Board Meeting Highlights
March 22, 2010

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 website on the Monday one week prior to the next scheduled Board meeting.

Meeting Agenda - March 22, 2010

Chair's Report
The Chair reported on the International Women's Day event and the many 2010 Paralympic Winter Games activities including Opening and Closing Ceremonies, Torch Relay community event at Riley Park, Community Happenings Festivals at Kitsilano and Killarney Community Centres, Girl Power conference and visit by HRH The Prince Edward. This week the Park Board, with the City, is marking World Day for Water and International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

Committee Report
On the last Services and Budgets Committee meeting agenda: 2009 Year End Position, First Tee Golf Program and Jericho Field Proposal.

General Manager's Report
Park Board related items on Council and Committee agenda this week: Motion on Notice re General Manager of the Park Board and True Sport Community declaration.

STAFF REPORTS

English Bay Bistro - Award of Contract
The Board granted to Cactus Club Restaurants a licence to construct and operate a new restaurant at English Bay at the designated site; the 5 year lease would be subject to 5 further 5 year options to renew for a total of 30 years; annual base rent for the first 10 years will be set at $240,000 per year plus 4% of all revenue over $4 million; rent is subject to review by the Board if the tenant exercises the second 5 year option and again at the fourth 5 year option; and the Board will reimburse Cactus Club for $250,000 of site improvements outside of the leased area. The new beachfront bistro will open in June 2011.

Financial Statements for the Year Ended December 31, 2009
The 2009 year end financial statements were received for information. Overall, the Board was underspent by $0.9 million as at December 31; however after adjustments for certain allowable variances the Board ended the year overspent by $189,000 or .3% of the net operating budget. The Donations program raised a total of $787,597 through park amenities, monuments and conservation, as well as recreation programming and special projects. At year end, the Stanley Park Restoration Project had a reserve balance of $913,000 remaining for legacy and sustainment work.

Consultant Award for 2010 Ghost Train and Bright Nights in Stanley Park Events
The consultant's contract for creative and professional services for the Stanley Park Ghost Train and Bright Nights events was awarded to Mortal Coil Performance Society for a fee of $32,000 plus GST/HST and disbursements to a maximum of $126,000 plus GST/HST.

VanDusen Botanical Garden - New Visitor Centre Award of Construction Contract
A contract was awarded to Ledcor Construction for the construction of the new Visitors Centre at VanDusen Botanical Garden in the amount of $14.8 million. Funding is provided from the Capital Budget, VanDusen Botanical Garden Association, the Province of BC and the Federal Government Infrastructure Stimulus Fund.

Contract Award - Stanley Park Sanitary Lift Stations
The Board entered into a $204,815 contract with Dayton & Knight for design engineering of Stanley Park Lift Stations, which handle sanitary flows from washrooms, concessions and restaurants within the park. Funding for rehabilitation of the ageing lift stations is provided from the Capital Budget and the Federal Government Infrastructure Stimulus Fund.

MOTIONS

The Board put forward a Motion that the Park Board actively support the City of Vancouver's declaration as a True Sport Community, joining over 1,500 other True Sport communities, organizations, clubs, leagues and teams across Canada; and that the City of Vancouver encourage other Federation of Canadian Municipalities members to work towards the principles of True Sport: ensuring equitable access to sport facilities and programs, especially for new Canadians, low income people and those with disabilities; setting clear standards for ethical behaviour and inclusion for all municipally funded sport facilities and programs; asking how sport can help advance key social and economic goals and developing strategies and linkages to make it happen; facilitating dialogue between sport and other community organizations and working together to achieve community objectives; and developing an integrated community sport plan aimed at providing accessible, quality sport experiences to all community members. The Motion carried.

The Board put forward a Motion that all consultants regarding park renewals initiate contact with youth in the planning process, with the objective that all future park designs, where possible, will have at least one feature to accommodate young people's active lifestyles. The Motion carried.

The Board put forward a Motion that Park Board staff report on the implications for parks of the closure of shelters, and that the Park Board encourage the Province to continue to develop and fund emergency and interim housing options for Vancouver's street homeless that includes keeping our current HEAT shelters open past April 30, 2010. The Motion carried.

The Board put forward a Motion that Council delegate authority to the Board of seven elected commissioners to be solely responsible to oversee the recruitment, selection, delegation of work-related tasks and performance management for the General Manager of the Park Board in accordance with the established employment policies of the City of Vancouver. The Motion failed.

NEXT MEETING

A Special Board Meeting will be held at 7 pm on Monday, March 29, 2010 at 2099 Beach Avenue. The next regular Park Board meeting will be held at 7 pm on Monday, April 19, 2010 at 2099 Beach Avenue.