Stanley Park's Polar Bear pit back in the news

 In a news item, CBC's Justin McElroy writes about a proposal to turn the old Stanley Park Zoo polar bear pit into an 'urban spa'. For those old enough to remember, the polar bear pit was a concrete bear pit within the old zoo. The bears paced back and forth in lethargic stupors, imprisoned in concrete and metal. To call it cruel and unusual punishment for majestic animals caught and held captive through no fault of their own would be an understatement. For many, the polar bear pit was the final nail in the coffin of the zoo. The zoo closed in December of 1997, one hundred and nine years after it was first opened as a pound. The zoo was closed after a plebiscite in 1994 showed it was an anachronism no longer wanted by the citizenry [more history can be found in Scout Magazine].

A 1963 photo of the polar bear enclosure at the Vancouver Zoo in Stanley Park. 

It was shut down in 1996. (City of Vancouver)

Since then, while the rest of the former zoo site has been rehabilitated, or overtaken by the ever-expanding Vancouver Aquarium, the polar bear pit languished, abandoned, fenced away and covered by brush, unseen to most visitors. Now, 25 years later an architect has proposed taking over the old site and making it into an urban spa. No price tag was attached to the proposal presented in the article, nor who would pay for it, but it would seem that it will be presented to the Vancouver Park Board at a future meeting. 

Strange proposals are not new to the Park Board. About 15 years ago the NPA-led Board proposed animatronic dinosaurs for Stanley Park. There have been temporary zip lines, a Ferris Wheel, and a circus tent at Queen Elizabeth Park, and each year VanDusen Botanical Gardens hosts a classic car show on its Great Lawn.

It isn't clear whether this would be a private initiative, a public/private, or a wholly public one. When one considers the land values in downtown Vancouver, this could be a real financial plum for a private initiative. And of course, this initiative comes with 'no business plan or budget' attached to it. Once the new Commissioners learn the cost of rehabilitating the site they might understand why it hasn't been done before.

What is new is that a Green Commissioner would be an advocate for such blatant commercialization of public spaces. Newly elected Green Party Commissioner Tom Digby seems to be supporting this initiative wholeheartedly. What makes this troubling is, despite all the work previous Boards have done on reconciliation, this new proposal would be presented without prior consultation with the three First Nations that have called Stanley Park home since time immemorial, and who now have a working relationship with the Park Board through the Stanley Park Intergovernmental Table, and despite the Park Board's initiative to co-manage Vancouver Parks with the Nations.

Previous Green-led Boards opposed further commercialization of Vancouver parks. It is not surprising that the ABC majority on the current Board would be interested in more commercialization--the Chair of the Board says he would 'love to see this come forward'-- but for a Green Commissioner to express such support without even an idea of how this will impact the park or the relationship with the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh peoples beggars' belief.

By all means, accept the proposal and have staff do a thorough analysis if that is the will of the Board, but Commissioners should be doing their due diligence, not being cheerleaders for unsolicited projects.

Donnie Rosa becomes Squamish Nation Executive Director of Ḵ’iyáx̱an Ch’áwch’aw (Community Services)

 In a media release Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw, the Squamish Nation, has announced the appointment of former Park Board General Manager Donnie Rosa to a leadership position.

    Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw is on an exciting journey – rekindling our language and cultural practices, asserting our rights and title, increasing own-source revenues, and expanding the range of services provided to Members. A new organizational structure came into effect in April 2023 as the Nation continues to build capacity as a modern Indigenous government to support this vision.

The existing departments have been realigned into four divisions, each of which will be managed by an Executive Director.

Ḵ’iyáx̱an Ch’áwch’aw (Community Services)

Nexwníw̓mamin Ch’áwch’aw (Territory & Culture Services)

Nexwnínlhewá7nem Ch’áwch’aw (People Services)

X̱etx̱ítayus Ch’áwch’aw (Corporate Services)

 We are pleased to announce the appointment of three of the Executive Directors, two of whom are Nation Members. All three start their roles on August 1, 2023 and will report to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). 

In the release a biography of Donnie Rosa reads in part: 

    With over 30 years’ experience in parks, recreation, planning, facility management, operations, arts, culture, and community building, Donnie Rosa (they/she) has been a champion of equity, diversity & inclusion. Most recently Donnie was the General Manager for the Vancouver Park Board where they led the strategic efforts to centre reconciliation by creating a new and important team to decolonize the park boards colonial systems and build relationships in community. The Decolonization, Arts & Culture team, with Donnie’s support, led important policy efforts including the Urban Indigenous Food Sovereignty policy, the Burrardview Urban Food Forest initiative, the policy on co-management of parks with local First Nations, the formal Apology to the Nations and most recently the raising of the flags representing the xʷməθkʷəyəm (Musqueam Indian Band), Sḵwxwú7mesh (Squamish Nation) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation) at spapəyəq Pápiyeḵ, commonly known as Brockton Point in  Xwáýxway (Stanley Park). Donnie also led the team in the delivery of sθәqәlxenәm ts'exwts'áxwi7 (Rainbow) Park. Ḵ'iyáxan Ch'áwch'aw Community Services Executive Director Appointed Twice named to Vancouver Magazine's Power 50 list, Donnie is acknowledged for how they do their work in community, leading with compassion and heart. Donnie was named the City of Vancouver’s Leader of the Year, as well she and her team won the Equity & Inclusion award for outstanding policy work to remove barriers to accessing programs for all community members. 

Congratulations to Donnie Rosa!

The entire release can be found here.

Donnie's complete bio can be found here.