The executive director of what was the Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition until last weekend is claiming the organization’s new name will help it bring the issue of cycling to a wider audience.

At its annual general meeting on April 21, VACC members witnessed the unveiling of the new name—HUB: Your Cycling Connection.

Was VACC not cool enough?

“It was in some ways, but in some ways it didn’t quite represent who we’ve become,” Erin O’Melinn told the Straight by phone on April 23. “A lot of people thought that it was Vancouver city-centric, and it is actually the whole region. And that’s the reason why that piece isn’t there anymore. The word coalition, although some people connected with it, also seems to exclude a lot of folks. And we are really trying to reach the mainstream. We believe that cycling can be a part of most people’s lifestyles, if they chose to.”

O’Melinn and HUB believe cycling is “an attractive choice for everyone to feel that they could cycle for trips to school, to work, to the grocery store”.

“The word coalition doesn’t speak to the mainstream, whereas HUB: Your Cycling Connection is much more open, more welcoming,” O’Melinn added. “That’s really what we’ve become. You know, 14 years ago we were really a coalition of people that came together to make cycling more safe and respected as a mode of transportation. We’ve made huge gains over the past decade and a half, and during that time transformed to not only continue doing that, to make improvements, but also to reach out to the users, to the people that live and work in Metro Vancouver, to find out what are your barriers, what’s holding you back, and how can we help you be healthier, happier, and more connected in your community. Because cycling does all of those things.”