VANCOUVER, B.C. – The Green Party of Vancouver has released their park board platform, ‘Your Parks. Your Future’, for the 2022 municipal election.

Parks and recreation in Vancouver have always distinguished our city and played a crucial role in enhancing Vancouverites’ quality of life. During the pandemic, the central importance of parks and recreation has been felt like never before in supporting individual and community well-being. Parks are the place where we connect with friends and family, get physically active, and access much needed fresh air and greenspace.

We need strong leadership and good governance to support these vital services now and in the future. Greens will explore new innovative ways to enhance the experience of everyday users of our parks and recreation sites. We will bring transparency, and principled decision-making that is accountable to Vancouverites and your communities’ needs.

Green Commissioners will ensure that all Park Board facilities are operated and maintained under the highest standards, taking into account the impact on the climate crisis, urban ecosystems, and sustainability for future generations.

Initial Green Park Board Commissioner actions will include:

• Expand the current pilot project for alcohol consumption in parks to include all eligible parklands and beaches.
• Work to implement the People, Parks and Dogs Strategy, including advancing new dog parks in Mount Pleasant and Kitsilano, while creating multi-access drinking fountains at dog parks.
• Prioritize completing and implementing the Sports Fields Strategy and the development of new fields including accelerating the construction of a synthetic turf field at Sir Winston Churchill Secondary.
• Actively collaborate with elected members of the federal and provincial government to seek funding to rebuild the Jericho Pier into a modern waterfront hub for community building, outdoor recreation, and harbour safety.
• Initiate a pilot project for an electric trolly loop service within Stanley Park.
• Finalize planning for the new outdoor swimming pool in Oak Park (Marpole).
• Renew and update the Vancouver Park Board’s biodiversity strategy and goals in view of the new Vancouver Plan, blue-green infrastructure plans, and shoreline resilience strategy.

Quotes:

Tom Digby, intellectual property lawyer and candidate for park board, “The Park Board can address the climate emergency by reducing our carbon footprint, enhancing urban tree and wildlife systems, reducing waste, improving circularity, and adapting facilities and services for climate resilience. As a Commissioner, I will engage all residents with a view to social equity and livability, including better using our parks for festivals and community events.”

Tricia Riley, rowing coach, trained lawyer working in Indigenous relations, and candidate for park board, “I believe that we all need places to connect with the outdoors and each other. As our city continues to grow, it’s vital that we support and rejuvenate our green spaces and community recreation services so that all Vancouverites can enjoy them for generations to come. My work has taught me the value of consensus-building, I plan to bring that experience to the table as Park Board Commissioner.”

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More information:

Your Parks. Your Future. Green Party of Vancouver Park Board Platform