Dalhousie ditching Cohn parking spots for bike lane

Dalhousie University plans to remove 43 parking spaces to create the province’s first bike lane that is protected by permanent poles.

The Nova Scotia government is contributing $150,000 towards creating the cyclist-only lane along the four-block campus stretch of University Avenue. 

Cyclist Paul Spin likes the idea and said it will encourage people to ride to school. “To have people segregated and safe, I think that will make more people ride their bikes,” he said.

But the fact that it only covers four blocks reduces the value for him.

“It’s one of the problems in the city. They situate bike lanes miles apart from one another. It would be better if they had more consistent lanes,” he added.

Bad for arts at the Cohn?

Drivers questioned the value of cutting out so many parking spots on a campus with famously few places to leave your car.

“That’s going to cause a hassle,” Ebenezer Asamany said. “It’s going to be hard, because already we don’t find enough parking.”

Peggy Walt, who works in the arts, thinks the lost spots will hurt ticket sales for performances at the city's premiere performance venue, the Rebecca Cohn.

"I think any time you reduce parking, yes, there's an impact. I think people think about it and think that's a pain,” she said.

But the area’s councillor, Waye Mason, said it should work out best for overall transit.

"The more bike lanes we have, the more people are cycling and the less cars we have around and hopefully it nets out so there's less cars and the parking is adequate,” he said.

Halifax council still has to approve the plan before it advances.