Kitsilano Community Centre
REGISTER @ VANREC.CA
SPRING 2025 BROCHURE
REGISTER @ VANREC.CA
SPRING 2025 BROCHURE

What the possible dissolution of the Vancouver Park Board could mean for community centres

Association, Blog, Community-engagement, Events, Facility, Ice-rink, News, Programs, Save Our Park Board, Volunteering

Press Release Issued November 12, 2024 The Save Our Park Board Coalition congratulates Premier David Eby and the MLAs elected from all the parties in the October 19 BC provincial election. The Coalition brings together the Association Presidents Group (APG) representing 19 Vancouver Community Centres, thirty former Park Board Commissioners, and a coalition of concerned Vancouver citizens. The Save Our Park Board Coalition supports democratically elected governing bodies. This is a major reason why the we oppose Mayor Ken Sim’s proposal to eliminate the democratically elected Vancouver Park Board. During the last Vancouver civic election in 2022, over 171,000 citizens cast ballots to elect a Park Board to a four year term. Mayor Sim and his ABC party did not propose eliminating the elected Park Board as part of their platform so there is no mandate. We do not believe the Mayor and seven City Councilors have the right to deny Vancouver citizens their choice. Over the last months, the Save Our Park Board campaign has collected over 7000 signatures from Vancouver citizens, both at community events and with an online petition, opposed to the dissolution of the elected Park Board. Mayor Sim’s proposal to abolish the Park Board midterm cannot proceed without the provincial government making amendments to the Vancouver City Charter. The Save Our Park Board Coalition would like to remind Premier Eby of comments he made at an all-candidates meeting prior to the election where he said he didn’t think dissolving the Park Board would be a priority for a new NDP government before the next Vancouver municipal election in October 2026. We also note that the BC opposition parties have both made it clear that the decision about the future of the Vancouver Park Board requires a mandate from Vancouver voters. Premier Eby’s government faces important issues related to health care, affordability, public safety and reconciliation. The Save Our Park Board Coalition believes any decision on the future of the Park Board should be made by the citizens of Vancouver. Jerry Fast, Chair Association Presidents Group On behalf of the Save Our Park Board Coalition 778 233 2525

What the possible dissolution of the Vancouver Park Board could mean for community centres.

“Jerry Fast, president of the Kitsilano Community Centre Association, says the city attributing inefficiencies to the park board is misleading.“
Jerry Fast was interviewed by Stephen Quinn at CBC -November 22, 2024 → LISTEN HERE

 

Could a 2025 byelection give Vancouver voters a chance to weigh in on the park board’s fate?

Dan Fumano: ABC Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim unveiled a proposal in December 2023 to dissolve the park board, a plan that caught the city by surprise.
Vancouver Sun -November 15, 2024 → VIEW & LISTEN HERE