22 May 2014

300 postings on making Better Parks for Vancouver

This marks the 300th posting since 2008 on this incarnation of the BetterParks blog. I originally started this blog in 2001 on an old Telus members site, and migrated over to blogspot 6 years later. One of the first postings on the original site was about my excitement with a COPE win at the Park Board after the 2002 civic election. I talked about my hopes after years of the neglect and deterioration of our parks and community centres, increasing fees, and the commercialization of our public spaces.

Since 1999 I have been advocating for parks and public spaces. This advocacy has taken me to some fantatsic places like SPEC - the Society Promoting Environmental Conservation, and the VanDusen Botanical Gardens Association. I have been honoured by being elected to the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation (the Park Board), and being a Trustee of the Vancouver Public Library.

Over the years I have blogged about parks and gardens, beaches and natural spaces. About whales and dolphins in captivity, and about dogs in parks. About trees and flowers, recycling and bathrooms. I have advocated for seniors and children, for natural spaces and outdoor swimming pools. And a lot more.

Six months from now there will be another civic election, and the issues that meant so much to me a dozen or more years ago are still in the forefront. I have been asked by many people and many political parties to run again. To be honest I haven't yet decided. It takes a lot of time and effort to be a candidate, and even more to be an elected official. I'll take the summer to decide and will make my announcement here first.

Thank you to all the readers, casual and regulars, for caring about parks and recreation as much as I do. It is for you that I do what I do.

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