Part 2: New Westminster Station

This is the second in a series on bike rides you can do from New Westminster SkyTrain stations.

The eponymous New Westminster Station is kind of the meeting point for the BC Parkway and Central Valley Greenway routes to converge. The paths for bikes in and out of the station aren’t well marked, but you can basically take the elevator from the platform down to the bus loop and walk your bike to the crosswalk and go left along Columbia from there.  

Quayside Boardwalk and BC Parkway

Length: 5 km

Terrain: mostly flat, then gently uphill

The River Market and Quayside boardwalk is very popular and often packed with people: multi-generational gangs out for a stroll, kids zipping around on run bikes, seniors walking their dogs and couples clearly on a safe walk-and-coffee first date. Ride and roll with care for the peds, and enjoy the scenery of the Fraser River, tugboats, trains and birds.

At the end of boardwalk and over the overpass crossing back over the railway tracks, you’ll find the very popular and bike-friendly Steel & Oak brewery. If you’re more of a wine drinker, the Pacific Breeze urban winery is barely a block away, with a cute little tiki patio on their tasting room and the occasional wine slushies and wine cocktails on offer.

You could hang out there and then head back if you please, or continue back over to Stewardson Way and  follow the BC Parkway path that goes up toward the Queensborough Bridge and 22nd Street Station. There’s an overpass about midway that kind of takes you to Grimston Park and the Crosstown Greenway, or you could continue over the Queensborough Bridge and take the Q2Q Ferry from Port Royal back to River Market (if it’s running). Otherwise, follow the BC Parkway path as long as you like, all the way through Burnaby to Vancouver, more or less along the SkyTrain’s Expo line.

Columbia Street/Central Valley Greenway to Victoria Hill and Sapperton

Length: 5 km

Terrain: gentle rolling

This is probably New West’s most urban ride, taking you through the historic districts of downtown and Sapperton. Out of New Westminster Station, follow the on-street bike lane up Columbia Street past the former railway station (now a pub), the Anvil Centre and many blocks of brick buildings dating from the late 1800s, which now house restaurants and shops (lots of bridal shops!).

If you like, veer right at either 6th or 4th Street to visit Westminster Pier Park, a riverside promenade with lounge chairs and hammocks, a playground and concession stand and washrooms. Generally a good place to watch trains and tugboats go by.

A little further on, cross Columbia Street at the crosswalk to get on the shared use path on the north side of the street. MAMILs can sometimes be seen continuing speedily along Columbia with the cars, but I definitely do not recommend this for the non-Tour de France competitors among us. The path more or less follows Columbia and East Columbia, straying into the Victoria Hill neighbourhood at McBride, where you’ll find some big, shady 100-year-old trees along the zoomy downhill run. (Watch for people and dogs!)

After another kilometre or so of flat path, you’ll cross again onto the on-street lane and climb up into Sapperton. New construction highrises and the hospital give way onto a pleasant little high street with a park, Cap’s Bike Shop, cafes, a pub, etc. Spoil the effects of all this exercise at Fratelli Bakery, or get in some pinball at Capital City Arcade while you mull where to go next … If not straight uphill (ha), then perhaps down a couple blocks to Fader Street, where there’s a crossing light to get you over to Hume Park and then following the Central Valley Greenway signs to either Braid Station or towards Cariboo and Burnaby Lake.

Map

View these two routes on Google maps:

Coming up: The third and final installment, rides from Braid Station. Stay tuned, ride safe, see you out there.

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