'we had no recourse': east vancouver residents object to new e-scooter docking stations
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patricia marini inside her vancouver home with e-scooters now outside.
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when lime notified some vancouver residents weeks ago about a new e-scooter docking station planned for the corner of slocan street and east 4th avenue, patricia marini immediately objected.
“none of the neighbours wanted it. we were all saying no,” she said.
but the san francisco-based micro-mobility company moved forward. this week, workers installed a 10-scooter docking station on the street outside her kitchen window — obstructing the view marini has cherished for several decades. instead of watching her garden or neighbours on the block, she says she is now facing a constant parade of scooters and riders.
“it’s very upsetting,” said marini. “we took my grandson out to learn how to ride his bike and saw beer cans littered around the station,” she said, noting broken glass from a car accident the previous night and the absence of lime helmets on the majority of the station’s scooters.
vancouver is the first north american city to require lime’s shared e-scooters use locking dock stations to prevent the machines from being dumped.
lime e-scooters outside patricia marini’s home in vancouver.
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riders, who must be at least 18 years old and wear a helmet, use a smartphone app to locate and unlock them using gps. the machines can reach speeds of up to 24 km/h. the system operates under a provincial pilot program launched in 2023.
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in other canadian cities, e-scooters have been reported to clutter sidewalks and public spaces, creating safety concerns for pedestrians and people with disabilities. in 2021, toronto banned e-scooters for these reasons.
globally, paris prohibited e-scooter rentals in 2023 following complaints from pedestrians. melbourne, australia, enforced similar restrictions.
during its first phase in vancouver, in the fall of 2024, lime introduced e-scooters and docking stations in the hastings-sunrise and grandview-woodland neighbourhoods — areas identified by the city as underserved by transit. the company has since expanded westward, adding scooters and stations downtown and planning expansion into other locales, aiming for a city-wide system by 2028.
according to the city of vancouver’s website, lime stations can be located on public or private land, in parks, or along streets. sites are selected for safety, visibility, 24/7 access and proximity to transit, bike lanes, shopping areas, parks and community amenities. safety rules, including clear sight lines and space for emergency vehicles, are also considered.
the city’s five-year contract with lime can be extended up to three more five-year terms, for a potential 20-year duration. the program is designed to be cost-neutral, with no financial contribution required from the city. however, since lime pays the city per trip, the system could become a revenue generator for vancouver if it proves popular.
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a spokesperson for the city’s public space and street use department said lime is required to notify neighbours as part of the approval process for each docking station, and the city weighs submitted feedback before deciding whether to approve the location.
“lime is required to reach out to residents and businesses that are located in front of or adjacent to the station, within a 20-metre radius, and that may be impacted by a proposed shared e-scooter station,” the spokesperson said in an email.
“all comments and concerns received during the engagement period are carefully reviewed by lime and the city before any lime station location is approved.
“when feedback identifies significant issues with a proposed station location, the city may decline the location, or work with lime to modify the design or identify an alternative location to better address community needs.”
marini and her family remain frustrated that her neighbours have no power to block station installations.
“we had no recourse at all to stop this from happening,” she said.
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