1. It’s day one on the job… and to start your work with the Park Board, you are invited to make one change in one park – which park do you pick, and what do you do?
I first became interested in running for Park Board after one of the riverside boardwalks at Fraser River Park was damaged, left to deteriorate over 3 years, and then removed rather than being repaired. I would restore the boardwalk in Fraser River Park, which I feel is representative of a lack of attention to basic maintenance in our parks, especially in South Vancouver.
2. In your opinion, how well is the delivery of parks and public spaces aligned with the type of growth and change taking place in Vancouver’s neighbourhoods?
Under the current ABC Park Board and City Council, it is not aligned well. We are not adequately planning new parks, community centres, recreation facilities (such as pools), or public spaces in the parts of our city that are growing the most rapidly. The River District, a rapidly-growing, high-density community in South Vancouver, has been waiting for a promised new community centre for nearly a decade – and no work has yet been completed. In addition, renewals of existing facilities are not being funded based on assessed need. OneCity Park Board commissioners would prioritize plans for new parks and public spaces in growing areas of our city (specifically in South and East Vancouver, and in the Broadway corridor), and prioritize renewals of existing facilities based on evidence, not political advantage.
3. Heavier rains, more intense heat, and wildfire smoke are all being described as part of a “new normal” tied to climate change. Should Vancouver’s parks and recreation facilities play a part in supporting climate resilience or climate adaptation? If yes, how?
Absolutely! One of the best ways we can use our recreation facilities in times of extreme weather, particularly intense heat waves, is to use them as neighbourhood cooling centres. A portion of our community centres already operate as cooling centres during heat waves, but I believe we should ensure all of our community centres and recreation facilities are equipped to operate this way. Park Board should also be prioritizing a more equitable distribution of the city’s street tree canopy across all neighbourhoods, to provide additional shade and cooler temperatures during extreme heat events.
4. The Park Board (and City) is under increasing pressure to find new ways to finance park upgrades, deliver new parks, and cover other capital and operational costs. How do you propose financing your priorities in the context of the broader City budgeting process?
We need to restore the funding that was cut following ABC’s “zero-means-zero” budget, and fight for increased funding for the Park Board overall. OneCity’s team running for both Park Board and City Council would work to ensure that are are funding the Park Board’s capital and operational costs adequately. There are many creative avenues of revenue generation that should be explored as well, from the possibility of Park Board gift shops, to a Memorial Trees program, and other inventive ideas. A more permanent, long-term fix would be for the funding model for the Park Board to be changed, either through a Vancouver Charter amendment or other methods of enabling stable, independent funding for the Park Board.
5. Vancouver is a city with a very diverse population with lots of different cultures calling this place home. Should the Park Board be doing more to respond to the needs of different cultural user groups? If yes, what sorts of changes to Park Board processes or practices would you envision?
The Park Board should be doing more to connect with and represent Vancouverites of all backgrounds and cultures. We should be connecting with diverse communities across our city directly, with in-language services where needed, to ensure the work that the Park Board does is representative of the needs of the community. If elected, I would like to see the Park Board hold regular community engagement events across the city, with relevant language resources, to ensure that the voices of those who are often overlooked are heard. I would also push to engage with various community groups to ensure that diverse local history (inclusive of Indigenous, settler, and immigrant communities) is celebrated in our parks, through artwork, monuments, and educational information.
6. We have to ask: are you planning – secretly, overtly, or otherwise – to abolish or reform the Park Board? If yes, what are you intending to do? In general, what’s your vision for Park Board governance?
I am not planning to abolish the Park Board. OneCity believes in an independent, democratically-elected Park Board that is directly accountable to the voters in Vancouver. I would like to see reforms to the Park Board’s funding model, to ensure that an independent Park Board can operate independently of City Council and deliver on promises made to Vancouverites.
7. In recent years, the Park Board has taken steps towards reconciliation, decolo
Yes, I would continue this work. Reconciliation is a vital part of the work that must be done in Vancouver, and the Park Board has a vital role to play in this. We need to ensure that we are respecting government-to-government consultation and co-operation with the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.
8. What, if anything, do you think the Park Board should do to support/facilitate community activation and stewardship of park spaces and facilities?
As an elected Park Board commissioner, I would support the expansion of community garden projects and pollinator meadows. I would also like to streamline the process for community groups and organizations to host events within our park spaces.
9. We are living in a period of both increasing polarization and increasing social isolation. Should the Parks Board be doing more to respond to these issues? If yes, what do you propose?
We need to ensure that the parks and community centres managed by the Park Board are accessible, open spaces for all Vancouverites, regardless of age, ability, background, or orientation. These public spaces can create the opportunities for people of diverse backgrounds and experiences to come together to build stronger communities, and the Park Board should be working to encourage this.