Candidate Profile – OLGA ZARUDINA – #220 – (NPA)
Top 3 priorities (from City of Vancouver Election webpage)
- Ease events permitting
- Community outreach
- Community Centres
Platform (from City of Vancouver Election webpage)
The process of obtaining a permit for events in parks should be simplified and more time-efficient.
Lack of community outreach provokes distrust from public. The focus should be on the ideas coming from local residents.
Community Centres need more support and better service from Park Board.
2022 Park Board Candidate Questions
1. You’re speaking to a friend from out of town, and they ask for a quick overview of “where things are at” with Vancouver’s parks and recreation facilities. What do you say?
Vancouver is a beautiful city that offers so much, however, as a person planning to raise a family here, I am concerned about the state of community centres. The City (and mainl6y the Park Board) needs to show more “love” to our community centres. Their maintenance is well overdue, which is a shame. Community centres are a core of Vancouver community life and family recreation facilities. Thus, NPA majority will ensure demanding funding for community centres from the City Council, as well as working closely with community centre boards and responding to their issues accordingly.
As for parks and beaches, they lack maintenance and most importantly – safety. I cannot and do not want to imagine children playing in parks and stepping on needles. This is absolutely unacceptable and the NPA majority will be working out ways and solutions to clean the parks and enforce the law on all who are using parks in ways that are illegal and not acceptable by society.
2. The topic of equity features heavily in both VanPlay (the Parks Board Masterplan) and the recently approved Vancouver Plan. What’s your take? Does Vancouver’s park system need to be more equitable and accessible? If yes, what changes would you propose and/or prioritize to make this happen?
To make it simple, NPA is pro having more access to any active leisure facilities, including the creation of more public pools. Vancouver population is growing rapidly, and with all the climate changes, we need more pools, more green spaces, more access to parks and recreation facilities. Most importantly – safe access.
3. As a general principle, should parks aim to accommodate cycling paths within their boundaries? What are your thoughts on bikes and bike lanes in parks? (Please note: this is not specifically a question about Stanley Park).
We will make sure that all cycling paths are as much protected as possible, that is key. And that will involve working with civil engineers.
4. What role, if any, do you see the Park Board playing in responding to the needs of people experiencing homelessness/houselessness and encampments?
The Park Board needs to work together with the City, VPD, Provincial and Federal governments, in order to ensure safety – as this is the priority. Homelessness is on of the major issues of our city, which must be resolved. And at the same time, the local residents should feel safe and should be able to enjoy parks without having to be restricted to their access due to the encampments.
5. Should Vancouver’s parks and recreation facilities play a part in supporting climate resilience or ecosystem restoration? If yes, how?
Definitely, yes. Each summer in Vancouver demonstrates how climate changes are affecting us now. As mentioned before – creating of more outdoor pools is one of NPA’s items on the to-do list. People need more places to cool off, and besides the pools, maintenance of A/C systems at community centres is important as well. Many people say that we need to grow more trees. Yes, absolutely. But even more importantly, we need to maintain them!
6. Is having a Board of Parks and Recreation the best way to govern and manage Vancouver’s park system? If yes, why? If not, what would you propose in its place?
I believe that the best way to govern and manage Vancouver’s park system is ongoing consultations with professionals and experts in biology, civil engineering, ecology, and other related fields.
7. What, if anything, do you think the Park Board should do to support/facilitate community activation/events and stewardship of park spaces and facilities?
More community outreach is required.
8. In the past few years, the Park Board has taken steps towards reconciliation, decolonization, and co-management with MST First Nations. Would you continue this work? If yes, how?
Yes! NPA majority will integrate indigenous names in to existing and future parks and facilities. An innovative idea that we came up with is placing a QR code on park names and linking it to a description of indigenous history that took place at a specific location. This will involve working with historians as well as with the indigenous communities.
9. If you could make changes to one park in the city – which park is it, and what would you do?
I would place an outdoor pool in any park, where it would be feasible to do, in Vancouver East.
10. Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself or your platform?
The NPA majority at the Park Board will:
- Work with Council to return funds from 2018 capital plan to Park Board for Community Centre & Facility rebuild program;
- Support & build outdoor pools;
- Fastrack special even application process;
- Save the Seawall;
- Integrate indigenous names into existing and future parks and facilities;
- Lease closing schools from School Board to convert them into daycare facilities and community programming centres.
Biography and Contact
Biography (City of Vancouver Election Webpage)
Olga, a realtor (President of Best Choice Alliance of Real Estate) and a certified translator, holds a Master’s Degree, and is running for Park Board for the second time. Olga was the Community Outreach Director at Hillcrest Community Centre, and is a member of Ukrainian-Canadian Congress and League of Ukrainian Canadians. She supports art and entertainment.
Contact
Email: olgazarudina@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/olga.zarudina/
WeChat: 7789900937