable.

There would be no cost to the city or taxpayers to bring in the service.

Potential users would find a bike through a smartphone app and scan a QR code to unlock the bike.

Worona says they anticipate between 500 and 1,500 bikes would be made available.

The bikeshare service is currently available in several Canadian cities including Vancouver, Ottawa, Toronto. Hamilton and Montreal.

If approved, the pilot would begin in the spring and run through the fall of 2019.