Board Meeting Highlights
June 13, 2005

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 - June 13, 2005

CHAIR'S REPORT

The Chair outlined the busy roster of events this week, including the June 17th naming ceremonies for Rosemary Brown Park in Kitsilano; the full day Rain or Shine Festival in Stanley Park on June 18th which will showcase the Park Board's programs; Tree Tales, the newly launched writing contest inviting the public to share stories about their favourite tree; and the Park Board's 2004 Annual Report, now available across the City.

GENERAL MANAGER'S REPORT

Several items are on Council and Committee agendas this week impacting Park Board business, including a report reference of the 2006-2008 Capital Plan Financial Limits in which the envelope is set for capital spending; Concord Pacific Area 6A (Coopers Quay) which relates to shoreline design; rezoning of private lands in Southeast False Creek - schedule, approach, staffing and budget; award of contract for Centrex telephone services; a concept plan for the Victory Square neighbourhood; and a report from the Planning Commission on neighbourhood engagement.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Oak & 37th Park Site
The Board approved the development of the 11 acre park site at 37th Avenue and Oak Street, which provides 59% total natural area along with formal sports field areas, community greenspace/meadow, children's playground, picnic areas, storage area and a neighborhood park. Staff are to report back on the final design, including a proposed funding, financing and timing strategy. Staff will also work with the BMX biking community to find an appropriate location for development of a youth park facility suitable to their needs; and work with Ultimate field users to find appropriate locations within Vancouver for the development of additional playing fields. Staff will work to find a solution which will provide washroom access for users of the Eric Hamber field and the 37th and Oak park site, while considering the safety issues of residents, students and park users. When staff determine the location of the children's playground, they will consider the aim of preserving song bird habitat and maintaining a separation of children and off-leash dogs.

STAFF REPORTS

Joint Operating Agreement Final Report
The recommendations in the Final Report of the Joint Operating Agreement Task Force ("Renewing the Partnership") were approved, with specific conditions on how they can be strengthened and implemented based on the feedback received over the last six months. These conditions include: a joint Park Board/Association committee to develop and undertake details of the Core Services Review, including issues of core funding and equity; a revision to recommendation 3.2.1 Partnership Review such that the review be undertaken at least every five years; staff work with Associations to develop a system which accommodates public access to programs and services at Community Centres including membership; staff work with Assocations to identify one common 12 month Community Association fiscal reporting period; include a dispute resolution mechanism for operating issues in individual agreements; and no agreement can conform to the fully independant model as outlined in report Option A, although elements from Options A, B and C in the report can be incorporated into new agreements based on negotiations between the Park Board and Community Assocations. The recommendations of the report set the stage for a new way of thinking, working and acting differently in a partnership relationship between the public and community not-for-profit sector in the delivery of recreation services.

Storyscapes Public Art
The Board approved the installation of a piece of public Coast Salish art in Stanley Park. The artwork by Susan Point - called People Amongst the People - consists of three elegant carved cedar gateways framing the entrances to the totems at Brockton Point, and will address a long-identified missing component in the area.

Khenko Public Art
The relocation, installation and maintenance of the art work known as "Khenko", the Heron, was approved. Concord Pacific Group Inc. will donate $154,000 to commission the fabrication of the sculpture by artist Doug Taylor. The piece, which is animated by wind movement, will sit on the grassy knoll of the bullnose in George Wainborn Park.

NEXT MEETING

The next regular meeting of the Park Board is at 7:00 pm on Monday, June 27th at Kitsilano Community Centre.