Greens' Park Board plan: a new 50m pool, renewed centres and $6m back for parks
The Green Party of Vancouver says it would renew Hastings, Kensington and Renfrew community centres, renew four pools and add a 50m pool at Hastings or Kensington, cut the Park Board's reliance on user fees, which it puts at 56% under ABC, and return $6m to the park budget.
PARK BOARD · PAGE 50
Facilities for the Future: what the Platform 2026 says
The last page of the Green Party of Vancouver's Park Board platform turns to buildings. The party says it would put the renewal of Hastings, Kensington and Renfrew community centres first, following what the platform calls Community Centre Strategy 2022, and keep working on the Britannia renewal. For swimming, the Greens list the Vancouver Aquatic Centre, Kitsilano Pool, Kerrisdale and Britannia pools for renewal, and they would add a new 50m pool at either Hastings or Kensington.
Other items on the facilities list set standards for what gets built and sold. The platform says all new infrastructure would be built to climate-resilient gold standards, with carbon emissions kept low, though it does not name the rating system behind that gold standard. The party would keep adding safety enhanced, gender neutral washrooms in parks and public spaces. It would also establish a plant-based food mandate for all restaurants and concessions, and the platform gives no further detail on how that rule would apply.
The second heading on page 50 is about the board's independence and money. The Greens say they would celebrate and honour the independent elected Park Board and its 136 year role in local democracy. The platform puts the board's dependence on user fee revenue at 56% under ABC and calls it excessive. The party would restore the city-funded share of the park budget to what it calls the historical level of 50%, returning $6m to the Park Board budget, and would allow small businesses to offer services in parks.
Much of this chapter needs City Council. Council approves the capital plan that pays for new pools and community centres, and the $6m would come from the city budget that Council sets. The elected Park Board itself exists under the Vancouver Charter, a provincial law. Mayor Ken Sim's ABC party campaigned to end the elected board, and the Province withdrew a 2025 bill that the plan needed. In July 2026 ABC said it would run Park Board candidates and no longer seek to abolish the board.
THE PARTY'S NUMBERS
Figures in this chapter
Year of the Community Centre Strategy the party would follow for renewals
The party's figure, page 50Length of the new pool the party would build at Hastings or Kensington
The party's figure, page 50Years of the elected Park Board's role in Vancouver's local democracy, as the party counts it
The party's figure, page 50The party's figure for the Park Board's dependence on user fee revenue under ABC
The party's figure, page 50What the party calls the historical level of city funding in the park budget
The party's figure, page 50Money the party would return to the Park Board budget
The party's figure, page 509 COMMITMENTS
What the party says it would do
Renew Hastings, Kensington and Renfrew community centres
The Greens would prioritize renewal of Hastings, Kensington and Renfrew community centres, as set out in Community Centre Strategy 2022. They would also maintain focus on the Britannia renewal.
- Who has the power
- City, with others The Park Board chooses which centres to renew first, but the money comes through the city's capital plan, which Council approves.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 50
Renew pools and build a new 50m pool
The party would enhance swimming pool infrastructure by renewing the Vancouver Aquatic Centre, Kitsilano Pool, Kerrisdale and Britannia pools, and by building a new 50m pool at Hastings or Kensington.
- Who has the power
- City, with others The Park Board runs the pools, but rebuilding them and building a new one are paid for through the city's capital plan, which Council approves.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 50
Climate-resilient gold standard for all new infrastructure
The Greens would build all new infrastructure to climate-resilient gold standards and minimize carbon emissions. The platform does not say which rating system the gold standard refers to.
- Who has the power
- City, with others New park buildings are paid for through the city's capital plan and must meet the city building bylaw, both set by Council, so the Park Board would need Council's support for a higher standard.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 50
Safety enhanced gender neutral washrooms
The party would continue to invest in new safety enhanced, gender neutral washrooms in parks and public spaces.
- Who has the power
- City, with others Washrooms in parks are Park Board facilities, while those in other public spaces such as streets and plazas belong to the city.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 50
Plant-based food mandate for restaurants and concessions
The Greens would establish a plant-based food mandate for all restaurants and concessions. The platform gives no timeline or further detail.
- Who has the power
- Park Board The Park Board leases the restaurant and concession spaces in its parks and on its beaches, so it sets the terms.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 50
Celebrate and honour the independent elected Park Board
The party would celebrate and honour the independent elected Park Board and its 136 year role in Vancouver's local democracy.
- Who has the power
- Province The Park Board is created by the Vancouver Charter, a provincial law, so only the Province can change whether it exists.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 50
Reduce dependence on user fee revenue
The Greens would eliminate what they call excessive dependence on user fee revenue, which the platform says is currently 56% under ABC.
- Who has the power
- City, with others Less money from fees means more city funding, which Council decides when it sets the budget.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 50
Restore city funding to 50% and return $6m
The party would restore the city-funded portion of the park budget to what it calls the historical level of 50%, and return $6m to the Park Board budget.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council sets the city budget and decides how much of it goes to the Park Board, so the board can only ask for the money.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 50
Microactivations and small business services in parks
The Greens would increase microactivations, meaning small-scale uses of parks and public spaces, and would permit small businesses to offer in-park services.
- Who has the power
- Park Board The Park Board issues the permits for businesses and events in parks.
- Source
- Platform 2026, page 50
WHO WOULD HAVE TO ACT
Where the power sits for this chapter
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Questions about facilities for the future
Where would the Green Party of Vancouver build a new 50m pool?
The Green Party of Vancouver says it would build a new 50m pool at Hastings or Kensington. It would also renew the Vancouver Aquatic Centre, Kitsilano Pool, Kerrisdale and Britannia pools (platform, page 50).
Which community centres would Vancouver's Greens renew first?
The Green Party of Vancouver says it would prioritize renewal of Hastings, Kensington and Renfrew community centres, following Community Centre Strategy 2022. It would also keep its focus on the Britannia renewal (platform, page 50).
Does the Green Party of Vancouver want to keep an elected Park Board?
The Park Board is created by the Vancouver Charter, a provincial law, so only the Province can change whether it exists. The Green Party of Vancouver says it would celebrate and honour the independent elected Park Board and its 136 year role in Vancouver's local democracy (platform, page 50).
How would the Vancouver Greens fund the Park Board?
The Greens say the Park Board depends too much on user fees, which the platform puts at 56% under ABC. The party would restore the city-funded share of the park budget to what it calls the historical level of 50% and return $6m to the Park Board budget (platform, page 50).
Who decides whether the Park Board gets the $6m the Greens promise?
City Council sets the city budget and decides how much city money goes to the Park Board, so commissioners can only ask for it. The Green Party of Vancouver says it would return $6m to the Park Board budget (platform, page 50).
What is the Green Party of Vancouver's plant-based food mandate?
The platform says the Greens would establish a plant-based food mandate for all restaurants and concessions, listed under the Park Board's facilities. It gives no timeline or further detail on how the rule would apply (platform, page 50).
Would Vancouver's Greens allow small businesses in parks?
The Green Party of Vancouver says it would increase microactivations, meaning small-scale uses of parks and public spaces, and permit small businesses to offer in-park services (platform, page 50).
ON THE BALLOT
The Green Party of Vancouver candidates behind this
Sources
Every commitment on this page comes from the party's own material, marked SAYS SO ITSELF. It proves what the party says it would do. Who holds each power is our own addition, from the sources listed after it.
- Platform 2026, Green Party of Vancouver (72-page PDF, last updated September 29, 2026) SAYS SO ITSELFGreen Party of Vancouver · pages 50 · published · checked
- ABC Vancouver will run Park Board candidates and no longer seek to abolish the board; the Province withdrew the 2025 Vancouver Charter bill (13 July 2026) Daily Hive · checked
- Vancouver mayor says he won't try to eliminate the park board if re-elected (13 July 2026) CBC News, via Yahoo News Canada · checked