20 August 2009

What's in a name?

The Park Board has received some complaints over a sign at the park being redeveloped at the corner of Hastings and Carrall. The official name is Pioneer Place but it has been known locally for many years as Pigeon Park. The Park Board erected a sign with the official name on it and one blogger accused the Park Board of 're-branding' the Downtown Eastside. When I pointed out that the official name was Pioneer Place and if people wanted it changed all they had to do was ask, I was called defensive.

For years the Park Board had no protocol for naming parks. I am very proud to have been the one who presented a protocol for park naming in 2007--a protocol the Park Board by and large accepted and now uses. It calls for a naming committee made up of community members to ask for submissions and then recommends a name to the Board for ratification. This was the protocol used for the naming of Ebisu park in Marpole.

It is easy to make accusations of elected officials and bureaucrats, but in this case the Park Board has simply followed practice. Its hard to accuse the Park Board of 're-branding' when the name is officially 'Pioneer Place'. This is even harder to swallow when the Board has assured residents that signs in the redeveloped space will say Pigeon Park.

My advise to those who don't like the name 'Pioneer Place' is to make a request to the Park Board to have it officially re-named Pigeon Park. If the community supports a name change, I will be more than happy to sponsor a motion to that effect.

07 August 2009

Starfish on the beach


When I was a wee lad it seemed our beaches and foreshore teemed with life. There were sand dollars, sea stars and all sorts of shellfish around. We would put on our 'clam diggers' and go down to Spanish Banks and dig for hard clams, while others were out digging for geoducks. We actually had to be careful on some parts of the beach as we might cut our feet on the shells of the clams.

Alas that seems to have all but disappeared. Where has all the life gone? I'm sure I'll get a complaint that if I look hard enough there is abundant life in tidal pools and other areas--but that's the point--I have to look hard to find it.

Today while walking around the Stanley Park sea wall I was thrilled to see this sea star. One of my companions, who grew up in Vancouver, had never seen one before outside of the aquarium. My other companion, who has recently moved to Vancouver, couldn't believe it when I told my story of abundant sea life on the foreshore.

I live down by the Fraser river and often see people fishing from the shore. They catch quite a bit and always take it--no matter how small. I see folks fishing all along the Stanley park foreshore and wonder if they too keep everything.

I hope one day our beaches and foreshore can again teem with life and children don't have to visit the aquarium to see what they should be able to see naturally outside their door. A report in the Vancouver Sun in June suggests that global warming is actually having a positive effect on the purple ochre sea star population at Jericho beach. This could be why we saw the sea star today.

So maybe, if we can survive the rising waters and adapt to the changing climate, we might see more sea life around Vancouver after all.

04 August 2009

Mounted patrols added to Stanley Park in wake of arsons







By Kimberly Shearon, The Province August 4, 2009



Expect to see a heavier police presence the next time you visit Stanley Park.

The Vancouver Police Department's Mounted Squad has stepped up patrols of the landmark park in the wake of four fires police say are the work of a serial arsonist.

Six reserve officers have joined the squad's seven regular officers for patrols.

"It's really augmented our strength," said Const. Cinda Michael. "We're able to get out en masse and get the word out."

Police are on the lookout for any suspicious activity, and for people in violation of the park's "extreme" fire rating.

This rating means smoking and charcoal and wood-burning barbecues are prohibited on park grounds. Visitors must also stay on established trails.

Propane and gas barbecues are still permitted, but they must be used on elevated surfaces.

Michael said many of the people the squad has stopped are tourists unaware of what the park's "extreme" fire rating means.

"Everyone's been really cooperative. This is really about public education, not so much enforcement."

She said she is confident the patrols will help avert a major incident, but reminded people to be vigilant when enjoying the park.

"I've been down here for almost six years, and this is as dry as I've ever seen it get," Michael said. "Just be careful. It's something none of us want to lose."

The rest of the city's parks have been slapped with the "extreme" rating, too.

While Vancouverites might feel far removed from the wildfires devouring tinder-dry forests in other regions of the province, a very real risk still exists close to home.

"We have to be so vigilant, especially today with the temperatures rising so much," said Vancouver park-board commissioner Stuart Mackinnon on Monday.

"People, please use common sense."


All it takes is an improperly extinguished cigarette to ignite a parched park, fire experts warn.

Not only are the trees above the ground dry, but so is the ground below. When this ready supply of dry fuel combines with scorching temperatures, it creates an environment where brush fires can quickly spin out of control.

"It's definitely scary," said Michael.

Mackinnon said he still sees people using charcoal and wood-burning barbecues in local parks, even with the ban in place. He has also noted cigarette butts littering park trails and grassy areas.

"Some ash flying away can light fires. We ask people to please respect the rules."

Mackinnon has seen firsthand the destruction a wildfire can wreak. When he was a child, a massive wildfire chewed through Manning Park. It took years for the park to recover.

He said he would hate to see the same thing happen to Stanley Park.

"It would be such a tragedy for the whole city and for the world. To have it go up in flames would be heartbreaking," he said.

"It would be something we'd have to live with for years and years and years. As we saw from the wind storm a few years ago, nature takes its time to replace damage."


kshearon@theprovince.com
© Copyright (c) The Province

03 August 2009

Vigilance called for in public parks with extreme fire risk

By Kimberly Shearon, The ProvinceAugust 3, 2009 11:01 AM

As wildfires devour B.C.'s tinder-dry forests — and in the wake of four deliberately set fires in Stanley Park over the last few days — Vancouver residents are reminded to be mindful while enjoying the city's parks.

"We have to be so vigilant, especially today with the temperatures rising so much," said Vancouver park-board commissioner Stuart MacKinnon on Monday.

An "extreme" fire rating is in effect in the city's parks. This means smoking — as well as the use of charcoal and wood-burning barbecues — is prohibited on park grounds. Visitors must also stay on established trails.

Propane and gas barbecues are still permitted, but they must be elevated above the ground.

All it takes is an improperly extinguished cigarette to ignite a parched park, fire experts warn.

"It's not so much, I think, people deliberately setting fires, [it's] more forgetfulness," MacKinnon said.

Not only are the trees above the ground dry, but so is the ground below. When this ready supply of dry fuels combines with scorching temperatures, it creates an environment where brush fires can quickly spin out of control.

While Vancouverites might feel far removed from wildfires in other regions of the province, a very real risk still exists close to home, MacKinnon said: "People, please use common sense."

He said he still sees people using charcoal and wood-burning barbecues in local parks, even with the ban in place. He has also noted cigarette butts littering park trails and grassy areas.

"Some ash flying away can light fires. We ask people, 'Please respect the rules.'"

MacKinnon has seen firsthand the destruction a wildfire can wreak. When he was a child, a massive wildfire chewed through Manning Park. It took years for the park to recover.

He said he would hate to see the same thing happen at Stanley Park.

"It would be such a tragedy for the whole city and for the world. To have it go up in flames would be heartbreaking," he said.

"It would be something we'd have to live with for years and years and years. As we saw from the wind storm a few years ago, nature takes its time to replace damage."

kshearon@theprovince.com
© Copyright (c) The Province

Fire safety in our parks is just common sense

With the very hot weather and absence of rain over the last couple of weeks the Park Board has issued a severe fire warning. It asks park users to use common sense.

Don't light fires in the parks. Campfires are not permitted at any time in any of Vancouver's parks or beaches. This means no wood or charcoal fires/BBQs. If you use a propane BBQ keep it at least 75 cm off the ground.

Report any signs of smoke or fire by calling 9-1-1 immediately

Watch for forest fire hazard signs in some parks and additional fire safety information posted in parks and on the Park Board web site

Don't smoke or light matches in the parks.

Don't throw away cigarette butts--make sure they are extinguished and then carry them out of the park.

Stay on the park trails.

It really only requires basic common sense to keep our parks safe. Everybody loves our parks--let's make sure we keep them green for generations to come.