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’d choose Memorial South Park, and immediately work to improve its accessibility. I’d want to identify the largest barriers to entry, such as public washrooms, walkways, seating, and start addressing them. Small changes tend to make the most substantial changes for seniors, children, and residents alike.
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?
The delivery of greenspaces in areas where it is needed most is lacking.
The Broadway plan, expected to bring thousands of residents to the corridor, lacks the allocation of new, suitable greenspaces, considering the growth.
The Vancouver Park Board must work in tandem with city council to identify gaps, and thus, advocate for the allocation of these essential spaces.
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?
Every year, the climate crisis continues to have damaging impacts on the community; whether that be an extreme heat event, the blanketing of the city in smoke, or even higher tides. The Vancouver Park Board has one of the most important roles to play in these realities.
First and foremost, myself and Vote Vancouver are committed to maintaining the 30% urban canopy cover goal, while tracking and maintaining mature and immature plantings. An effort like this assists in cooling our streets and creating healthier, more resilient communities.
Furthermore, with Vancouver Community Centres on the dawn of mass revitalization, the Vancouver park board needs to lead in sustainable building techniques. That means constructing community centres that are energy efficient, using regenerative materials, resistant to extreme weather, and built for long term use.
On that note, our community centres must operate on longer hours during extreme events, including but not limited to wildfire smoke, atmospheric rivers, and extreme heat.
Ultimately, I have seen the impacts of climate change firsthand and understand the urgency or public spaces in emergency scenarios.
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 am proud to work with Rebecca Bligh who has experience advocating for the needs of local governments, and is ready to hit the ground running on day one.
We should be taking advantage of infrastructure, climate adaptation, accessibility, and recreation programs as opposed to being completely reliant on the city council for all funding allocations.
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, our parks representing different cultural groups is not simply a factor of inclusivity, but also, accessibility.
That means that the park board needs to build stronger relationships with the communities that we serve, while simultaneously making community consultation a necessary condition in any decision we choose to make.
We also need to recognize that the diversity of Vancouver is constantly evolving; and in these evolutions, consultation and data should guide the direction of our recreational spaces. A universal park can never truly fit the needs of a community, and diverse approaches should guide all of our decision making.
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. I have no plans to abolish nor reform the park board.
My view for governance lies in four pillars: transparency, accountability, independence, and partnership.
Transparency, for me, means no open ended questions that facilitate the erosion of public trust.
Accountability, in my opinion, means actively listening to the concerns of other board members, staff, and the wider community.
Independence, in my view, is a process to reduce the financial reliance on the city council, while maintaining strong relations in order to continue to best serve the community.
My vision for the park board is to enable a space where collaboration and knowledge can come from anywhere: Citizens, staff, and fellow commissioners.
And finally, partnership is a crucial step to this process: In my view, partnership is about actively working with local indigenous nations, provincial partners, and even the federal government to most effectively serve Vancouverites.
7. In recent years, the Park Board has taken steps towards reconciliation, decolo
The Vancouver Park Board has a duty to uphold reconciliation, decolonization, and co-management. This means actively seeking out partnership, consultation, and leadership from the Musqueam, Squamish, Tseil-Waututh nations in the planning, management, and stewardship of our parks.
For centuries, these nations acted as stewards of the land, and their knowledge is instrumental to creating more resilient parks.
8. What, if anything, do you think the Park Board should do to support/facilitate community activation and stewardship of park spaces and facilities?
The Vancouver park board should allow easier permitting for small events, performances, gatherings, and dedicated assistance with allowing such events to take place; while also having spaces for music and performance.
On top of this, we need dedicated funding for projects, community groups, and staff, who are actively working for effective stewardship.
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, I believe that as elected officials we have a duty to uphold the core tenants of political cooperation and convergence. The Park Board works across the city, and thus requires working across political lines
As a Vancouver Park Board Commissioner, I intend to be as transparent as possible, pushing out weekly communications on the processes occurring at the board, while doing so in an accessible manner.
Furthermore, we must uphold accessibility. We need to ensure that community spaces can be used by all members of the community, regardless of cost, location, and regulations.
10. Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself or your platform?
I want to bring this experience to the Vancouver Park Board: We need to actively work towards a system that recognizes maintenance issues, funding deficits, and exogenous impacts before they become crises.
At Vote Vancouver, we are only pushing two candidates– and I think that differentiates us. Stephen Menon and I are committed to working with other Park Board Commissioners, not simply holding on to a majority to relieve ourselves of accountability.