TEAM on the Park Board: keep it elected and pledge $739 million over four years
TEAM for a Livable Vancouver says it would withdraw the City's request to the Province to eliminate the elected Park Board, return finance, operations and facilities to the board, give it a fixed share of the tax base, and invest $739 million over four years in parks and recreation.
PARK BOARD
Protecting the Park Board: what the Our Positions says
TEAM for a Livable Vancouver makes saving the elected Park Board the first item in its parks platform. The party says Mayor Ken Sim and the ABC council majority asked the Province to change the Vancouver Charter so the board would be eliminated, and it calls this a "power grab". TEAM says the board was created early in Vancouver's history to protect Stanley Park from development, separate from the City's job of developing land, and that the reason still holds.
TEAM's plan, which it calls "Better Parks and Recreation for Everyone", would withdraw the City's request and move finance, operations and facilities back from City departments to the Park Board, with line-by-line oversight of its budget. The board would get a set share of the City's tax base. The party pledges $739 million over four years for parks and recreation facilities, and says over 70% of recreation facilities are rated in poor condition or worse.
Other items set rules for how parks are run. TEAM would keep park assets publicly owned and operated, stop selling park naming rights as a source of money, prefer the board's own staff over outside contractors, and require public engagement and several expert opinions before major projects. It would also ask the City to accept that commissioners have exclusive authority over Stanley Park.
The Park Board's existence and powers are set by the Vancouver Charter, which only the Province can change. Withdrawing the City's request and moving money and staff back to the board are Council decisions, so these promises need TEAM councillors as well as commissioners.
THE PARTY'S NUMBERS
Figures in this chapter
Investment TEAM pledges for parks and recreation facilities over four years
The party's figureShare of recreational facilities the party says are rated in the two lowest condition grades, "poor" or worse
The party's figure11 COMMITMENTS
What the party says it would do
Withdraw the request to eliminate the Park Board
TEAM would withdraw the City's request to the Province to change the Vancouver Charter to eliminate the elected Park Board. Its summary page calls this saving the board from what it calls Ken Sim's power grab.
- Who has the power
- City, with others The party says the request came from Council, which could withdraw it, while only the Province can change the Vancouver Charter.
Keep Park Board assets publicly owned and operated
The party would keep Park Board assets publicly owned and operated.
- Who has the power
- Park Board The Park Board controls parks, community centres, pools, rinks and beaches.
Return finance, operations and facilities to the Park Board
TEAM would restore the Park Board's authority over its operations and facilities by moving finance, operations and facilities back under its control from the City's planning, real estate and facilities departments, while managing its finances with line-by-line budget analysis and oversight.
- Who has the power
- City, with others Council controls the City departments that now hold these duties, so moving them back needs Council and the Park Board together.
Secure funding as a set share of the tax base
The party would advocate for secure, ongoing funding for the Park Board as a specified portion of the City of Vancouver tax base.
- Who has the power
- City Council Council sets the property tax and decides the Park Board's budget.
Keep park management to the core mandate
TEAM would stop what it calls the politicization of park management, with policies and goals beyond the Park Board's core mandate of maintaining and improving parks and recreation for all Vancouverites.
- Who has the power
- Park Board Commissioners set the Park Board's policies and goals.
No sale of park naming rights
The party says the main purpose of parks is to preserve natural areas and improve residents' quality of life through green space and recreation, and that park land should not be used as a source of revenue, such as by selling park naming rights.
- Who has the power
- Park Board The Park Board decides whether to sell naming rights for its parks and facilities.
Balanced policies that serve citizens
TEAM would create balanced policies that serve the needs of Vancouver residents as the Vancouver Charter requires, in place of serving third-party interests or possible privatization.
- Who has the power
- Park Board Commissioners set the Park Board's policies.
City recognition of Park Board authority over Stanley Park
The party would seek City acknowledgement that Park Board commissioners have exclusive authority over the maintenance and management of Stanley Park, consistent with the Vancouver Charter.
- Who has the power
- City Council The acknowledgement would be a Council decision.
Public engagement and expert opinion before major park projects
TEAM would make sure there is public engagement and that several expert opinions are considered before major projects are carried out in Vancouver parks.
- Who has the power
- Park Board The Park Board approves projects in its parks and sets how it consults.
In-house park workers and WorkSafe BC guidelines
The party would give preference to in-house employees over outside contractors in parks projects, and follow all WorkSafe BC guidelines to protect workers.
- Who has the power
- Park Board The Park Board decides how its projects are staffed.
$739 million over four years for parks and recreation
TEAM's summary page pledges $739 million over four years to invest in parks and recreation facilities, as part of its Better Parks and Recreation for Everyone plan.
- Who has the power
- City, with others The capital plan that pays for park facilities is approved by Council, so the Park Board needs Council to fund this.
WHO WOULD HAVE TO ACT
Where the power sits for this chapter
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Questions about protecting the park board
Does TEAM for a Livable Vancouver want to keep the elected Park Board?
Yes. TEAM for a Livable Vancouver says it would withdraw the City's request to the Province to change the Vancouver Charter to eliminate the elected Park Board, and would return finance, operations and facilities to the board (TEAM Parks and Recreation page).
How much would TEAM spend on Vancouver parks?
TEAM's summary page pledges $739 million over four years to invest in parks and recreation facilities. The party says over 70% of recreational facilities are rated in poor condition or worse (TEAM Parks and Recreation page).
What is TEAM's Better Parks and Recreation for Everyone plan?
It is the name TEAM for a Livable Vancouver gives its parks plan. The party says it would save the Park Board, protect parkland, improve and expand parks and green spaces, and invest $739 million over four years in facilities (TEAM Parks and Recreation page).
Would TEAM sell park naming rights?
No. TEAM says the purpose of parks is to preserve natural areas and give residents green space and recreation, and that park land should not be used as a revenue source, such as by selling park naming rights (TEAM Parks and Recreation page).
How would TEAM fund the Park Board?
TEAM for a Livable Vancouver says it would advocate for secure, ongoing funding for the Park Board as a specified portion of the City of Vancouver tax base, and manage the board's finances line by line (TEAM Parks and Recreation page).
Who decides whether Vancouver keeps its Park Board?
The Park Board is set up by the Vancouver Charter, which only the Province can change. Council can withdraw the City's request for that change, so TEAM's promise needs councillors as well as Park Board commissioners (TEAM Parks and Recreation page).
ON THE BALLOT
The TEAM for a Livable 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.
- TEAM parks and recreation, learn more SAYS SO ITSELFTEAM for a Livable Vancouver · checked