Board Meeting Highlights
April 19, 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 19 , 2004

GENERAL MANAGER'S REPORT

PNE/Hastings Park - An insert will be included in Sunday April 25's Courier newspaper outlining the four scenarios/approaches for the future of the PNE/Hastings Park, resulting from the recent public consultation. A residents poll will be also be conducted the week of April 26.

PRESENTATIONS

Veteran Recreation Programmer Ron Suzuki was recognized for his outstanding leadership work for which he was recently honored - from proMOTION plus, for providing sports and physical acitivity for young women in the Strathcona area; and from the Vancouver School Board for making a difference to students in the district.

STAFF REPORTS

2004 Operating Budget
Following consultation with Park Board stakeholders and the public, the Board approved several budget initiatives to help fund service improvements in 2004. Short stay summer pay parking rates will be increased in two locations: Stanley Park, where the current rate of $1 for 45 minutes will go up to $2 per hour; and at Jericho Beach, where the current rate of $1 for 2 hours will go up to $1 per hour. As well, the price of adult low cost swim/skate sessions will be increased from the current rate of $1 to $2. All changes are effective May 1, 2004.

Mount Pleasant Community Centre
The Board approved the schematic design for the new Mount Pleasant Community Centre to be located at #1 Kingsway, and supported the recommendation to Council to tender the construction of the two level neighborhood facility which will also include a branch library, child care services and market housing. The project is designed to meet the certification requirements of a LEED Silver building, which incorporates major elements to conserve energy and resources.

Signage in Stanley Park
The Board approved the completion of the phase one signage program, which will see 18 new or modified roadside and wayfinding signs erected soon throughout the park. Phase two includes destination information on forest trail markers (underway now), while phase three will be destination signs for pedestrian paths.

Treated Wood in Playgrounds
The Board received an information report on the use of pressure treated wood in children's playgrounds. The report lays out recommenations and procedures from the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority which the Park Board is following. These include no further installation of playgrounds using treated wood; the planned replacement of treated wood equipment in our system; the topping up of sand to provide a certain depth of surface; evaluation of other surfaces such as artificial mulch; and exclusion of wood from new equipment tenders.

West Nile Virus
The Board endorsed the recommendations of a Council report on surveillance and mosquito control procedures for 2004, in response to the West Nile Virus. The program is based on 2003 results and will include further monitoring and sampling of catch basins and permanent water bodies, habitat modification, public education and larval control if and when ordered by the Medical Health Officer. As a provincial health issue, the response is coordinated through the BC Centre for Disease Control, and the GVRD has a regional preparedness and action plan. The Parks and Engineering implementation plan is coordinated by the Park Board's Integrated Pest Manager.

Capital Plan Cost Escalation
The Board endorsed recommendations to address significant budget shortfalls caused by unprecedented escalation in construction costs on a number of Park Board projects: Mount Pleasant Community Centre/ #1 Kingsway, Killarney Pool, Queen Elizabeth Reservoir, Sunset Community Centre and Millennium Sports Facility. A solution was found to move these capital projects forward through changes to and reallocation of various funding sources.

NEXT MEETING

The next regular meeting of the Park Board will be held at 2099 Beach Avenue on Monday, May 3, 2004.

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