---
title: "Vancouver Park Board held closed inaugural meeting at VanDusen, took no action on aquatic centre deadline"
description: "CityHallWatch reports the new Park Board's November 2 swearing-in was invitation-only with an estimated 20 security guards on site. The board took no action on the Vancouver Aquatic Centre before a court-ordered deadline expired the next day."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/news/park-board-inaugural-meeting-transparency-november-2026"
last_updated: "2026-11-10T22:13:35.652Z"
---

The Vancouver Park Board held its November 2 inaugural meeting at VanDusen Botanical Garden as an invitation-only event, CityHallWatch reported on November 10. An estimated 20 security guards and park rangers kept members of the public 50 feet from the entrance, CityHallWatch reported. The ceremony was not live-streamed, unlike the City Council swearing-in at the Orpheum Theatre two days earlier.

CityHallWatch said it was the only press outlet there to cover the meeting.

## Who took office

Seven commissioners were sworn in by City Clerk Jason Twa: four from COPE ([Jamie Han](/candidates/jamie-han), [Sacia Burton](/candidates/sacia-burton), [T'uy't'tanat Cease Wyss](/candidates/t-uy-t-tanat-cease-wyss) and [Tamiko Suzuki](/candidates/tamiko-suzuki)) and three from the Green Party ([Tom Digby](/candidates/tom-digby), [Breanne Smart](/candidates/breanne-smart) and [Spencer van Vloten](/candidates/spencer-van-vloten)). Commissioners elected [Tom Digby](/candidates/tom-digby) as Chair and [Sacia Burton](/candidates/sacia-burton) as Vice-Chair by acclamation. Both serve in those roles until December 2027.

The Park Board oversees 250 public parks and a $192 million annual operating budget, according to CityHallWatch.

## The aquatic centre deadline

The November 2 meeting was the new board's only procedural opening to act before a BC Court of Appeal order pausing demolition of the Vancouver Aquatic Centre expired at noon on November 3. When commissioners were asked for Other Business during the meeting, there was silence. CityHallWatch reported that COPE and Green commissioners had held discussions beforehand and collectively decided not to introduce a motion.

POVACS (Protecting Our Vancouver Aquatic Centre Society) had invited all seven incoming commissioners to an emergency meeting on November 1. None attended, CityHallWatch reported.

POVACS, in a statement quoted by CityHallWatch, said the existing pool could be refurbished at the same location at under one-tenth of the cost of the City's demolition-and-replacement plan. TEAM for a Livable Vancouver candidates [Jon Girard](/candidates/jon-girard) and [Mayeli Alvarez](/candidates/mayeli-alvarez), who ran on a platform of building a 50-metre pool, served as POVACS directors. CityHallWatch reported the group raised $120,000 in public donations to fund court proceedings.

## Integrity Commissioner complaint

CityHallWatch reported that Chair [Tom Digby](/candidates/tom-digby) is the subject of a complaint filed with Vancouver's Integrity Commissioner. The report gives no further details about the nature or stage of that complaint.

## What comes next

Park Board meetings move from 2099 Beach Avenue to City Chambers at City Hall starting November 30, 2026, on a pilot basis. The November 30 meeting is the first regular Board and Committee meeting in that location. Members of the public can attend. The elected commissioners' pages on this site link to their campaign platforms and the promises each made during the election.

## Sitemap

See the full [sitemap](/sitemap.md) for all pages.