Board Meeting Highlights
April 5, 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 - April 5 , 2004

GENERAL MANAGER'S REPORT

The budget for the Pesticide Education Program was approved by City Council. Watch for more details soon on this new program to reduce pesticide use on private property, an expansion of Vancouver's Grow Natural campaign.

PRESENTATIONS

A cheque for $142,146 was presented to the B.C. Professional Firefighters Burn Fund, from the 2003 Bright Nights Christmas Train revenues plus donations at the event.

Wildlife Coordinator Mike Mackintosh and representatives from the Stanley Park Ecology Society gave an update on the Great Blue Heron Colony in Stanley Park, where there are now a record 42 nests.

STAFF REPORTS

Synthetic Turf Fields
The Board approved the shortlist of 5 candidate sites for development of synthetic turf fields, subject to agreement by the Vancouver School Board: Prince of Wales Secondary School; Point Grey Secondary School/Kerrisdale Park; Vancouver Technical Secondary School; Killarney Park, and Churchill Secondary School. Public open houses will be conducted with the School Board at these locations, along with technical evaluations. Next phase report is due in June.

Millennium Sports Facility
The Board approved a lease arrangement with the Millennium Sports Facility Society for up to 3 years, to permit construction of the new sports facility which will house gymnastics and indoor bowling, at Nat Bailey Stadium Park.

2004 Operating Budget
The Board approved the Park Board Global Budget of $48.9 million. This represents a 3.15% increase over 2003 net operating budget. Several program enhancement initiatives are recommended to the Board. To fund these initiatives, the Board approves to conduct consultation on increasing summer parking rates in Stanley Park and at Jericho Beach, and increasing low cost swim/skate adult admissions. Staff will report back to the Board on April 19.

Improvements at Pigeon Park and Development of the Downtown Skateboard Plaza
The Board expressed its support for the proposal to allocate funds from a Community Amenity Contribution for two projects: $120,000 to improve Pigeon Park in the Downtown Eastside, last upgraded in the 1970s; and $20,000 towards the new skateboard plaza at Quebec and Union Streets, construction of which will start later this Spring.

MOTIONS

McBride Park
The Board reiterated its support for the unification of west side McBride Park through the closure of 2000 block Waterloo Street (which currently divides the park in two), and requested City Council again consider the issue with the goal of achieving unfication of the park.

Hastings Park/PNE
The Board passed a motion to encourage the development of a number of variations to shape the future of Hastings Park and the PNE, which would create a sustainable, accessible and vibrant park. These variations included clearly connecting the restored park areas, restoring Windermere Hill and creating a stream/pedestrian corridor to New Brighton, creating an inviting edge and welcoming entrances to the park, and accommodating an exciting fair through potential use of existing buildings and facilities, development of a temporary Midway, and development of a wide promenade along Miller Drive.

NEXT MEETING

The next regular meeting of the Park Board will be held at Kensington Community Centre on Monday, April 19, 2004.

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