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If the Vancouver Canucks new leadership team is sincere in its pledge to improve community connections, the chair of the Vancouver Park Board thinks a good place to start would be letting people know the plan for the team’s new practice rink.
Reports citing unnamed sources say the Canucks are planning to build their new ice at the site of the Britannia skating rink in East Vancouver. On Thursday, new Canucks co-president Henrik Sedin confirmed a deal for a practice rink was “very close.”
If true, park board chair Tom Digby wants to know why the community and stakeholders have been kept in the dark.
“There’s a real opportunity here, but the Canucks are at risk of blowing it by keeping it hush-hush,” said Digby. “The Canucks have shown up and made it public that there is a proposal for a Canucks ice practice facility [at Britannia], but very scant details have been made public.”
The Canucks and the City of Vancouver haven’t publicly confirmed Britannia as the location, including on Friday when contacted by CBC News.
But reporting by hockey insider Irfaan Gaffar has cited drawings and specific details, including that the footprint of the new rink is to the west of the existing Britannia Rink, and the new facility will have underground parking for Canucks players.
WATCH | Henrik Sedin says Canucks are close to a deal for a practice rink:
Canucks co-president Henrik Sedin comments on practice rink plan
Vancouver Canucks’ new management team says a deal for a dedicated practice facility is “very close.”
Digby said transparency is important considering Britannia is a high-needs community with high levels of poverty and vulnerable populations.
“What the Canucks organization needs to understand is that nothing can happen unless there is a broad public discussion about what their intentions are, and what they’re going to contribute there,” said Digby.
Many programs and groups call the 50-year-old Britannia Rink home, including the 600-member Vancouver Minor Hockey Association and the Britannia Secondary School Hockey Academy.
Besides the rink, the Britannia complex houses two schools, a youth centre, a public library, gyms, a variety of community spaces and a swimming pool. Agencies who control parts of the complex include the city, park board, Vancouver School Board and the Britannia Community Services Centre Society (BCSCS).
‘Needs of the neighbourhood’
Adrienne Denham, BCSCS director, said her organization has asked to be included in conversations about a Canucks rink, but so far have heard nothing.
“We would expect to have input on issues such as location, public access, community programming, impacts on existing services, construction disruption, traffic and parking, long-term governance, and how any new investment supports — rather than displaces — the needs of the neighbourhood,” said Denham in an email.
“A major investment in recreation at Britannia could be a very positive thing. But it needs to be done with the community, not simply announced to the community.”
Britannia was left off the list of five priority community centres targeted for renewal by Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim in a motion asking for $400 million in funding.
Plans to revitalize Britannia have been stalled for years. At one point, a master plan envisioned a new rink within a social housing tower and a rooftop sports park attached to it, but those plans were abandoned in 2018, according to Digby.
On Thursday, Sedin promised the new Canucks practice facility will “help the community, big time.”
“We’re super excited to see it happening,” he said.