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?
We already have years of research, public engagement and adopted strategies; my job as commissioner is to use them, update them where necessary, and actually implement them. I’d start with VanPlay’s Equity Initiative Zones, which were created to identify where Vancouver has the greatest gaps in access to parks, recreation and nature. I would choose a park in one of those underserved areas, such as southeast Vancouver, and prioritize increasing tree canopy and creating more accessible, welcoming green space. To me, day one should be about using the research and community input we already have and directing resources where they are needed most.
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?
I don’t think we’re keeping up as well as we should. Vancouver is growing and changing quickly, and as we add more housing and density, access to parks, green space and recreation needs to grow with it. The good thing is that we already have tools like VanPlay that look at population growth, park access, tree canopy, recreation needs and equity across neighbourhoods. I think we should actually use that work to guide where investment goes, rather than constantly starting from scratch. For me, parks and public spaces are essential infrastructure. They should be part of how we plan for growth from the beginning, not something we try to catch up on later.
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. My academic and professional background is in climate change, and I have had the opportunity to work in different countries and communities on climate adaptation and resilience. So this is something I take very seriously. I strongly believe in evidence based, science backed solutions to urban challenges, and parks are actually one of the most important tools we have for climate adaptation.
In Vancouver, that means protecting and expanding our urban tree canopy, especially in neighbourhoods experiencing more extreme heat, using rain gardens and other green infrastructure to help manage heavy rainfall, planting more climate resilient vegetation, protecting biodiversity and natural ecosystems, and making sure community and recreation facilities can provide safe spaces during extreme heat or wildfire smoke.
The good thing is that we don’t need to start from scratch. Vancouver has already done a lot of this research through its Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, Rain City Strategy and Urban Forest Strategy, and VanPlay specifically calls for our parks and recreation system to adapt to a changing climate. I would like to see us use that research and bring these plans together, treating our parks as essential climate infrastructure that protects both people and nature.
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?
I think the first step is being very clear about our priorities. We are working with limited public resources, so I don’t think the answer is simply promising more projects or continuously increasing fees. I would use an evidence based approach to identify where investment is most urgent, looking at the condition of existing infrastructure, safety, population growth, equity, access and long term resilience. We already have a lot of this research through VanPlay and the 2023–2026 Capital Plan, and I think we should actually use it when making budget decisions.
Funding should also come from different sources. As Vancouver grows and adds density, development should contribute fairly to the parks and recreation infrastructure that growth creates demand for. At the same time, the City has a responsibility to properly maintain and renew the public infrastructure we already have. I also think we need to look beyond the municipal budget, especially when it comes to climate adaptation. Climate resilience is a national and provincial concern as much as a local one, and cities are on the front line of dealing with heat, flooding, wildfire smoke and other impacts. Vancouver should actively pursue provincial and federal funding and partnerships for this work. For me, responsible budgeting means using evidence to set priorities, being transparent about what we can afford, and making sure public money goes where it can have the greatest long term impact.
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?
Yes. I came to Vancouver as an immigrant myself, and one of the things I really value about this city is how many different cultures and communities share the same public spaces. But I don’t think responding to that diversity means assuming we know what different communities need. We need to actually ask, listen and create better ways for people to participate, especially communities that have traditionally been underrepresented in public consultation. I would like to see more accessible and culturally inclusive engagement, stronger relationships with community and neighbourhood organizations, and fewer barriers related to language, cost or simply not being familiar with City processes. I also think this is another place where evidence and community knowledge need to work together. We should understand who is using our parks, facilities and programs, who isn’t, and why. Then we can use that information to guide programming, park design, recreation opportunities and investment. For me, good public spaces should reflect the people who actually live here and make them feel that these spaces belong to them too.
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?
No secret plans here! I strongly support keeping an independent, democratically elected Park Board!
For me, the value of the Park Board is that Vancouver has an elected body specifically focused on our parks, recreation facilities and public green spaces. Commissioners are directly accountable to residents for those decisions, and I think that democratic accountability is worth protecting. At the same time, protecting the Park Board does not mean saying that everything about the current system is perfect. I would support reforms that make it more transparent, accountable and effective, with clearer responsibilities between the Park Board and City Council, better coordination on budgets and infrastructure, stronger oversight of major decisions, and more meaningful public participation.
My vision is an elected Park Board that is independent enough to advocate for Vancouver’s parks and public spaces, but collaborative enough to work effectively with the City, First Nations, Community Centre Associations, senior governments and local communities. I don’t think efficiency and democracy have to compete with each other. We should be able to improve how the Park Board works without removing an elected body that gives residents a direct voice in how their public spaces are governed.
7. In recent years, the Park Board has taken steps towards reconciliation, decolo
Absolutely. I would continue this work and I think it is important that reconciliation goes beyond symbolic actions. For me, that starts with recognizing that the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil Waututh Nations are rights holders and the original stewards of these lands. I would support continuing the work already started through VanPlay and the 2023– 2026 Capital Plan, including co management, greater cultural visibility on the land and stronger government to government relationships with the three Nations. I also believe Indigenous knowledge and western science should not be treated as competing approaches. Both can contribute to better ecological stewardship. When we are making major interventions in sensitive ecosystems such as Stanley Park, decisions should be transparent, supported by ecological evidence and data, informed by Indigenous knowledge, and carefully assessed for their long term impacts on biodiversity and forest resilience.
Reconciliation and environmental protection should strengthen each other. Co management should mean bringing different forms of knowledge to the table and making decisions based on what will best protect these ecosystems for future generations.
8. What, if anything, do you think the Park Board should do to support/facilitate community activation and stewardship of park spaces and facilities?
Absolutely. I think people are much more connected to public spaces when they have opportunities to actually participate in shaping and caring for them. The Park Board should make community activation and stewardship easier, not more complicated. That could mean supporting neighbourhood groups with small grants, equipment and staff expertise, making permits and processes easier to navigate, and creating more opportunities for community led programming, arts, environmental education, gardening and ecological restoration. I am especially interested in stewardship as a way to connect people with nature. Community members can be valuable partners in things like native planting, pollinator gardens, habitat restoration, invasive species management and citizen science. These programs can support biodiversity while also building environmental knowledge and stronger connections between people and their neighbourhoods.
Again, we already have a foundation to build on. VanPlay specifically calls for stronger community stewardship, and the 2023–2026 Capital Plan recognizes stewardship as an opportunity for community building and participation. Programs like the Neighbourhood Matching Fund also show that relatively small investments can help communities bring their own ideas into public spaces. I would like to see the Park Board expand these opportunities and make them more accessible across neighbourhoods, while still making sure that stewardship complements, rather than replaces, the Park Board’s responsibility to properly fund and maintain our public 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?
Yes. Parks and community centres are some of the few places where people from different ages, cultures and backgrounds can simply share space without having to spend money. I would support more community led events, accessible programming and welcoming gathering spaces that give people opportunities to meet, participate and feel part of their neighbourhood. I don’t think the Park Board can solve polarization or social isolation, but it can help create the conditions for stronger, more connected communities.
10. Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself or your platform?
More than anything, I believe we don’t always need another new plan. Vancouver has already invested a lot in research, public consultation and long term planning. I would like to see us use that work, be transparent about our decisions, and follow through on what the evidence and communities are telling us.