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The Vancouver Park Board is set to introduce a motion calling for a historic investment into the city’s aging recreational facilities of approximately $1 billion, CBC News has learned.
The motion is being brought forward by board chair and commissioner Tom Digby, who called the special park board meeting for April 7 where it will be discussed with the public.
Digby said the final dollar figure attached to the motion is still under discussion.
“It’s true there is definitely more than $1 billion worth of capital improvements that the park system and the recreation centres could all use,” he said. “The fact is we only have a role where we take our requests up to city council. And then city council will make the final decision.”
In a report released last year, Vancouver’s auditor general said that 72 per cent of the city’s 24 community centres, 14 pools and eight indoor rinks were in “poor or very poor condition,” with an infrastructure deficit of $33 million per year.
The report by Mike Macdonell said the facilities, which are owned by the city and co-maintained by park board and city departments, “were not effectively managed,” with little or no co-ordination to address the problems.
Former park board chair Aaron Jasper says the time is right for board to be drawing attention to “historic underfunding” from the city.
Vancouverites ‘shortchanged’
“This ask, if in fact it’s in that $1 billion range, is an acknowledgment that for far too long, the City of Vancouver has neglected to properly maintain our cherished park board facilities. And really, Vancouver residents have been shortchanged,” said Jasper, who served as a commissioner from 2008 to 2014.
“The choice really is a stark one. It’s either pay now, renew and upgrade facilities, or residents across our city, many of them are going to be facing the reality of their beloved facilities shutting down in the next few years.”
Britannia Rink, along with other recreation facilities at the East Vancouver site, are in dire need of upgrading. That includes the Britannia Pool, seen in this photo under temporary roofing. (Ben Nelms/CBC)
Commissioner Scott Jensen says while the $1 billion figure is “aspirational,” it serves to inform the 2027-2030 capital plan and beyond, especially with the upcoming municipal election only seven months away.
“We’re looking at where our priorities need to be and how we can best serve Vancouverites,” said Jensen.
“We’ve run on this promise to invest in our infrastructure and we have some significant infrastructural needs. We also have a lot of partnerships that are popping up that we would like to leverage so we can be able to get a bigger bang for our buck.”
One example is the recent report that the Vancouver Canucks and City of Vancouver are close to announcing some sort of agreement that could see the team build a practice facility at the aging Britannia ice rink and community centre site in East Vancouver.
The Canucks are owned by the Aquilini family, who are developers.
“The Canucks opportunity with Britannia is really interesting for us and could have a lot of potential,” said Digby.
“There’s been a number of facilities that were proposed by developers that did not come through … for example the north False Creek community centre and skating rink that was supposed to be built by Concord Pacific and a community centre in East Fraser Lands that was supposed to be built by Wesgroup.”
Digby said bringing partners on board to help fund projects is a way of lessening the taxpayer burden.
Major capital projects expected to be on the table in the near future include the renewal of the crumbling Kitsilano outdoor pool and construction of a promised 50-metre indoor pool.
The finalized motion for the April 7 special park board meeting is expected to be released by the end of next week.