Board Meeting Highlights
January 30, 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 30,
2006
CHAIR'S REPORT
The Chair reported that the Southeast False Creek Official
Development Plan (ODP) had been amended but will
still include a full-size community centre, non-motorized
boating facility, park acreage and levels of funding
for park development. The ODP will next go to public
hearing.
GENERAL MANAGER'S REPORT
On Council and Committee agendas this week
are several Park Board-related items including
a presentation on the upcoming Olympic flag
handover and 2010 countdown celebrations February
26 to March 10, which will feature free skating
sessions at all city rinks and lighting of
the Inukshuk at English Bay; and the preliminary
estimates for the 2006 Operating Budget, which
will ask for direction to Corporate Management
Team to report back on options and public participation
process around budget development - final budget
report goes to Council on April 20.
STAFF REPORTS
Nat Bailey
Lease Agreement
A one year lease extension was granted
to the Vancouver Canadians Professional
Baseball Club to permit the ongoing operation
of the team at Nat Bailey Stadium for the
2006 season. This was necessitated by the
expiration of the existing lease, while
staff are completing discussions around
a future long-term lease with interested
parties.
Fundraising and
Development
A progress report was given on the success of the
last 12 months of fundraising and development efforts.
An action plan was approved for future initiatives
and opportunities, including continuation of the
Gifts for Parks Program, submitting grant applications,
and developing and implementing campaigns for special
projects. The Board approved establishing a full-time
position for Manager of Fundraising and Development,
and an ongoing allocation of $175,000 from the Park
Amenity Reserve to establish the program.
Park Land Acquisition
Strategy
A draft report for discussion on "Park Land
Acquisition Strategy for Vancouver" was received.
Objectives of this visioning report are to define
park acquisition policy and select park priorities
over the long-term. The report described the many
purposes of parks which are considered the building
block of our parks and recreation system, and laid
out possible choices and recommendations for land
acquisition. The Board instructed staff to undertake
a widely notified public consultation process to
obtain maximum public feedback on the draft strategy
- workshops are planned for March.
Community Board
Meetings
Over the last three years, a series of 18 board meetings
have been held out in the community, to increase
public participation and to make it easier for residents
to attend meetings. The Board approved that staff
explore holding one such community board meeting
per month by extending an invitation to community
centre associations to host them over the 2006-2009
period, and that staff report back with a plan to
finance the meetings based on the number out in the
community.
NEXT MEETING
The next regular meeting of
the Park Board will be held at 7:00 pm on Monday,
February 27, 2006 at 2099 Beach Avenue.