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?
Gwen GIESBRECHT – #201 – (COPE): “I think quite a lot is being done through various programs, both directly through the Park board office and as well through the partner Community Centre Association boards and their widespread programs and liaisons with other community groups and public schools within the VSB. Where I see huge potential for growth in this area is through stronger partnering with the Musqueam, Squamish & Tsleil-Waututh to know and incorporate traditional learning and teachings of the original stewards of these amazing lands.”
Tom DIGBY – #203 – (Green): “Volunteerism is the core of civic responsibility. The PB needs to support, expand and connect with volunteers and community activities and community stewardship. Where roles are permanent and lose that quality of volunteerism, then we need to convert them to properly paid staff/union positions. But the PB should aim to enable a large role for community initiated events.”
Carla FRENKEL – #204 – (Vision Vancouver): “Part of the magic of Vancouver comes from unique cultural events in parks, from the Vancouver Folk Fest, to the Still Moon Art Society, to Indigenous led events throughout the city; the list goes one and on. Park Board staff support activation of these spaces by local non-profits, artists, and community groups. I am a huge advocate of stewardship and would work to bolster Park Board relationships with park partners. As president of the Strathcona Community Garden, I have learned firsthand the power of a committed community.”
Andrea PINOCHET-ESCUDERO – #206 – (Vote Socialist): “As a Park Commissioner, I would advocate for the Board to hold many of its meetings in public spaces throughout the City. This would be a strategy for increasing local resident engagement with the Park Board. I would also constantly be spending time in local parks and asking users how the elected Board could help to scale up local festivals, events, and other community parks and rec uses.
Vancouver should be a city in which our public spaces are constantly animated with music, culture, public education, and other means of promoting conviviality and community. I would advocate for adding small amphitheaters to many public publics and other public spaces, using accessible and ecological design principles. “Bard at the Beach” need not be the only place where people can go to watch Shakespeare and other plays. We could use our public parks to provide year-round “Bard in the Yard” style event with schoolchildren and youth who use our community centres for recreation.
On this note, I would provide free youth access to all community centres during summer months and Spring break, and advocate for a vast expansion of free or low-cost youth programming such as late-night basketball, introductory music and arts programs, and much more.
In line with these efforts, there is also a lot more that we can do to connect our public school and students to their local parks, community centres, and other recreation facilities. No child should complete Elementary School without having had access to free swimming lessons – this could be implemented in cooperation with the School Board.”
Caitlin STOCKWELL – #209; Serena Jackson – #213; Tiyaltelut Kristen Rivers – #226 (OneCity – Joint Submission): “As Vancouver urbanizes, parks and recreation centres need to become community social spaces. This includes arts and culture and community events. In partnership with our colleagues on City Council, we plan to:
- Allow informal, mobile social enterprises like food vendors, umbrella rentals, coffee carts and sports gear sharing in parks to promote entrepreneurship and create low-barrier jobs.
- Activate busker-friendly spaces all over the city and adjust the rules so culture in public space is a priority — not a problem.
- Appoint a music officer to connect musicians with supports, help navigate city processes, and encourage more musical events in public spaces.
- Provide flexible performance and celebration spaces in parks, plazas and parklets with durable surfaces for gathering and dancing.”
ROLLERGIRL – #211 – (Independent): No response provided.
John IRWIN – #212 – (Vision Vancouver): “Many vibrant arts and cultural events are already activated in our parks, but we could do much more. I will work with staff and collaborate with other commissioners to foster more pop-up events (such as Bhangra, Pow Wow and other dance mobs). The ‘Opera Zone’ held by Kerrisdale Community Centre Association could be moved out into our parks during better weather. More indigenous art projects, such as the one featuring vibrant First Nations patterns could become the norm. The Vancouver Biennale projects should be fully supported and expanded.
The amazing stewardship facilitated by the Stanley Park Ecology Society and the Strathcona Community Garden Association, and many others should continue to be supported, as they are some of our most important park partners. They educate the public about having a better relationship with other species, such as Blue Herons and Coyotes. They also feature many indigenous activities from the host nations, such as Salnachiya ?e te Tsaiylu (The Forest & Me), and Talsay Tours ‘Talking Trees’ walks.”
Tricia RILEY – #215 – (Green): “The Parks Board should actively support community stewardship and events. Whether it’s a shoreline clean up, or maintenance of a well-loved sport field, community stewardship brings people together and empowers park users to take an active role in tackling issues they see on the ground.”
Liam Murphy MENARD – #218 – (Independent): “Our parks serve as key gathering places for our neighbourhoods and I believe the Park Board should absolutely work to facilitate community activation in our park spaces and facilities by expanding drinking in the park legislation, cleaning up administrative procedures to make it easier to hold events in our parks, and collaborating with community organizations to host city-wide community-building activities, such as sports days and appreciation BBQs. I think the Park Board should also work to facilitate community stewardship in our parks by organizing beach and park clean ups, with our Park Board Commissioners as the hands-on public faces of such events. These events would encourage the community to come out and take stewardship of their neighbourhood park or beach, while also creating easy access for members of the public to talk to and share their concerns with their local elected officials on the Park Board.”
Olga ZARUDINA – #220 – (NPA): “More community outreach is required.”
Kumi KIMURA – #221 – (TEAM): “So long as the event in the park is appropriate, we should allow for events and yes help with the stewardship of the park spaces/facilities.”
Michelle MOLLINEAUX – #223 – (TEAM): “From Stanley Park, Queen Elizabeth Park, and smaller ones such as Riverfront park, we have some of the best parks in the world. In a city as densely populated as Vancouver, it’s important to have green spaces where people can escape from the concrete jungle and high densely populated communities. Parks are vital for a community’s health and provide a space for people of all ages and backgrounds to come together. We need events and festivals while expanding more on community programs to encourage park usage. This could include things like movie nights, concerts, cultural events, pop-up art shows, farmer markets, or fitness classes. By providing activities that people are interested in, we can bring people together and create a sense of community within our parks.”
James BUCKSHON – #225 – (TEAM): “Park Board should encourage and allocate space for community events in the parks. This can range from concerts to theatre to dance participatory events. Stanley Park access needs to be provided with a wide enough road to allow event trucks to access the park, which they cannot presently.”
Tracy D. SMITH – #230 – (Independent): “The Parks Board should continue its strong work in this arena.”
Craig STEVEN – #231 – (Independent): “Having community events is a great way for the neighborhood to be active and promote healthy relationships with each other.”