“I was very happy to see the new signage on Pandora that indicates the bike lane is for skateboarders, as well,” he said.
On Thursday, the City of Victoria announced that bylaw changes allowing skateboards in the downtown area are now official. In addition to installing the new signs, the city has made educational material and videos available online at victoria.ca.
While Loveday usually travels by bicycle, he said he still pulls his skateboard out from time to time.
“I still use it to go the corner store,” said the 33-year-old. “But I’ve never been very good at doing tricks or anything.”
The city changed its bylaws in 1991 to prohibit riding skateboards on streets in the downtown core. It also allowed police and bylaw officers to confiscate skateboards.
In 2013, Jake Warren launched an online petition to have the bylaw rewritten after he had his skateboard seized.
Under the new bylaw, skateboarders can no longer have their skateboards taken away from them.
“Early in this term, we took steps toward making the changes,” Loveday said.
Business owners, police, area residents, cyclists and skateboarders were all involved in discussions about the changes.
Loveday said skateboarding is now legal downtown except on sidewalks and in crosswalks, and skateboards can no longer be confiscated by police and bylaw officers.
“I think more and more, skateboarding is seen as a legitimate form of alternative transportation, and I think it should be,” he said.
“The city is committed to building an active and multi-modal transportation network, and so I think this is one step toward achieving that goal.”
Loveday said he is a big supporter of the new rules, which also apply to in-line skates, roller skates and non-motorized scooters. “I think it’s actually an opportunity to make skateboarding and its relation to other modes of transportation safer for everyone.”
For skateboarders, the key is “following some basic rules of the road and basic common sense,” he said.
“Everyone just needs to be courteous and respectful of each other.”
Rules of the road
The City of Victoria’s new bylaw allows the use of a skateboard, roller skates, in-line skates, or a non-motorized scooter on city streets with an expectation that users will adhere to the same rights and responsibilities as a cyclist.
It is expected that all road users travel safely and share the road responsibly, and as with cyclists, warnings or tickets including fines can be issued.
An additional change to the Parks Regulation Bylaw also allows the use of skateboards and similar devices on roads in parks and along designated paths. The same rules of the road apply in the parks.
The fines under the Streets and Traffic Bylaw are $125, while fines under the Parks Regulation Bylaw range from $100 to $125.
Now that people can ride a skateboard on downtown streets, here are some rules the city encourages skateboarders to follow:
• Ride as close to the right side of the street as you can or in a bike lane if one is available
• People riding skateboards on streets must operate in the same way cyclists do
• Sidewalks are for walking. No skateboarding on city sidewalks or in crosswalks is permitted at any time
• Ride single file, not side by side
• People riding skateboards must keep at least one foot on the skateboard at all times and only have one person on the board
• Skateboarders must wear lights when skateboarding at night or when it’s dark out
• Helmets are also encouraged
For more information, go to victoria.ca.
— City of Victoria
