Bike Parking
Bike racks are located throughout town so residents can temporarily secure their bikes.
As part of the City’s commitment to sustainable transportation, the Zoning Bylaw requires that new developments, including commercial, multi-housing and institutional buildings, must provide bike racks.
Bike rack design and location are important. Learn about bike rack materials, design, and placement in this guide.
Program Status: Due to funding constraints, the program is paused indefinitely beginning in 2026.
In 2024, the City received requests for 81 bike racks. Of those, 41 racks at 12 locations met eligibility and priority criteria. Due to unforeseen increases in concrete installation costs, the City only installed 23 racks at 6 locations in 2025.
Thank you to everyone who submitted requests and supported cycling end-of-trip facilities in Whitehorse.
Bike Rack Specifications
Installed racks are staple-style, galvanized steel bike racks that:
are approximately 90 cm high and 60 cm wide
are bolted to a concrete pad
accommodate up to two bicycles per rack
Background
The City is working to increase active transportation trips taken in Whitehorse by making it easier to choose options like cycling. Switching to cycling reduces carbon emissions and contributes to health and a more vibrant community.
The Request-A-Rack program seeks input from residents to identify locations on City property that need bike racks. The City approves the requests using established eligibility criteria (see below).
Eligibility Criteria
Locations for new bike rack installation must meet the following eligibility criteria for approval review:
- Be on City-owned property such as off-street walkways, trails, transit stops, parks, and underutilized roadway parking areas.
- Year-round, provide safe public access (i.e., not restricted access) for short-term bicycle parking.
- Must not obscure the line of sight from a street, lane, or walkway to oncoming traffic or maintenance vehicles for the mobility of pedestrians, cyclists, or motorists.
- Must not impede accessible parking and other public amenities.
- Must not impede access to emergency and protective services (such as fire, police, and ambulance).
- Must not impede seasonal maintenance by City operators, rack users, and where applicable, nearby building owners.
- Must meet all bylaw safety and maintenance requirements (such as the Zoning, Parks and Public Open Space, Maintenance, Bicycle, and E-Bike bylaws).
Priority Locations
We’re prioritizing rack installations in the downtown core and neighbourhood urban centres to encourage residents to cycle to work and other public destinations by providing a safe place to temporarily secure their bikes year-round. Our other priority areas include municipal parks throughout the city for recreational cyclists.
Approval & Maintenance
The City will review, approve, and prioritize application submissions based on the eligibility criteria, priority locations, and a site visit. The City will install the approved bicycle rack(s) and pour a concrete pad if needed.
Rack maintenance is a shared responsibility between the City, users, and, if applicable, the nearby building owner. The City retains the right to remove or relocate the bicycle rack in the future to meet operational or development considerations.
Connect With Us
If you have any questions or feedback about the Request-a-rack program or bike parking in Whitehorse, please get in touch with us at [email protected] or (867) 687-1478. We want to hear from you!