Board of Parks and Recreation
Regular Board Meeting

Monday, December 14, 2009 at 7:00 pm

AGENDA - REVISED

A recording of the Agenda is available at 604-257-8507.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

1. Minutes of the regular meeting of the Board held on Monday, November 16, 2009 .
2. Minutes of the special meeting of the Board held on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 .
3. Minutes of the special meeting of the Board held on Wednesday, November 25, 2009.
   

CHAIR'S REPORT -2009

Commissioner Hundal to report on the past year's operations.

ELECTION OF CHAIR

The following are excerpts from the Board's Procedure By-law:

The General Manager shall call the first Board meeting of the year to order and conduct the meeting for election of the Chair or until an acting Chair is appointed. The General Manager shall proceed in the same manner whenever the chair is vacant until the Board fills the vacancy.

CHAIR

The presiding officer of the Board shall be its Chair who shall be elected by a majority vote from among the Board members present.

Board members shall elect the Chair by ballot at the first meeting in December of each year. If a tie vote occurs, the General Manager shall remove from the ballot the nominee who receives the lowest number of votes. The Board members shall then repeat the same procedure of ballot voting and removal from the ballot of the nominee who receives the lowest number of votes until they have elected the Chair.

If a Chair is not elected at the first meeting, the Board shall appoint an acting Chair who shall conduct the Board's meetings until a Chair is elected.

The term of the Chair commences on the date of the election as Chair and terminates on the date of the first meeting in December next ensuing or, if in the last year of a term of office as a member of the Board, at the end of the term of office.

If the office of Chair becomes vacant, the Board shall forthwith elect a new Chair on the basis herein described.

The Chair shall vote on all questions submitted and shall have the same rights and be subject to the same restriction on participating in debate as other members of the Board.

ELECTION OF VICE CHAIR

VICE CHAIR

There shall be a Vice Chair elected in the same manner and for the same term as the Chair. The Chair shall preside during the election of the Vice Chair.

When the Chair is unable to carry out all or any of the duties of the presiding officer, the Vice Chair of the Board or in the absence of the Vice Chair, such other appointed Board members, shall act for the Chair until such time as the Board makes other arrangements.

If the office of Vice Chair becomes vacant, the Board shall forthwith elect a new Vice Chair on the basis herein described.

4. 2010 Board Meeting Dates
   The Board to approve the 2010 Board Meeting Dates.
   

STAFF REPORTS

5. Mount Pleasant Park
   Staff report dated December 07, 2009 recommending that the Board approve recommendations A to C. Appendix A , Appendix B
   

6. Use of Harbour Green Dock by Passenger Ferry Services.
   Staff report dated December 02, 2009 recommending that the Board approve recommendations A to C.
   
   
7. Hastings Park / Pacific National Exhibition (PNE): Recommended Master Plan Directions
   Staff report dated December 11, 2009 recommending that the Board receive this report for information on the recommended master plan directions for Hastings Park / Pacific National Exhibition (PNE). Appendix A
   
   

MOTIONS

A. The following motion was put forward by Commissioner Woodcock:

WHEREAS:

1. Violence against women persists as both a pervasive violation of human rights and a significant impediment to achieving gender equality on a global and local level;
   
   
2. Gender inequality remains one of the root causes of violence against women while violence against women serves as both an acute manifestation of gender inequality and a means of perpetuating it;
   
   
3. Vancouver is a city that believes in dignity, respect, and gender equality and has established the first City of Vancouver Women's Advisory Committee;
   
   
4. Recent figures from Statistics Canada indicate that women are 8 times more likely than men to experience violence in relationships (Source: Family Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile, Statistics Canada, 2006);
   
   
5. Recent statistics show that violence against women increase by one third during times of economic downturn;
   
   
6. 'We Can End All Violence against Women', or 'We Can', is a multi-year, international campaign, which seeks to challenge and change deeply entrenched societal attitudes and practices that support violence against women through a Coalition of over 50 organizations and 500 individuals;
   
   
7. 'We Can' is a partner in the international '16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence' campaign that will be taking place from November 25- December 10, 2009 to raise awareness and dialogue around violence against women;
   
   
8. The '16 Days' Campaign has seen tens of thousands of activists from every region of the world take part in a united movement for women's rights since its beginning in 1991, providing an opportunity to work together in solidarity and draw upon this period of heightened international attention to gain support for local efforts;
   
9. The COV Women's Advisory Committee requests that Vancouver City Council support the campaign against violence against women by supporting this campaign.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED

THAT the Vancouver Park Board unanimously agree to endorse the We Can Coalition and its '16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence" Campaign.

B. The following motion was put forward by Commissioner Jasper:

WHEREAS the Board initiated a Core Services Review as part of its 2010 Budget process to better align its programs and services with the Park Boards mandate;

WHEREAS the Bloedel Conservatory, as part of the 2010 Budget process, was identified as not being part of the Park Boards Core Service;

WHEREAS the Board approved, on November 25, 2009, to close the Bloedel Conservatory to assist in meeting the Park Board's 2010 fiscal challenges;

WHEREAS the Board recognizes the historic value of the Bloedel Conservatory and its potential for future use;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Board direct staff to issue a Request for Expressions of Interest inviting interested applicants to submit written business cases/concept plans and other relevant information for the use (in a similar or new capacity) of the Bloedel Conservatory facility in Queen Elizabeth Park.

C. The following motion was put forward by Commissioner Jasper:

WHEREAS the Board initiated a Core Services Review as part of its 2010 Budget process to better align its programs and services with the Park Boards mandate;

WHEREAS the Children's Farmyard, as part of the 2010 Budget process, was identified as not being part of the Park Boards Core Services;

WHEREAS the Board approved, on November 25, 2009, to close the Children's Farmyard to assist in meeting the Park Board's 2010 fiscal challenges and support its core services;

WHEREAS the Board recognizes the potential educational value of the Children's Farmyard;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Board direct staff to issue a Request for Expressions of Interest inviting interested applicants to submit written business cases/concept plans and other relevant information for the use (in a similar or new capacity) of the Children's Farmyard facility in Stanley Park.

In-Camera Meeting

THAT the Board later this evening go into a meeting which is closed to the public, pursuant to Section 165.2 (1) of the Vancouver Charter, to discuss matters related to paragraph:

(c) labour relations or other employee relations;

ENQUIRIES, OTHER MATTERS AND NEW BUSINESS

NEXT MEETING: Monday, January 18, 2010 at 7:00 pm.

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