A beloved indoor bike park in North Vancouver is set to be replaced by another tenant, according to a director of the business.
Since news that the North Shore Bike Park in Capilano Mall will be shutting down emerged last week, many in the community have asked why the facility is closing.
The property owner has found another tenant to replace the cycling-focused attraction, says bike park investor and director James Wilson.
After the business got rolling in July 2023, at a certain point Wilson realized that the company wasn’t bringing in as much revenue as hoped, and the business was falling behind in its lease with QuadReal, which owns the Capilano Mall.
“The landlords offered us three different pathways to try to absolve ourselves of that problem, and we chose one which we felt was the best for the community and the and the best that we could handle and with the highest probability of success,” he said.
But in choosing that option, the bike park gave up on a term for its lease.
“If another suitor could produce more rent, then they could evict us,” Wilson said. “And that’s basically where we’re at.”
Per the agreement, the bike park was given 90 days’ notice to move out, and is currently set to close March 30 at 10 p.m.
However, Wilson said he’s not giving up on the bike park, and is trying to renegotiate with QuadReal to stay.
There’s also an online petition to Save the North Shore Bike Park with more than 3,500 signatures.
“That’s a that’s a very large number, and it really reflects what the community wants,” Wilson said.
Business had glitches at start but has since picked up, director says
When things first started up, there were some glitches, which happens with any new business, said Wilson, who’s also owner of Obsession Bikes.
“It was really difficult to get the type of revenue out of it that we projected,” he said. “Honestly, it’s a difficult space to work with – it was empty for eight years.”
But they’ve since made changes that have improved the business, Wilson said.
That includes adding skateboarding to the park, introducing after-school programs, as well as a full calendar of spring and summer bike camps, he said.
So far, their landlord has treated the park with the “utmost respect,” Wilson said, adding that he hopes there could still be room to negotiate.
“A potential solution is that our landlord turns around and realizes that, ‘Hey, these guys are good for the community, and … maybe there is a way to patch this up,’” he said.
“We want to keep that door wide open, because at the end of the day, we’re in a great space,” Wilson said. “We’ve got parking. We’re right beside a food court. We’re breathing some life into that mall.”
In an emailed response, QuadReal didn’t say whether it’s considering having the bike park stay.
“At Capilano Mall, we are committed to creating a vibrant and thriving retail environment that serves the needs of the community,” a spokesperson said. “We do not publicly disclose information about current or future tenant negotiations. We will share additional information about Capilano Mall with the community as it is available.”
QuadReal – which is owned by the British Columbia Investment Management Corporation – also didn’t address rumours that a pickleball operator is being considered to take over the space. The company has partnered with a pickleball and paddle club to fill mall space at two locations in Ontario.
There were concerns in the community that North Shore Family Services, which operates a Community Hub upstairs, would have to leave if the bike park shut down. But a staff member said that the hub would continue to operate even if a new tenant came in.
If the bike park can’t stay in its current home, Wilson said the ownership group is looking for other locations, hopefully on the North Shore.
“One of the prospects is picking up the park and moving it into another city, which honestly would be so terrible for this place,” he said.
Wilson said he’s also planning to meet with local government to try to find solutions.
“This community loves this thing, and there’s got to be the possibility of a private-public partnership, much like Canlan rinks,” he said.
“It’s literally less than a hundredth of the cost of a rec centre to build something like this, and so many kids benefit from it. That’s the part that saddens me,” Wilson said.
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