Vancouver Park Board
Encyclopedia
The Vancouver Park Board is an elected board with exclusive possession, jurisdiction and control over public parks in the City of Vancouver. Established by section 485 of the Vancouver Charter
, the Park Board (also known as the Board of Parks and Recreation), is one of the only elected bodies of its kind in Canada
. It has seven elected commissioners who are charged by the Vancouver Charter with determining the policy direction of the Park Board. The board has a mandate to "provide, preserve and advocate… to benefit people, communities and the environment." Commissioners are elected every three years.
and Vancouver city councilor Raymond Louie
, both of whom are members of the Vision Vancouver
party, were accused by Vancouver city councilor Suzanne Anton
, a member of the opposition party, of attempting to destroy the independence of the park board by centralizing budget oversight. Aaron Jasper, a Vision Vancouver member of the park board, called on the city council to restore the decentralized budget control.
In September 2009 Susan Mundick, the general manager of the board, announced her retirement. Penny Ballem
, the city manager of Vancouver hired by Mayor Robertson, stripped Mundick of all routine transitional duties. Ballem then stated she would help the park board choose Mundick's replacement, a selection process city hall traditionally had not been involved in. In response, Suzanne Anton urged Mayor Robertson and the city council to limit Ballem's control of the park board.
to local neighbourhood parks such as Falaise Park
.
Vancouver Charter
The Vancouver Charter is a unique provincial statute that serves to incorporate the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The legislation, passed in 1953, superseded the Vancouver Incorporation Act and granted the city more and different powers than other communities possess under British...
, the Park Board (also known as the Board of Parks and Recreation), is one of the only elected bodies of its kind in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It has seven elected commissioners who are charged by the Vancouver Charter with determining the policy direction of the Park Board. The board has a mandate to "provide, preserve and advocate… to benefit people, communities and the environment." Commissioners are elected every three years.
Vancouver Park Board members
- Constance BarnesConstance BarnesConstance Barnes is an elected Vancouver Park Board commissioner in the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and operations manager of the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden...
, Vision VancouverVision VancouverVision Vancouver is one of three parties represented on Vancouver City Council in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Vision was formed in the months leading up to the 2005 municipal election.-Formation:... - Sarah Blyth, Vision VancouverVision VancouverVision Vancouver is one of three parties represented on Vancouver City Council in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Vision was formed in the months leading up to the 2005 municipal election.-Formation:...
- John Coupar, Non-Partisan AssociationNon-Partisan AssociationThe Non-Partisan Association is a civic-level electoral organization in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. There are, and have also been in the past, Non-Partisan Association political parties in the nearby municipalities of Burnaby, Richmond and Surrey.The NPA was established in 1937 to...
- Melissa DeGenova, Non-Partisan AssociationNon-Partisan AssociationThe Non-Partisan Association is a civic-level electoral organization in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. There are, and have also been in the past, Non-Partisan Association political parties in the nearby municipalities of Burnaby, Richmond and Surrey.The NPA was established in 1937 to...
- Aaron Jasper, Vision VancouverVision VancouverVision Vancouver is one of three parties represented on Vancouver City Council in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Vision was formed in the months leading up to the 2005 municipal election.-Formation:...
- Trevor Loke, Vision VancouverVision VancouverVision Vancouver is one of three parties represented on Vancouver City Council in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Vision was formed in the months leading up to the 2005 municipal election.-Formation:...
- Niki Sharma, Vision VancouverVision VancouverVision Vancouver is one of three parties represented on Vancouver City Council in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Vision was formed in the months leading up to the 2005 municipal election.-Formation:...
Independence
In June 2009, Vancouver Mayor Gregor RobertsonGregor Robertson (politician)
Gregor Angus Bethune Robertson is a Canadian politician who has been the 39th Mayor of Vancouver, British Columbia, since 2008. He was elected as part of the Vision Vancouver party slate...
and Vancouver city councilor Raymond Louie
Raymond Louie
Raymond Louie is a three term Vancouver City Councillor and a former school Trustee. Formerly a member of Coalition of Progressive Electors civic party, Louie broke away and was re-elected in 2005, and again in 2008, as a member of Vision Vancouver.-Background:Born and raised in East Vancouver,...
, both of whom are members of the Vision Vancouver
Vision Vancouver
Vision Vancouver is one of three parties represented on Vancouver City Council in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Vision was formed in the months leading up to the 2005 municipal election.-Formation:...
party, were accused by Vancouver city councilor Suzanne Anton
Suzanne Anton
Suzanne Anton is a city councillor for Vancouver, British Columbia. She is currently an incumbent city councillor, elected as a member of the Non-Partisan Association in 2005 and in 2008. From the 2008 civic election, she is the only elected NPA representative on the city council...
, a member of the opposition party, of attempting to destroy the independence of the park board by centralizing budget oversight. Aaron Jasper, a Vision Vancouver member of the park board, called on the city council to restore the decentralized budget control.
In September 2009 Susan Mundick, the general manager of the board, announced her retirement. Penny Ballem
Penny Ballem
Dr. Penny Janet Drury Ballem, MSc, MD, FRCP is the city manager for the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and served as a member of the VANOC board of directors, corporate director for Bentall Capital G.P. Ltd., as well as a senior adviser to RPO Management Consultants...
, the city manager of Vancouver hired by Mayor Robertson, stripped Mundick of all routine transitional duties. Ballem then stated she would help the park board choose Mundick's replacement, a selection process city hall traditionally had not been involved in. In response, Suzanne Anton urged Mayor Robertson and the city council to limit Ballem's control of the park board.
Parks
The Vancouver Park Board oversees more than 200 parks, including major attractions such as Stanley ParkStanley Park
Stanley Park is a 404.9 hectare urban park bordering downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It was opened in 1888 by David Oppenheimer in the name of Lord Stanley of Preston, the Governor-General of Canada....
to local neighbourhood parks such as Falaise Park
Falaise Park
Falaise Park is a large urban park in East Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is located on Vancouver-Burnaby border, between Rupert Street and Boundary Road, just south of Rupert Station of the Millennium Line....
.