Keep the elected Park Board, a Joint Budget Committee, and a capital renewal plan
Parks appear in the Vancouver Liberals’ published commitments as one of the services the 400 new front-line staff would improve.
PARKS AND RECREATION
Vancouver Liberals on parks
The party publishes a dedicated Parks and Recreation plan, separate from its main issues page, that commits to keeping the Park Board elected and independent and gives it a bigger, steadier share of the City budget.
It also promises a $1.35 billion investment across parks, recreation and pools, and specific facility positions: 50-metre pools at the Aquatic Centre, removing parking meters at beaches and community centres, and an auditor general review of the PNE.
7 PUBLISHED COMMITMENTS
What they say they will do
Keep the Park Board elected and reverse the move to abolish it
The party would fight efforts to remove the elected Park Board and repeal Council's motion calling for its abolition.
- Who has the power
- Only the province can abolish the Park Board by amending the Vancouver Charter. Council can withdraw its own request to the province.
Create a Joint Budget Advisory Committee and restore funding to 9% of the city budget
A committee of Park Board commissioners, city councillors and both bodies' senior finance staff would guide the annual budget cycle, aiming to restore Park Board funding from 7.9% to 9% of the total city budget within four years, with a three-year rolling budget framework.
- Cost
- A four-year path from 7.9% to 9% of the city's total budget
Return facility management authority to the Park Board
The party would repeal the centralized facilities-management structure it says excludes the Park Board, restoring the Board's direct control of maintenance and capital planning for its own facilities.
A capital renewal plan for community centres
Each capital cycle would aim to build one new community centre and renew three more, following the existing Community Centre Strategy, with a $1.35 billion investment across parks, recreation and pools.
- Cost
- $1.35 billion
50-metre pools at the Vancouver Aquatic Centre
The party opposes replacing the Aquatic Centre's 50-metre pool with a 25-metre pool.
Remove parking meters at beaches and community centres
The party would remove parking meters recently added at beaches and community centres.
An auditor general investigation into the PNE
The party calls for an investigation into cost overruns and operating deficits at the Pacific National Exhibition.
What is not published
- Most items name no specific dollar figure beyond the $1.35 billion total and the 7.9 to 9 percent target, and no completion date beyond the four-year budget goal.
IN THE FULL PLATFORM
More on parks in the Kareem's Plan for a Better Vancouver
The party's full platform document covers this issue in 3 chapters. Each chapter page lists every commitment with its PDF page and says which government would have to act.
Facility Oversight and Capital Renewal
Vancouver Liberals: Park Board control of its buildings, a new community centre each cycle
An Elected Park Board and a Better Budget Process
Vancouver Liberals: keep the Park Board elected, raise its share to 9% of the budget
Pools, Parking, Festivals and the PNE
Vancouver Liberals: $1.35B for parks and pools, no beach parking meters, a PNE audit
Sources
A source marked SAYS SO ITSELF is the party's own material. It proves what the party claims, not that the claim is true.
- Vancouver Liberals home page SAYS SO ITSELFVancouver Liberals · checked
- Pete Fry unveils Green Party of Vancouver housing plan Daily Hive · published · checked
- Who is running: official 2026 candidate list City of Vancouver · checked
- Local elections disclosure statement search Elections BC · checked
- Elector organizations: registration and financial reporting duties Elections BC · checked
- Making a campaign contribution Elections BC · checked
- Kareem's Plan for a Better Vancouver (Issues page) SAYS SO ITSELFVancouver Liberals · checked
- Vancouver Liberals: Our Plan for Parks and Recreation Facilities (PDF) SAYS SO ITSELFVancouver Liberals · checked
- Vancouver Liberals: Intimate Partner Violence Policy (PDF) SAYS SO ITSELFVancouver Liberals · checked