by Stuart Mackinnon on October 2nd, 2018 at 11:09 PM
The Straight.com
The Straight.com
The
need—and the desire—for more public spaces will continue to increase as
Vancouver densifies. To ensure a healthy city, our citizens need
vibrant public spaces. I’m running for reelection with the Green Party
because I want to keep Vancouver’s parks green, clean, and welcoming.
The park board is almost as
old as Vancouver itself, but we can’t keep looking backwards and wish
for a city that no longer exists. We must move to planning for a future
that includes parks for all.
I
have been at the forefront of prioritizing infrastructure renewal
because over the years our recreational facilities have been neglected:
neighbourhood outdoor pools have been closed; community centres have
deteriorated; and too little money has been reinvested. The next capital
plan is set to renew our infrastructure and build for the future. The
next term will determine where these priorities will be set. I want to
be there to advocate for you.
Residents
know what they want from their parks and recreation facilities.
Community-centre associations know best what their members want in
programming. That's why for the past four years I’ve been working on a
stronger partnership between the park board and community organizations
reflecting these values. And that’s why for nearly 20 years I have been
promoting neighbourhood services to enhance local communities.
Parks
and recreation must be for everyone. That’s why I’ve been working
toward accessible spaces for everyone, regardless of age, income,
gender, or ability. That’s why I’ve been at the forefront of
Reconciliation, ensuring that respect and truth-telling are a part of
every decision we make. That’s why clean, accessible washrooms have been
my priority. That’s why I’ve been challenging the continued
commercialization of our parks.
Vancouver’s
natural beauty is worth protecting. Our children not only need places
to play but also places to enjoy and explore nature. We all need places
of tranquil refuge from our busy lives. We need parks that reflect these
values. We need to daylight our hidden streams and ensure they are
salmon-safe. We need to protect our tree canopy and add to it. We need
beautiful parks, vibrant gardens, and calming passive spaces.
Vancouver
loves to play. Our sports fields need to be ready for both competitive
teams and recreational pick-up games. Working with our park partners, we
need to improve the quality of our fields and sports courts and invest
in new surfaces like indoor tennis, field hockey, lacrosse, and roller
derby, for the growing population of athletes and players. We also must
ensure the fields and spaces we have meet national and international
standards.
Vancouver is a
growing and dynamic city. We can’t rely on outdated concepts of design
and programming. We need to develop new, innovative ideas to enhance our
urban experience: new ways of making parks; new ways of developing
public spaces; new ways of offering programming to reflect our new and
growing population.
Best
practice must be met with innovation. Sustainability must be matched by
biodiversity. Serving our youth, seniors, families, and all the diverse
communities that make Vancouver the amazing city it is must be at the
forefront of everything we do in parks and recreation. Better parks are
not only possible but necessary to keep Vancouver on the leading edge of
a brighter, healthier, and more active city.
I
want to continue to serve the people of Vancouver. The Green park board
team is dynamic, knowledgeable, and compassionate. We have the
knowledge, experience, and passion to make our parks and recreation the
best it can be. I want to work with Dave Demers and Camil Dumont on
making better parks for Vancouver. I want a brighter future.
Please
vote for the entire Green team at parks. On October 20, vote for Dave
Demers, Camil Dumont, and Stuart Mackinnon. Vote Green.
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