Board Meeting Highlights
January 16, 2006

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 - January 16, 2006

CHAIR'S REPORT

The Chair announced the liaison appointments of Commissioners to Community Centres and other civic groups.

GENERAL MANAGER'S REPORT

On City Council and Committee agendas this week, a number of Park Board related items will be discussed, including a request for a new Park Board boom truck for arboriculture; appointments and appointment process to advisory bodies; terms of reference for the Roles, Responsibilities and Relationships Review; CD-1 rezoning of Hillcrest/Nat Bailey Stadium parks; authority to travel to Calgary to review their 311 municipal call centre service; Southeast False Creek development financial strategy and plan; and overview of City of Vancouver transportation plans.

DELEGATION

A delegation from the Grandview Policing Centre thanked Commissioners and staff for the excellent working relationship they had enjoyed with the Park Board over the last five years. The Centre recently left their building in the East Vancouver park to a nearby street front location.

STAFF REPORTS

Fish House Restaurant - Lease and Rent Review
The Board approved the assignment of the lease for the Fish House in Stanley Park to Canadian Hotel Income Properties Real Estate Investment Trust (CHIP REIT), and set the rent for the next five years, with an additional five year option. CHIP REIT has plans to renovate and develop the full service restaurant which was built in 1931.

John Hendry Park Master Plan - Consultant Appointed
The contract to prepare a Master Plan for John Hendry Park was awarded to Phillips Farevaag Smallenberg for a fee of $41,000. The plan is being done now to help meet our commitments to build a practice rink at Trout Lake for 2010 and to replace the Trout Lake Community Centre in the next decade, as well as address a number of park issues such as naturalization, walkways, dogs off-leash and expanded uses. Public consultation is planned to start in January.

Marketing of VanDusen Botanical Garden
The Board approved in principle the transfer of responsibility for marketing VanDusen Garden from the VanDusen Botanical Garden Association to the Park Board, given the direct impact that marketing has on Park Board revenues. This change, which will be cost neutral, will allow the 30 year old garden to better promote itself. Staff will report back on the actions required for implementing the proposal.

CD-1 Rezoning - Hillcrest/Nat Bailey Stadium
The Council report on CD-1 rezoning for Hillcrest/Nat Bailey Stadium parks was received for information. This CD (Comprehensive Development)-1 rezoning is part of the development of the Olympic Curling Venue and its post 2010 Winter Games conversion to community centre, rink, curling club and library, as well as the adjacent development of the new Percy Norman Aquatic Centre. The rezoning determines land use, height of buildings, site density, number of parking stalls, and preliminary form of development (the starting point for design). The Board passed a motion that the final form of development reduces the extent of building and parking lot intrusion into Hillcrest Park and that all or a portion of the 100 parking stalls east of the Little League diamond be relocated elsewhere on the site in a manner that acknowledges the interests of neighborhood residents and Ontario bikeway users. A public hearing on the rezoning is scheduled at Council for January 31.

2006 Advance Approval for Capital Expenditure
The Board approved a request to Council to approve $5.73 million in capital spending for current projects, in advance of the final approval of the 2006 capital budget. Approvals are being sought at this time for a number of reasons including the urgency to deliver projects in a timely manner, meeting tight timelines, consideration of seasonal demands and ensuring readiness for later construction schedules. The $5.73 million (7.2% of the total capital budget) will be spent on neigborhood park renewals, playgrounds, waterfront work, park infrastructure projects, park planning, major renewals, ice rinks and aquatic centre.

Vivian Creek (Fraserview) Reinstatement Plan - Consultant Appointed
Heavy rains in November caused failure of some culverts of Vivian Creek which flows through Fraserview Golf Course, resulting in washouts and collapse at the #1 fairway. The creek needs to be re-established in a permanent manner, for safety and stability, before the start of the busy golfing season. The $56,400 contract for day lighting of Vivian Creek was awarded to design and engineering consultant Kerr Wood Leidel who will deliver both environmental and design components.

Southeast False Creek and Olympic Village: Financial Plan and Strategy
The Council report on Southeast False Creek and Olympic Village financial plan and strategy was received for information. The Board strongly recommended to Council that the Official Development Plan maintain a 30,000 square feet community centre/boating centre, and also strongly recommended that funding for park development be maintained from the Property Endowment Fund, both as per the City Manager's recommendations.

MOTION

Commissioner Robertson moved that two Committees of the Board be established: Parks and Recreation Finance, and Parks and Recreation Planning; and that the Finance Committee hold regular monthly meetings (except in August) and that the Planning Committee hold regular bi-weekly meetings, as required. The Motion passed.

NEXT MEETING

The next regular meeting of the Park Board will be held at 7:00 pm on Monday, January 30, 2006 at 2099 Beach Avenue.