Vancouver Park Board
The Vancouver Park Board is an elected board with exclusive possession, jurisdiction and control over public parks in the City of Vancouver.[1] Established by section 485 of the Vancouver Charter, the Park Board (also known as the Board of Parks and Recreation),[2] is one of the only elected bodies of its kind in Canada.[3] It has seven elected commissioners who are charged by the Vancouver Charter [4] with determining the policy direction of the Park Board.[3] The board has a mandate to "provide, preserve and advocate… to benefit people, communities and the environment." Commissioners are elected every four years. [5]
Vancouver Park Board members[edit]
- John Coupar, Non-Partisan Association
- Casey Crawford, Non-Partisan Association
- Catherines Evans, Vision Vancouver
- Sarah Kirby-Yung, Non-Partisan Association
- Stuart Mackinnon, Green Party
- Erin Shum, Non-Partisan Association
- Michael Wiebe, Green Party
Independence[edit]
In June 2009, Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson and Vancouver city councillor Raymond Louie, both of whom are members of the Vision Vancouver party, were accused by Vancouver city councillor Suzanne Anton, a member of the opposition party, of attempting to destroy the independence of the park board by centralizing budget oversight.[7] Aaron Jasper, a Vision Vancouver member of the park board, called on the city council to restore the decentralized budget control.[7]
In September 2009 Susan Mundick, the general manager of the board, announced her retirement.[8] Penny Ballem, the city manager of Vancouver hired by Mayor Robertson, stripped Mundick of all routine transitional duties.[9] Ballem then stated she would help the park board choose Mundick's replacement, a selection process city hall traditionally had not been involved in.[10] In response, Suzanne Anton urged Mayor Robertson and the city council to limit Ballem's control of the park board.[10]
Parks[edit]
The Vancouver Park Board oversees more than 200 parks, including major attractions such as Stanley Park to local neighbourhood parks such as Falaise Park.[11]
References[edit]
- ^ Vancouver Charter, section 488.
- ^ Vancouver Charter, section 485.
- ^ a b "Vancouver Park Board Commissioners", Vancouver City Website, Accessed September 4, 2009.
- ^ "Vancouver Charter". Queen's Printer (British Columbia). Retrieved 2009-09-04.
- ^ http://vancouver.ca/your-government/park-board-commissioners.aspx
- ^ http://vancouver.ca/your-government/park-board-commissioners.aspx
- ^ a b "Mayor Gregor Robertson blamed for park board cut", Georgia Straight, June 11, 2009.
- ^ "Outgoing park board manager proud of accomplishments", Vancouver Courier, September 18, 2009.
- ^ "Mundick stripped of duties", 24 Hours, September 18, 2009.
- ^ a b "NPA councilor says park board losing independence", CKNW, September 19, 2009.
- ^ "Parks and Gardens".
See also[edit]
Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation
