A cycling advocacy organization has created a lobby group to provide a voice for more than 60 businesses in Metro Vancouver that support improvements for cyclists such as the proposal for a separated bike lane on Hornby Street in downtown.

The Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition's creation of Businesses for Bikes comes as city council is expected to vote next week on a bike lane with barriers on Hornby Street.

If implemented, the $3.2 million project would mean the loss of 158 metered parking spots on the street. The lane would connect with the separated lanes on Dunsmuir Street and the Burrard Bridge.

As the Courier reported over the past two weeks, the Vancouver Board of Trade and the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association have opposed the proposal for various reasons, including the lack of a study on the economic impacts to businesses.

"We definitely wanted to provide a balanced view on the current issues about the new cycling infrastructure because the DVBIA and the Board of Trade have been quite vocal," said Erin O'Melinn, manager of the Business for Bikes program. "We didn't want all businesses to be slotted into that view because they don't all feel that way."

Hornby Street area members of the 62-member group include two Starbucks locations on Hornby, Pressed 4 Time drycleaning on Hornby and Pure Indulgence hair salon at Hornby and West Hastings streets.

Dallas Kensington, owner of Pure Indulgence, said she joined the group because she supports more cycling infrastructure in the city. Kensington said more business owners should step up and voice their support for a separated bike lane on Hornby. It's a debate she believes has been dominated by businesses opposed to the lane.

"The [separated] bike lanes are a really great idea and they're just going to promote a more green approach to getting around in this city," said Kensington, whose salon opened in a plaza two months ago.

Although some businesses interviewed over the past two months by the Courier believe their bottom line will suffer, Kensington said she doesn't think a separated bike lane will affect her revenue.

She said customers cycle, walk and drive to her salon. To attract more bike-riding customers, Kensington said she wants the city to install racks outside her business because cyclists have to lock up bikes to stair railings. "Nobody wants to park their bikes on Cordova or Hastings and leave them there," she said. "It would be nicer to have [racks] closer. There's a coffee shop next door and even the people working there bike to work every day."

Other Vancouver members of the group include the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Gardens, Vancouver Renewable Energy, Westpoint Cycles, Whole Foods, Pacific Image Home Designs, VanPrint and Festival Cinemas.

In the coming months, Businesses for Bikes will distribute a guide to companies interested in marketing to cyclists and will roll out the Discover by Bike project, a joint venture to showcase participating bike-friendly businesses to cyclists.

mhowell@vancourier.com