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Everything you need to know about mayor Ken Sim ending the park board
Plus, the future of the Jericho Lands is closer to reality.
Geoff Sharpe
December 08, 2023
Good morning,
The park board news is obviously the biggest story of the day and we’ve got a big breakdown for those of you who aren’t members and didn’t get the Insider Bulletin email (a special Insider members only perk) that went out Wednesday afternoon.
The other big story, one that is less impactful but also very interesting, is that the future of the Jericho Lands, a massive 90-acre undeveloped spot near Jericho Beach, is starting to look more real. Naturally, some people aren’t happy.
Let’s get to it!
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WEATHER
Friday: 3 🌡️ 0 | 🌧️
Saturday: 4 🌡️ 1 | ❄️/🌧️
Sunday: 7 🌡️ 3 | 🌧️
Monday: 7 🌡️ 3 | 🌤️
CITY HALL
Everything you need to know about mayor Ken Sim ending the park board
This story was sent Wednesday afternoon to paying Insider member, who get access to our Bulletin feature where we send breaking news immediately so they can understand events in real time. If you wish to get more news like this, become a member today during our end of year crowdfunding campaign.
What happened: Speculated on Tuesday and confirmed that evening, Mayor Ken Sim announced Wednesday he’s bringing forward a motion to the next council meeting to ask the province to change Vancouver’s charter to end the park board and combine its responsibilities with council, according to CBC
Justification: Sim justified the move by arguing two elected bodies presiding over the city were “broken” and that the system “doesn’t work,” according to CBC. He emphasized that it was about management and “restoring” the parks. He said at the press conference that it would result in “streamlined operational efficiencies” and budget savings, but not change how the parks operate.
The park board is the only body like it in North America — with the exception of Minneapolis — that has a separate elected body from council. It’s responsible for parks, recreation facilities and budget and capital plan that goes with it.
Sim also blamed the board for recent problems, like the looper moth infestation that will cause 160,000 trees in the Stanley Park to be cut down, according to reports from the press conference.
He said green space would not be lost as part of the merger, according to CBC.
Reminder: Sim originally ran on ending the park board during the election, but eventually backtracked during the campaign. (You might say he’s backtracking on the backtrack).
Drama: Sim was joined by three park board members from his ABC Party. The other three, Laura Christensen, Brennan Bastyovanszky, and Scott Jensen, did not attend and did not support the move. Christensen shared an email from the mayor’s chief of staff, in which she said they’d been removed from the ABC Party, according to Global. Christensen noted it was the first communication they had received on the topic.
As noted by CBC reporter Justin McElroy, these three members were considered the moderates on the board, and blocked the appointment of a more conservative ABC member as chair.
Some speculation: Former park board commissioner Aaron Jasper speculated that one reason Sim is doing this is to open up public golf courses to development, according to CBC. Sim stated right off the bat at the press conference there would be no material change in how parks operate.
Reading between the lines: The lack of communication with existing members illustrates the mayor’s team understood that this would cause a media storm, and wanted to stay on top of the rollout. Putting aside whether they should’ve informed those members, the members would’ve likely brought it to the press given their response so far.
What it means: The decision would further entrench the power of Sim’s council to enact change, giving them more power over critical functions that people interact with on a day-to-day basis, such as parks and recreation facilities. Recent decisions such as removing a Vancouver Public Library board member and replacing them with a donor to his ABC party, indicate a further trend of centralizing and more oversight from their team.
Yes, but: Will there actually be a huge pushback considering council shifting the board towards a structure that every city in North America uses?
A poll conducted in 2022 on whether to keep the board showed that 52 percent of people agreed or strongly agreed that the city should eliminate the park board, according to CTV. Those downtown were especially in favour, at 63 percent. Those in favour of keeping it were at 29 percent.
The poll also showed a steady increase in opposition, with 44 percent opposed to keeping it in 2020. That represents a 12 percent increase over two years.
What comes next: The motion would create a working group to ensure a smooth transition. The province would need to approve the change since the Vancouver Charter is a provincial statute.
Other interesting info: Is the mayor favouring certain outlets over others that are more critical? We can’t say this for sure, but he did grant an interview to the Vancouver Sun and Daily Hive, but not Justin McElroy from the CBC.
Dig deeper: You can watch the entire press conference here.
Other park board news
Split ahead: Kicking out the three park board members who opposed the move from his ABC parth means the mayor no longer has a majority on the board. That will cause problems in the short term while he waits for the province to approve (or disapprove) the change. [CBC]
The history: The park board was originally created to manage Stanley Park when it was handed over to the city. Over the years the parks were expanded through land purchases to make up what it is today. [Vancouver Sun]
ABC strategists speak: Insiders spoke to CBC about the dynamics playing out within ABC, between the moderates and the more conservative members of the party. It’s been a balancing act between both groups that recently was fractured during the vote for a new park board chair, with the moderates joining forces with the green member against the more conservative ABC members. [CBC]
VANCOUVER NUMBERS
🥵 26°C: A new law will require all BC homes to have living space temperatures that do not exceed this temperature, in an effort to deal with heating from climate change. In Vancouver this will mean mechanical air cooling systems. [Daily Hive]
📈 $701.79: The amount a family of four can expect their annual food bill to rise to in 2024, to a total of $16,297.20. Food prices are expected to rise 2.5 to 4.5 percent over the year. [Dalhousie University]
💰️ $436,478: The penalty that the Vancouver Croatian Cultural Centre is facing after a CRA audit for breaking certain rules, including operating unrelated businesses. [CityNews]
⚽️ 48,000: The number of people who came out to BC Place to see Christine Sinclair play her final game. [CTV]
HOUSING
The future of Jericho Lands taking shape
What happened: The Jericho Lands development, comprising 90 acres of land next to Jericho Beach, continues to move forward, with the latest release of the draft policy statement laying out plans for the project. It includes space for 28,000 residents and 13,000 new homes, according to the document, with 70 percent of the units being market-based leasehold condo apartments. The policy statement is the next step before council weighs in.
The land represents the largest area of underdeveloped land in Vancouver.
The project is a partnership between the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, and the Canada Lands Company, a real estate and development Crown corporation.
The plan encompasses First Nations ideas, practices and culture, an emphasis on a low-carbon space, 2,600 units of social housing, 259 childcare spaces, 20 acres of space and upgrades to street and mobility infrastructure.
Those opposed: It wouldn’t be a development in Vancouver without local opposition. Those opposed argue that there are too many highrises, and would prefer to see a low-rise development, according to the Vancouver Sun. Their plan would dramatically scale down the number of units that would be created, with housing only for 7,200 people — only about a third of the current proposal.
Residents also said they were worried about their views being blocked. You can read more about the opposition to the plan on their website.
What’s next: The draft plan will be presented to the council for consideration in January. It is subject to changes by council. The Transportation Study Summary has not yet been released.
THE AGENDA
🔥 The Vancouver Fire and Rescue services are warning the public that scam callers are impersonating the department and asking for money. VFRS does not fundraise from the public. [CTV]
❄️ Will skiers and snowboarders be able to play in the North Shore mountains by Christmas? It doesn’t look like it, unfortunately, as there may not be enough snow by then. [CityNews]
🚗 Ride-hailing companies are fighting back against the increase in fees approved by city council. Fees will rise from $0.30 to $0.45 next year and $0.60 in 2025. Mothers Against Drunk Driving also opposes the move. The city originally brought in the fee to help with congestion. [Global]
🏨 Now that’s a pricey hotel. The GEC Granville Suites Hotel was recently bought by an unnamed developer for $70 million. That makes it the biggest hotel sale in Vancouver in six years. [Business in Vancouver]
📉 Tough times for real estate company Westbank. The company is dealing with millions of dollars in unpaid bills to contractors, with the number of lawsuits targeting them growing quickly. They are the developer behind the Shangri-La Hotel. [Globe and Mail]
🍄 The American publication Salon has a big interview with Dana Larsen on the rise of magic mushroom shops and what it means for their legalization in Canada. [Salon]
🏠️ An innovative approach to housing homeless people — temporary modular housing — which was built quickly and easily on city land, is being used less and less by the city. Coun. Rebecca Bligh says the city is instead focused on more permanent housing, while critics say it’s a critical part of the city’s housing plans. [The Tyee]
🏫 SFU is planning deep budget cuts as it deals with a $50-million deficit because of rising costs and lower revenue. The union says they’re worried about potential job losses. [Vancouver Sun]
❌ Subletters that were kicked out of a home in Mount Pleasant discovered that the place was listed on Airbnb after the landlord told them their daughters were moving in. [Urbanized]
EVENT GUIDE
Holiday Splash | The Birdhouse, 44 W 4th Ave. | Dec. 8, 7 pm | Natural wine tasting, with DJs and drag performances | Tickets $23
Vancouver’s View Protection Policy: How It Developed and Was Implemented | SFU Vancouver at Harbour Centre | Dec. 6, 6:30 pm | A lecture on a key policy that is shaping Vancouver’s skyline | Free
1931 Gallery Bistro X Laughingstock Winemakers Dinner | 1931 Gallery Bistro | Dec. 6, 6 pm | A winemakers dinner, with wine and meal pairings | Tickets $159
Make it Vancouver | PNE Forum | Dec. 7-10, 5 pm | Check out and purchase handmade items for the holidays, and try some local food trucks. Tickets good all week | Tickets $8
Winter Arts Market at Pacific Arts Market | Pacific Arts Market | Dec. 8-9, 1 pm-7 pm | Early bird tickets free
African Christmas Market | Moberly Arts and Cultural Centre | Dec. 8, 12 pm-5 pm | Authentic products and crafts from Africa or made by Africans | Reserve a time
Make Your Own Candle Holders & Rolled Beeswax Candles | 729 Gore Ave. | Dec. 16, 11 am | Just like the title says! The perfect gift for the holidays | Tickets $75
Ruby's Ukes Christmas Ukulele Workshop | 815 W Hastings St., office 250 | Learn how to play some seasonal classics, and learn how to tune ukuleles | Tickets $38
COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS
Still looking for something to do over the holidays? Check out these cheap flights from YVR. [Vancouver is Awesome]
Dear Gus, a new small wine bar in Mount Pleasant, is launching today. I’ll be reviewing it next week for Insider members, so stay tuned. [Scout Magazine]
Everyone’s favourite band to hate — Nickelback — is joining this spring’s Vancouver country music festival from Apr. 19-20. [Vancouver Sun]
Who’s got the best Taiwanese beef noodle soup in the Lower Mainland? Reddit users say Uno Beef Noodle in Richmond, No. 1 Beef Noodle in Burnaby and Wang’s on Granville. [Reddit]
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GAME TIME
Congrats to Karen, Doug, Elaine and David who all correctly guessed Wednesday’s Vancouver Guesser was David Lam Park.
Today’s Wordle is easy if you read the newsletter. Play it here.
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