Board Meeting Highlights
December 12, 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 - December 12, 2005

PRESENTATION

The Park Board and Stanley Park Ecology Society were recently presented with an Award of Excellence for Innovation from the Vancouver Regional Construction Association for the unique Cob House earthen architecture project in Stanley Park.

GENERAL MANAGER'S REPORT

There are no Park Board-related agenda items at Council or Committees this week. At their last meeting, Council named appointments to Standing Committees, and Council Representatives to Regional Bodies, Boards, Statutory Committees and Non-Profit Societies.

STAFF REPORTS

Childcare Developments - Kitsilano Area Park Site and Burrard View Park
The Board received for information and update on two childcare projects on city and park land which are being upgraded through conversion of ageing BC Buildings Corporation portables into updated facilities. The Kitsilano area childcare, next to the community gardens, is being replaced with a new modular structure to open by Spring 2006. Harbourview Childcare Centre, in East Vancouver's Burrard View Park, will be replaced. Following community consultation, an expanded building is proposed at or near the existing location; financial and building options are being prepared.

Olympic Handover/Countdown Celebrations
As part of the City's celebrations to locally commemorate the handover of the Olympic Winter Games from Torino, Italy to Vancouver and to mark the countdown to 2010, the Park Board will be offering residents free skating at all ice rinks on Sunday, February 26, 2006, and a ceremonial lighting event at the English Bay Inukshuk sculpture (inspiration behind the 2010 official emblem Ilanaaq) on Wednesday, March 1, 2006. More details on these and other activities in the week long celebrations - including transfer and raising of the Olympic flag, community event for viewing the Torino closing ceremonies, and unveiling of the countdown clock - will be available soon.

Award of Stanley Park Pay Tennis Concession
The pay tennis concession in Stanley Park was awarded to G&G Tennis Services for the 2006 season with the 2007 and 2008 seasons to be renewed annually. This reservation service is offered on 6 of the 17 courts available.

2006 Special Events
The Board approved two major special events in 2006 - Alcan Dragon Boat Festival June 16 to 18 and Weekend to End Breast Cancer August 18 to 20. The full Calendar of Major Events was also received for information - over 200 such events per year take place in Vancouver's parks.

Next Meeting

The next regular meeting of the Park Board is at 7:00 pm on Monday, January 16, 2006 at 2099 Beach Avenue.