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Cycling stats outdated

The Editor, Re: "Poor cycling options lowers Richmond's ranking," News, March 23. Your front page headline on March 23 does a disservice to the community you serve by printing a complete lie.

The Editor,

Re: "Poor cycling options lowers Richmond's ranking," News, March 23.

Your front page headline on March 23 does a disservice to the community you serve by printing a complete lie.

As a cyclist who enjoys daily jaunts around our city, I knew that your headline did not ring true as soon as I read it.

Accordingly, I investigated the methodology and data used for the study you cite. I discovered that the data used to determine bikeability was the Stats Canada survey of 2006.

The latest results of the study, indicating Richmond's slide from 62 in 2011 to its current ranking of 100, had nothing whatsoever to do with our city's current bikeability because it is based on data that has remained the same for five years.

However, we are all quite familiar with the recent impact of skyrocketing Richmond housing prices. The study used information from the MLS, the Canadian Real Estate Association and the Vancouver Real Estate Board to rank Richmond at 188 in house prices and 189 in the time needed to pay for a house. These are up to date rankings.

I might add that in the study, bikeability is more influential in determining community desirability than number of doctors, crime rate, taxes or number of new cars.

A revised headline should say, "Let's thank cyclists for making Richmond a more attractive place to live."

Larry Pamer Richmond