Tweets and twitters; robbing Peter to pay Paul

I have entered the world of Twitter (for those interested you can find me @betterparks) and have found a whole new world. Tonight Brent Granby of COPE was twittering at the Board and tweeted that I did not support the Board funding the Homeless Shower program. This is incorrect. As I stated at the meeting, I fully support the program--after all I brought the motion to supply soap and hot water in all PB public facilities because I believe everyone has the right to be clean. What I objected to was the vote to take money from one program to pay for another. The Board voted tonight to take money from the golf course maintenance contingency fund to pay for our budget short-fall and the shower program. If city council had given us a sufficient budget, we would not have a deficit to make up and we could fund new initiatives like the homeless shower program. It surprised me that Brent would send this out. COPE Commissioner Loretta Woodcock was absent tonight, so I don't know how she would have voted, but like me she voted against the budget in December which included the idea of taking money from other programs to pay for the deficit.

Vancouver Not Vegas!

I have signed the petition and joined the coalition to stop the building of a mega-casino at BC Place. Please read the petition and sign up to show your support for Vancouver Not Vegas!

Position Statement of the Vancouver Not Vegas! Coalition

Our position: On February 1, 2011, Vancouver City Council passed a motion calling for a full public review of gaming in the Province of BC.

1. The Vancouver Not Vegas! Coalition asks Vancouver City Council to pass a moratorium on the granting of new gaming licenses in Vancouver until that public review has taken place;

2. We further ask that City Council sever the appended Edgewater application for increased slot machines and gaming tables from the PavCo Re-Zoning Application of 777 Pacific Boulevard. We ask that the Edgewater application be re-commenced with proper notice to the public of the extent of the expansion sought.

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Your participation will help us defeat the proposed Edgewater mega-casino. It’s looking very promising, but we need your letters, your presence at the hearings, and your short speeches. Help us urge our City Council to say “No Dice!” to the BC government’s application for massive gaming expansion in our downtown. For news and blog posts, click here.

Please help by doing the following:

1. Sign up to speak City Council at the NEW DATE: Monday March 7, 7:30 public hearings at City Hall. Even just a few sentences to Council is enough. Dial 311 or 604-873-7191 to sign up.

2. Sit with us in the Council Chamber on the evening of Monday March 7, 7:30 pm at City Hall, as well as subsequent dates (TBA – check City Schedule).

3. Write to Vancouver Mayor and Council. Use the City of Vancouver feedback form or just send your own concise email to: mayorandcouncil@vancouver.ca, gregor.robertson@vancouver.ca, michael.magee@vancouver.ca, geoff.meggs@vancouver.ca, tim.stevenson@vancouver.ca, ellen.woodsworth@vancouver.ca, suzanne.anton@vancouver.ca, david.cadman@vancouver.ca, andrea.reimer@vancouver.ca, kerry.jang@vancouver.ca, clrlouie@vancouver.ca, heather.deal@vancouver.ca, george.chow@vancouver.ca, vancouvernotvegas@gmail.com

4. Sign our Petition.

5. JOIN our website – subscribe on the right-hand sidebar. This allows us to send you (infrequent) info & appeals for help.

6. Volunteer! Send us an e-mail: vancouvernotvegas@gmail.com . Thank you, Vancouver! This is OUR home. Don’t let them roll the dice on our city’s future.

Enquiring minds want to know...

I just had a call from a member of the press asking if it was true that I would be running for City Council in the next election. My response was that it was news to me! I have not yet decided if I will run at all, let alone for City Council. This is the second call from the press on this topic. I suppose with the next civic election just over 10 months away, people are starting to get interested. It is true that I have been asked by some people I respect very much if I would run for Council.

My time on Park Board has had its disappointments--especially the nastiness of some of the other Commissioners in their personal attacks. I don't mind a good debate--in fact I long for it, as real debate has been conspicuous in its absence at the Park Board--but there should be no room for petty personal attacks. Parks and green spaces seem to have taken a back seat to other issues this term. The continuing cuts in services and programming due to budget constraints, and the lack of interest in the environment for most of this term have also been disappointing. Pet projects and political posturing have been the biggest priority it seems to me.

I have devoted much of my adult life to serving the community in one way or another, and what I need to decide is if politics is the best way to make my contribution. Those who know me know I talk about the almost magical childhood I had growing up in Vancouver parks. I loved both the summer and winter days at the beach, the sunny days at the outdoor pools with my family and friends, and the terrific programming at my local community centre. And then of course all the time spent in my local park and the really magical outings to Stanley Park and the Bloedel Conservatory. It is the memories from my childhood that drew me to the Park Board and advocating for parks and green spaces.

I am proud of my advocacy both on and off the Board and will continue to advocate for those things I believe in. There are still many things I want to achieve for my community. As I told the Straight, I just have to decide if I can best do that at the elected level.

Stay off the ice on Vancouver’s lakes and ponds

The Vancouver Park Board is asking would-be skaters not to venture out onto frozen lakes and ponds in city parks. Most ice is too thin to support people or even pets.

Recent cold temperatures have allowed ice to form on lakes and ponds; however the ice is not thick enough to permit skating. Warmer temperatures, snow and rain in the forecast will add to the danger.

Warning signs are posted at traditional skating locations and park rangers and lifeguards are patrolling the areas reminding people to stay off the ice.

Locations include Trout Lake at John Hendry Park, Lost Lagoon and Beaver Lake in Stanley Park, Queen Elizabeth Park, Jericho Beach Park, Vanier Park and Sutcliffe Park near the entrance to Granville Island.

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General enquiries: 3-1-1 (within Vancouver) or 604-873-7000 (outside Vancouver)

Media enquiries: Barb Floden, Communications Coordinator, at (t) 604-257-8438 or (c) 604-992-5646

Six goals for 2011

It is hard to believe that this is the last year of my mandate from 2008. Time flies! With about 11 months left in this term I have 6 major goals for the year.

1) Management restructuring of the Park Board to make it more efficient and responsive. The Park Board needs to restructure--this is something we have known since the beginning of this mandate. The previous General Manager, Susan Mundick, wanted to start on the restructure after the election but was swept away and now here we are in our last year with little to show for it but a lot of folks in 'acting' positions. Restructuring the management to better reflect the nature of the organization would go along way to streamlining decision making and cost cutting too.

2) A stewardship plan for Stanley Park. Staff is working out the details now on an overall management plan for Stanley Park. Many parts--like the state of the ecology, and forest management plans--have already been completed.

3) Support Commissioner Woodcock's call for a visioning for Beaver Lake. This little gem in the heart of Stanley Park is in dire need of help. We need to put together a plan for the future that respects the integrity of the lake so that it fits into the bigger picture of the park as a whole.

4) An honest reassessment of our Joint Operating Agreements with our Community Centre partners. The stop/start process that has been on again/off again over the past few years must be changed into a respectful dialogue that is beneficial for the community at large.

5) A Capital Plan that recognizes the aging infrastructure of our community amenities and the real needs of the Park Board.

6) A fair and equitable contract for our hard-working and dedicated employees. Approaching the negotiations from a position of respect will go a long way to making the process a lot easier.

Happy Holidays

A happy holiday and the best for the new year to all my readers. If you have some extra time, why not check out Bright Nights in Stanley Park, the Bloedel Conservatory's Jewel Box of Lights and Vandusen Garden's Festival of Lights. Each of them is unique and spectacular, and a fantastic family adventure.

Here's hoping that 2011 is greener and more park friendly.

Parks Budget passes 4-2-1

There was little doubt as to the outcome as the Park Board budget passed its first hurdle last Thursday night. It was also quite anti-climatic City Council announced that an additional amount would be set aside to keep washrooms open and field use for kids free. Knowing that there is a civic election next year, I can't imagine any city administration would close cherished public amenities like washrooms. What was surprising was that only 2/3 of the costs of washrooms was included, so the Park Board has to come up with an additional $100,000 in efficiencies to fund the remaining 1/3. Staff were not able to give us where these efficiencies would be found on such short notice. The $700,000 in other cuts--mostly to park maintenance--went through.

COPE Commissioner Loretta Woodcock and I voted against the budget and NPA Commissioner Ian Robertson abstained, with all 4 Vision Vancouver Commissioners voting in favour. The 2 negative votes and one abstention were all cast in reaction to the lack of public consultation done by the Park Board. While City Council gave citizens ample opportunity to speak on the priorities of the overall budget, there was very little opportunity for residents to speak to the Park Board. A scheduled opportunity on Monday December 13th was cancelled by the Chair and rescheduled to Thursday the 16th--two days after City Council decided the budget. As could be expected, very few people turned out to the meeting on the 16th as there was little point.

I hope next year's process will be more inclusive and that everyone who wants to speak to the Board is given the opportunity before the budget is set.

Five reasons why Vision Vancouver badmouths Green commissioner Stuart Mackinnon

By Charlie Smith, The Straight

Publish Date: December 16, 2010

This week, Vision Vancouver park commissioners ramped up their attacks on the lone elected Green in Vancouver, Stuart Mackinnon.

In a peculiar move, Vision's Raj Hundal called Straight reporter Carlito Pablo out of the blue on December 15 to tell him that Mackinnon is "almost a bit of a bully".

Another Vision commissioner, Sarah Blyth, sent an e-mail to the Straight claiming that Mackinnon has—get this—"been anything but supportive", even rolling his eyes when she spoke.

What accounts for Vision's decision to go after Mackinnon this week?

Here are five theories:

1. The Vision Vancouver-controlled council approved the budget on December 14 before the Vision-controlled park board had a chance to hear submissions from the public. Mackinnon will likely point this out tonight (December 16). It's unheard-of for council to approve its budget before the elected park board has a chance to provide input. So the best defence for Vision commissioners was a good offence against Mackinnon in advance of him mentioning this to the media.

2. Related to the first point, the Vision-controlled park board postponed its budget consultation with the public, which was scheduled for the December 13 meeting. If Vision had proceeded on that day, there would have been a huge public outcry the night before the Vision-controlled council approved its budget. That's bad optics for a party that's obsessed with how it's perceived by the public.

3. Mackinnon simply knows a lot more about parks and recreation than the Vision commissioners. He has been attending park board meetings for years. Maybe the Vision commissioners are jealous.

4. Mackinnon is not a toady who supports all Vision motions. This doesn't sit well with a party that had an electoral arrangement whereby one spot was saved for the Greens. Vision feels that it helped elect Mackinnon and he's not sufficiently grateful for this.

5. Mackinnon lines up with NPA commissioner Ian Robertson on some issues. They both opposed opening up community centres for anti-HST petitioners, for example. Mackinnon has also put out joint news releases with Robertson. In the eyes of Vision Vancouver, that's tantamount to treason, and therefore, the Green commissioner must be punished.

Follow Charlie Smith on Twitter at twitter.com/csmithstraight.

$7 million for a birthday party but not enough to cut grass or plant flowers?

On the Global news tonight they had a report of the plans City Council has for celebrating Vancouver's 125th anniversary next year. Two birthday 'bashes' are planned, one in the spring and another (for 3 days) in the summer. The total cost is reported as close to $7 million dollars. Now I'm all for celebrating the good things in life, but at a time when the Park Board is considering closing washrooms, planting fewer flowers and not cutting grass in some parks, as well as other cuts to our Libraries, one has to wonder where City Council's priorities are? Four days of parties or a year's worth of washrooms, gardens, fields and books?

And a note -- I just received notice that the regularly scheduled Park Board meeting on Monday night will not be discussing the budget. Instead a special meeting has been convened by the Board Chair for Thursday, 16 December at 7 pm to discuss the 2011 Park Board budget.

Washroom closures? Probably not, but what about the rest?

As you know by now, the Park Board budget reductions include the closure of many park washrooms. This seems to have resonated in both the media and the public mind. I doubt very much City Council will allow for this. After all this is an election year and nobody wants to go into a campaign being the Grinch who stole the potties! So I imagine City Council will miraculously find $300K to keep the bathrooms open. And then there will be a claim of a great victory for public process.

But what about the other cuts to this and previous year's budgets? And what about the fee hikes? Will those get the same benefit? I doubt it very much. There have been more than $4 million in cuts over the past couple of years. There are fewer programmers in our Community Centres, fewer summer programs for our kids, fewer flowers in our gardens and longer grass in our fields and on our pathways. There are higher fees for our pools and rinks, and now toddlers pay too. Is Vancouver a better place for these reductions? I don't think so.