Board Meeting Highlights
September 19, 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 - September
19,
2005
CHAIR'S REPORT
The Chair reported on the busy two
months since the last Board meeting, highlighting
the successes of Monsters in the Meadow free
film series in Stanley Park, launch of advanced
tee time booking for Golf courses, ground
breaking for the #1 Kingsway civic centre,
distribution of the Park Board's Strategic
Plan, and the 30th year anniversary celebrations
at VanDusen Garden. Coming up are continuing
development of the 2006-2008 Capital Plan,
going to the Board on October 3rd, and the
Car Free Day festival in Gastown on September
22nd.
GENERAL MANAGER'S REPORT
A number of Park Board-related items
are on Council and Committee agendas this week,
including Capital Plan 2006-2008 Final Allocation,
Childcare Protocol Status Report, Social Development
(Sustainability) Plan for the City, and a new
Animal Control Bylaw.
STAFF REPORTS
New Park
for Marpole
The concept plan for a new park for Marpole
was approved. Open houses were held to get
resident input into the design of the 1 acre
greenspace, located at West 72nd Avenue/Osler
and Selkirk Streets. Park features will include
a quieter area for neighborhood seniors and
an area for a children's playground. Several
design elements - welcoming gateway/plaza features
and plant materials - will reflect the Japanese
history of the area. The Board asked that a
park naming process be undertaken so that the
name be ready in time for park completion and
opening. Construction is expected to start
early next summer.
Community Garden
Policy Review and License Agreement Renewals
The Community Garden Policy, adopted in 1996
and providing for community gardens to be operated
on park lands, was amended. Changes include
a new definition reflecting the recreation
and community development benefits as well
as the diversity of these gardens; setting
the standard term of the user agreement at
5 years, with granting of multiple terms in
exceptional circumstances; recognition that
community gardens are open to all residents;
and clarification of pest management. Increased
support from the Park Board for the development
and operation of community gardens was also
approved, through such measures as developing
a how-to information package for interested
parties, providing technical adivce to gardeners
and making old tools and other salvage materials
available at low or no cost. Effective October
1, 2005, 5 year licence agreements were granted
for the following community gardens: Tea Swamp,
Mt. Pleasant, Elizabeth Rogers, Robson, Cambridge,
Kitsilano and McSpadden. Cottonwood Community
Garden was granted a 10 year licence, and Strathcona
Community Garden a 20 year licence.
MOTION
Commissioner Romaniuk put forward a five-part
Motion to request Council to provide operating
funds to keep Mt. Pleasant Pool open at least
unitl the new pool at Hillcrest/Riley Park
is completed; that Park Board, Council and
the Mt. Pleasant community work together
to identify external funding to rebuild the
outdoor pool, including the possibility of
municipal green funds; that Board direct
staff to reallocate $1.4 million from the
Park Board's share of the Capital Plan to
renovate the change room at Renfrew Community
Centre for families and people with disabilities;
that staff report back on October 31st revising
the Aquatic Services Review recommendation
to include the retention of Mt. Pleasant
and Sunset Pools; and that staff report back
on the financial and service strategy to
redevelop 2 neighborhood outdoor pools in
addition to the plan for a city-wide pool,
2 redeveloped community pools, 4 neighborhood
pools and 4 major outdoor pools. The Motion
carried.
NEXT MEETING
The next regular meeting of
the Park Board is at 7:00 pm on Monday,
October 3rd at 2099 Beach Avenue.
Top