Board Meeting Highlights
November 15, 2004
The following information is intended to provide quick highlights of this scheduled Board meeting. Every attempt has been made to summarize these highlights as accurately as possible; however, the complete and official minutes will be posted on the web site on the Monday one week prior to the next scheduled Board meeting.
Meeting Agenda - November 15 , 2004
STAFF REPORTS
Sunset Community Centre Design
The Board approved the design for the new community centre and commissioned
Bing Thom Architects to carry out the work. Along with the new Killarney
Pool and the development at #1 Kingsway, the Sunset Community Centre
is one of the cornerstones of the Park Board's strategic renewal plans.
The architect presented a model of the schematic design, which he says
was inspired by the shape of leaves on a tree. The building reflects
this, with curved roofs and four parts radiating out from the central
branch. Some integration with the Sunset Nursery operations is also
planned. Next step is Development Permit application. The project will
be built to the LEED Silver standard of sustainability. Construction
is targetted to begin in Spring 2005 on the stunning new facility, with
an opening planned for mid 2006.
Allocation of CAC from Arbutus Gardens
The Board will request that Council approve the allocation of the remaining
Community Amenity Contribution (CAC) collected from the development
of Arbutus Gardens towards improvements at Quilchena Park and Kerrisdale
Community Centre. $240,000 will be directed to improve functionality
at Kerrisdale and will include upgrading of washrooms and changerooms
in the fitness centre, and the renovation of the kiln room and pottery
studio. $215,612 will be directed to top up previous funding for upgrades
to Quilchena (including a skateboard park), which will go back out to
tender in Spring 2005. Improvements at Prince-of-Wales Park, previously
recommended to be done from part of the CAC funds, will be deferred
in light of the two foregoing projects.
2005 Fees and Charges
Following further review by the Finance Committee, the 2005 fees and
charges were approved, adjusted as per inflationary increases (projected
at 2.75%), comparable market rates, operating costs and issues, and
feedback received from residents. In keeping with the Board's initiatives
for youth, such as Youth Legacy and MoreSports programs, and the market
review, staff were asked to review and report back to the Board on options
to reduce fees and charges for youth, with an eye to implementing a
policy change in time for the 2006 budget.
Cumming Family Donation
The Board received an information report on the recent donation from
the Cumming family of Wyoming. Staff worked with the family to create
a special amenity for Stanley Park using their $25,000 donation: three
elegant steel benches, a low steel and concrete table placed on a blue
stone patio and walkway approach, located in a natural recess between
the Pitch & Putt and the Ted and Mary Greig Rhododendron Garden.
The family was most appreciative of staff's ideas and attention to the
project, and pledged another $25,000 for a nearby refuse container and
mainenance of the trio of benches, as well as an additional $25,000
for an another worthwhile project at the suggestion of the Stanley District
Director. This gift demonstrates the benefits of encouraging creativity
and flexibilty in matching meaningful projects to donors.
MOTIONS
Commissioner Poaps put forward a motion that the Park Board endorse and participate in the 2006 World Peace Forum, and work on ways, such as providing facility space, to engage the community in the Forum. The Peace Forum, organized by the City of Vancouver's Peace and Justice Committee and the World Peace Forum Society, is being put on in conjunction with the United Nations Human Settlement Program World Urban Forum, coming to Vancouver in June 2006. Community Associations will be advised about ways to get involved in the Peace event. The motion was carried.
NEXT MEETING
The next regular meeting of the Park Board will be held at Renfrew Community Centre on Monday, November 29, 2004.
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