Longboarding

The City of Chilliwack has engaged in discussions with longboarders, concerned residents, RCMP, bylaw enforcement officers, and a number of other interested parties about longboarding in our community. The City is seeking a balanced approach to the issue that accommodates the desire to longboard in the community while minimizing the inherent risks and other concerns.

Two Types of Longboarding

Through these discussions, the City has determined there are two types of longboarding activity within the community. There is the use of longboards for transportation and there is recreational longboarding.

Recreational longboarding involves the continual riding down and climbing up roads, often involving weaving across the entire width of the road. This type of longboarding is disruptive to the flow of traffic and often causes friction with drivers and neighbours. It also greatly differs from transportation longboarding where longboarders use the road to travel from place to place, usually sticking to the bike lane or edge of the road, causing minimal disruption to traffic.

In order to minimize traffic disruptions and find a safe way to share our roads, the City of Chilliwack will place restrictions on recreational longboarding activities.

Is Recreational Longboarding Restricted?

Due to safety concerns, recreational longboarding will be prohibited on the City’s arterial and collector roads. Signage will be placed on these roads to ensure awareness and compliance.

Recreational longboarding will still be permitted on some roads with a lower volume of traffic. Signage will be added to the affected streets in order to notify recreational longboarders.

If you see recreational longboarding that creates delay or a hazard, please contact the City of Chilliwack’s Engineering Department at 604-793-2907.

What does Chilliwack’s bylaw say about longboarding?

The Bylaw states that no person shall “engage in any sport, amusement, exercise or occupation on any highway which may delay the passage of traffic or cause any obstruction.”
In the Bylaw, “highway” means a street, road, lane, bridge, viaduct and any other way open to the use of the public, and includes any adjacent allowance, boulevard or right-of-way.

Who enforces the Bylaw?

The RCMP

Why can’t I longboard wherever I want?

The City seeks to balance the desire to longboard in the community while minimizing the inherent risks and other concerns.

Who is responsible for damage caused by longboarders to my house or vehicle?

Auto or home insurance should be used to cover these damages

What should I know before longboarding?

In the interest of protecting the safety of our longboarding community and our residents we encourage everyone to:

Respect the rules of the road
Respect other road users
Respect your neighbours and the neighbourhood
Ride safely with the proper equipment (including a helmet) and share the road with others
Operate at the edge of the travel lane like a bicycle
Do not swerve across the traffic lane
Never travel in the on-coming lane
Where present, use and restrict activity to the bike lane

Does the City of Chilliwack have any longboarding events?

While the City does not host any events, it welcomes the opportunity for the longboarding community to hold sanctioned, community friendly events. Highway use permits can be applied for from the City. Organized events should provide the opportunity to share longboarding activities with the community and increase education and awareness of the sport.