The Capital region's expanded Bixi bike-share program will be back for its second year starting Sunday.
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, Gatineau Mayor Marc Bureau and NCC CEO Marie LeMay made the announcement Thursday morning, promising 15 new stations with 150 new red bikes.
Those new locations will stretch farther south into Ottawa's Centretown neighbourhood, with locations near the Canadian Museum of Nature and at the intersection of Bank Street and James Street.
There is also a new station on the Rideau Canal near the Corktown Bridge and one in Gatineau at the Alexandra Bridge.
Ottawa is contributing $12.1 million over the next three years to general cycling initiatives, with Gatineau putting in $60,000 specifically to the Bixi program.
"While we're not putting money directly into the Bixi program, we're doing it indirectly by freeing up some resources so we can get the built infrastructure which we think is a higher priority," said Watson. "We need built infrastructure so we can have a safe cycling network."
Costs range anywhere from $80.50 for a year subscription to $7 for a 24-hour pass.
With a report from Marika Washchyshyn, Carleton School of Journalism
