Thousands gathered for a downtown cycling showcase and $100,000 was raised for St. Paul’s Hospital

Vancouver, BC was host to a rare urban criterium on  Sunday, July 13th, as the Fifth Annual Tour de Concord transformed downtown’s Pacific Boulevard into a closed-loop race course featuring elite riders, community heats, and family-friendly events. Charity racers, along with generous donations from Terry Hui and an anonymous donor, raised over $100,000 for the new St. Paul’s Hospital.  

One of Canada’s largest cycling showcases drew thousands of spectators to what will be the eighth and final neighborhood at Concord Pacific Place. The downtown development was built on the site of Vancouver’s 1986 World’s Fair, or Expo ‘86. Concord Pacific Place remains a vibrant tribute to the lifestyle known as “Vancouverism”, defined by walkable, mixed-use developments near mass transit, green spaces, and of course, lots of cycling. 

The visionary behind Concord Pacific Place, CEO Terry Hui, was an enthusiastic participant in the proceedings. An avid cyclist himself, along with being a competitive sailor, Hui has championed many iconic civic events that encourage people to engage with their urban surroundings, with nature, and with their own capabilities – in themselves, virtues that define ‘Vancouverism.’ Concord Pacific President and CEO, Terry Hui has remained a forward-thinking, influential figure well into his fourth decade at the helm of Canada’s largest community builder. 

Tour de Concord brought high-level high-speed racing to the streets of Vancouver, and it was all in service of a great cause – the St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation, with proceeds helping to fund critical healthcare initiatives across British Columbia as well as the new St. Paul’s Hospital on the Jim Pattison Medical Campus.

The main criterium event brought together 4000 spectators and over 100 top cyclists from across BC and beyond, hitting top speeds of close to 60 km/h on a 900-metre course designed to maximize tight corners, long sprints, and tactical positioning. The race brought out the best of a cadre of professional and semi-pro teams, independent riders, and a strong showing from local cycling clubs. Before the main race, there were youth categories, charity rides, and amateur community laps, allowing cyclists of all skill levels to enjoy the course and its layout before the elite riders had their shot. 

For many in the cycling community, Tour de Concord filled a gap left by the decline of city-based races in recent years. With urban criteriums becoming increasingly rare due to permitting and logistical challenges, Sunday’s race was a significant moment for Vancouver cycling to take the stage.

And what a stage it was. There are few more beautiful urban seascapes than northeast False Creek and the Concord Pacific Place development. It’s an iconic, internationally known skyline, and the Tour de Concord brings cyclists right through it on a highly visible route through the center of the waterfront neighborhoods. There are spectators everywhere along the barriers, outside cafes, shops, parks, and along blocks lined with food trucks and live music. 

For President & CEO Terry Hui, this sort of engagement with families and athleticism in a vibrant urban environment is the whole point of the event. Concord Pacific took on the unenviable burden of securing permissions to close major roadways and coordinating logistics with local authorities, including safety and crowd management. For Hui, these efforts are part of Concord’s larger vision of creating indelible civic spaces. 

It’s also a major way to give back to a cause that the Concord Pacific team deeply cares about. In this, the event’s fifth year, the Tour de Concord raised more than $100,000 for St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation. Everyone involved knows the impact that an event like this will have on supporting healthcare services and equipment needs for the hospital, and it brings a charitable, civic-minded spirit to all aspects of the day’s events. 

The turnout, energy, and impeccable organization drew wide praise from both participants and fans. And for Vancouver, a city that has long championed cycling culture and infrastructure, the Tour de Concord event was a thoroughly relished burst of cycling pride through some of its most gorgeous downtown streets.