Park board facing $2.8 million budget shortfall
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - The Vancouver Park Board has voted 4-3 in favour of closing two well known Vancouver attractions. The Bloedel Conservatory in Queen Elizabeth Park and the Stanley Park’s Children’s Farmyard will both be closed.
The cuts come in light of a $2.8 million dollar funding shortfall. Dozens of speakers, both for and against the closure, gave emotional pleas to the park board commissioners.
Commissioner Stuart Mackinnon is among those unhappy with the decision, "The economy is on a downturn, we need these services more than ever, we need community centers, we need parks, we need libraries, city council has to listen to the people."
But Commissioner Aaron Jasper says the board did what it had to in light of the shortfall, "The city has to live within its means. We aren't a provincial government, we can't run a deficit, so we all have to do our part."
Many people who argued against the closures felt their voices weren’t heard during the meeting.
Some park commissioners are entertaining some hope of a third party running the Conservatory. The park board must submit its budget to city council by December 1st.
IT IS A TRAVESTY THAT SUCH A WONDERFUL NATURISTIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL MONUMENT IS BEING CLOSED. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL AND EXCITING OUTING FOR TOURISTS, CHILDREN ETC.
ReplyDeleteVANCOUVER HAS BECOME A CONCRETE JUNGLE AND BLOEDEL CONSERVATORY WILL BE GREATLY MISSED AND THE STANLEY PARK FARMYARD. I VOTE NOT TO CLOSE THESE TREASURES AND MAKE BUDGET CUTS ELSEWHERE UNLESS A FUND RAISING COMMITTEE CAN BE STARTED AND FUNDS GENERATED. CARA CORNELL AGASSIZ B.C.