Hi there. Thanks for the opportunity to speak. So the zip line, the 2015 zip line, was part of the 75th anniversary of Bloedel, of course, and Van Dusen. We had a 40th anniversary. We built a butterfly tower there. But the rationale behind the project not continuing, it did go out to a commercial tender, Ziptrek, ourselves, one other company looked at it. And at times the commercial offering on the part of the park board was not going to put any of the operators in a position to see it as being a financially viable opportunity. So for that reason, it didn't go ahead. Got it. Thank you. Thanks.

Yeah, I think the opportunity by adding a tree walk is that now you're actively working with those trees and you're presenting what we consider is a really important opportunity, which is local people, visitors, everyone to learn the true value of our forest. And when you get that chance to walk into a healthy forest, in this case in Queenie, we have the baseline for a forest that's more or less returning itself to what would be a native forest. So a stratified level forest. And the best way I can explain the importance of this... is we all grew up along the Pacific. And of course, this massive ocean drops a lot of rain on us. Nature built us the world's best umbrella, a 70 to 90 meter closed canopy rainforest. And that closed canopy rainforest, in the winter, it captures, contains, and filters that water. In the summer, it holds that water and releases it. And our coastal temperate rainforest, a healthy, healthy forest, fires every 500, 800 years. Getting back to your question, the key opportunity here is the parks that you're responsible for, their ecosystem services are irreplaceable. And the goal by adding the walkway is to work with the trees and work with the forest. and to take that original recipe, because our forest was grown by nature and there is a recipe, and to help grow that forest back. So hopefully that's a pretty long answer, but some insight into why.

Yeah, with respect to the tree walk and the University of British Columbia, the area that we operate in is a forest that saw logging, but not everything was logged. So you have some trees as old as 500 years. UBC, and hopefully in the future people will really come to understand this, UBC is one of the best eagle habitats in the world. Tall trees, and some of them forests that was never touched, make the incredible nesting habitat that you require to grow back eagles from 1960, a handful of eagles to today, up to 700 pairs. So when we looked at birds, we brought in an expert to inventory the birds and to understand, especially with respect to eagles, where we would be placing the tree walk. With the migratory and resident birds, we constantly have bird surveys taking place monthly. And so that gives us some idea of what is taking place. We have resident barred owls. And what, you know, obviously to everyone's benefit is having a healthy bird population makes a tremendous, tremendous difference in the seed distribution.

Absolutely. We've had, you know, we have every intention because we've been following a process to first identify the area that we'd use.

inspect the trees, further the reports, and then initiate these bird surveys. So we have an inventory, and then we can look to work with that. And it's our good fortune, partnering with Van Dusen Botanical Garden Association, and for Greenheart ourselves, we've been working with Hancock Wildlife Foundation. We recently added a eagle viewing tower with the Chehalis First Nation.

Yeah, if anyone's looking for an ultrasound, call an arborist. But originally we did. We had to drill a small core in the trees at UBC. That was the technology. And of course, when you're drilling that, the resistograph tells you if there's a hollow. What they advanced is literally like running an ultrasound on a tree. So you can go up and down the tree, and you can look for defects, weaknesses, hollows. So you no longer have to penetrate the tree.

Go ahead.

All right. You guys, so the request is for a five-year with an additional five years. The idea is, you know, during this time to establish a program that attracts and educates visitors and locals that makes the forest healthier, and ideally after five years we'll have the opportunity to continue. If we don't continue, then obviously the discussion would take place about, well, can we leave this for the benefit of the park? Okay.

We... Sorry.

We were directed to look at three different arborists, or at least companies, who have a solid record working with Vancouver and with the Park Board. Diamond Head Consulting is the arborist company that we're working with, and they have expertise in this area, and with the idea is to keep an ongoing arborist, and of course... annually have an annual inspection and if there's any concerns do that on a more regular basis but we will have that and with the technology that you're talking about sonic tomography they're going to be bringing they they have the ability to do sonic tomography yes so has it already been suggested or is it part of the project it is it's been suggested it can be put into the project okay yeah that it's it's a really good technology i know i can see that i'm just looking it up thank you

Yeah, the geodesic tower, the whole system that we use at UBC is actually, we were funded by CETA, Canadian International Development Agency, in 2001 to mount a project in a jungle in Guyana. So we designed and built a system that we felt would be the least intrusive, non-penetrating, and we could carry into a forest. And so that aluminum system comes because we live in the West Coast, and we know that aluminum works well, lightweight. As far as the towers for the zipline, that geodesic tower is what we used in 2015 at Van Dusen to do a monarch butterfly exhibit. And the goal is to take the tower structure and plant it, so doing more of a vertical garden. And during the off-season, we would take down the cables, the zipline cables, and we'd use it as a feature for planting.

Yeah, the key commitment between Green Heart, you know, Nature Agency, triple bottom line, is to create a healthier forest. And we know that the forest is facing incredible challenges. And so by actively working and working with urban forestry and being involved, we would look to remove the invasives, get back to the original recipe, and grow the forest. Because for all of us, right, especially for wanting to present a forest... The healthier it is, the more we're going to see species return, right, from the plants, Florida fauna. And so that's a key part of this project.

Yes.

Hopefully a much healthier forest is a key part of this. Thank you for that.

Yeah, so out at UBC, we're going into our 18th year. We've never had any concerns. There's been no issues as far as any injuries, any accidents. The actual system itself, we're starting to move towards the 20th year. So we'll start to be replacing more and more. But it is a piecemeal system. So you can literally replace the parts. And Greenhart, we've had the good fortune to work with Tony Young, other engineers. Tony's a leading engineer and professor in civil engineering at UBC. So we have access and that ability, which really has made a difference for us.

Yeah, so the tree walk, we actually custom designed what you might know as the trail rider. It's used for backcountry, for people with disabilities. And so we built one of those for the tree walk. And so with the person in front and back, you can navigate the tree walk. So people with a lack of ability to walk through the tree walk can take advantage of that. The zip line is slightly more challenging just because in your landing. But there is new technology coming out. And when it is possible, we definitely would employ it. We're trying to make nature accessible to as many people as possible. I've had individuals as old as 90 years on the tree walk. And a gentleman came recently. He had one leg. He came up in his scooter, put on his... It's prosthetic and off you went. So it is, it can be, you know, look like it's challenging me like anything. If you look into solutions, you can work with them. So we're pretty excited to have that opportunity to advance that as well.

Okay, so my name is Ian Green. I'm representing Green Heart, and my position on the matter is in support of the project. I'm here, you know, not only on my own, but obviously Rob Saffrata, Triple Bottom Line, Sonny Wong, the founder of the Nature Agency, Van Dusen Botanical Gardens, Chantel Martin. We've got Zara over there, who's from UBC Botanical Gardens, where we've been working for 18 years. How old are you, Zara? So my daughter Ohana and my brother David and Max, who is the arborist from Diamond Head. What I wanted to have the time to stand up and explain to you is Greenheart, we've grown up and we've had the ability to work around the world. I can completely blame the park board for who I am because I was a beach lifeguard. And, you know, if you leave me out in Spanish banks long enough, you're going to fall in love with nature. The important part for what we're trying to do, and I'd like to thank John because we did drop a seed in 2015. John was a key part of giving us the opportunity to put up the zip line and see how people responded. When we did the zipline, we also built the monarch butterfly exhibit temporarily at Van Dusen to give us the idea to engage people with nature in a different way. And it also gave us the chance to look at Queen Elizabeth Park. Queen Elizabeth Park is spectacular. And what we're really seeing is that as a park board and facing these challenges, the more we look to work with nature and to see nature generate revenues, the better we all do. So our hope with Van Dusen Botanical Gardens, with the nations, the Coast Salish, the TTsleil-Waututh, the Squamish, the Musqueam, and with our partners and the members of the community is to help grow a healthier park. And the reason, you know, behind all of this as we talk about what is the recipe for a healthy forest, when we have a healthy forest, we literally will get back to that big green umbrella. so given your support that's our our overall intent is a much healthier park and ideally we will see this forest come back and we will take baseline studies and we will continue those studies so that we can improve and we can demonstrate and we can modify and we can adjust When it came up about where has this system been tested, we've had the good fortune to work in Guyana, Rwanda, Nigeria, Brazil, Peru, all over the world. And to have the chance to be part of Queen Elizabeth Park, which is a feature park in Vancouver, really gives us, and I think all of us, the opportunity that shows making an investment in nature, as we say in this with triple bottom line and sunny two and a half million, which we know now isn't a great deal of money, but it's one of the best investments we will ever make.

If you guys and I don't get to answer questions, but I know I've missed things, and I apologize for anyone who supported the project. Ashley, I completely forgot, but we have some fantastic people.

Hi, everyone. My name is Zahra Chan Khan. I'm representing UBC Botanical Garden, and I am in support of this. So I work on the education team at UBC Botanical Garden. I've worked there for almost three years now, and I've delivered almost 200 tours on the Green Heart Tree Walk for schools and camps and corporate groups and students in K through 12 and at UBC. I'm currently studying my master's Masters of Education in Sustainability, and through that have been learning about the key drivers for action for conservation and eco-conscious decision-making. And a lot of that is based on building strong relationships with nature. And through that, breaking down the perceived separability we have between humans and nature, right? So kind of bringing that into one holistic system. So through initiatives like the Tree Walk, It's helping at an individual level build those personal connections to nature to funnel that into collective change and a community eco-ethic or an environmental ethic. What I've seen is that the Tree Walk is a multifaceted, multidimensional entry point into building that connection with nature. So people connect through ecology, hydrology, birds, insects, through the engineering aspect, through green economy if they're interested in ecotourism, through forest succession, through the history of the land that we're on. And it's engaging for all kinds of audiences. I've had preschoolers come on. They're super excited. I've had really bored teenagers that finally take out their little AirPods And I've had corporate groups that have come on, they start and they're kind of shaking. And then by the end, they're laughing and high-fiving each other. It's building those relationships between each other as well. So it's a lot about relationality. And senior groups and tourist groups that come from out of town to come to the tree walk at UBC. And it's a perspective change from being on the ground as well. And it's breaking down that plant blindness or plant bias that we see most of society these days and yeah it's that like demeanor shift that we see from the beginning to the end that I've seen over a hundred times and it's it's pretty impressive it's it's quite amazing and beyond the structure of the tree walk itself it's been really amazing working with a tree walk team they have an energy that makes it such a welcoming experience for everyone they meet people where they're at which is really amazing and I think them working with the VBGA team would create something super impactful that will build community support to support our human world and the more than human world through this transformative experience. And yeah, support lifelong learning. That's something we all would like to be doing more of. Okay, that's it for me.

Thanks.

It was great. We went and assessed the trees. We undertook the study looking at what trees would be impacted by the walk, by the attraction. We looked at the health and the structural condition of the trees. We went out to UBC. We inspected the system. I was really impressed on the detail that they took to ensure that the trees were not harmed by the system. And that was one of the things we were really concerned about was, you know, I know a lot about trees. That's been what I've been doing my whole life. But to learn about their system and how it interacted with the trees, that was something new for us. And to learn that and to see that it wasn't impacting the trees and that this could... be done without harming the trees, that was great. And my intentions for speaking tonight are to answer any questions that people have regarding the trees.

Good evening, Park Board Commissioners, Park Board staff, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Sonny Wong. I am a lifelong Vancouver resident and a founding director of the Nature Agency. Along with Green Heart and Triple Bottom Line Investment, we are proponents of this project at Queen Elizabeth Park. At the Nature Agency, we are agents for nature. We are a non-traditional communications agency that uses the power of marketing to give nature a voice. In the same way that marketing has been used to create a culture of consumerism, we use marketing to create a culture of environmentalism. Nature is our only client. Some of you may think it's silly how nature is our client since nature has no money. But a reminder, she has all the riches. Everything we have comes from nature. Everything in this room, everything you're wearing, everything you eat, all of it comes from nature. But in the course of industrialization and modernization, we've forgotten that. We have come to believe that nature is out there. A 60-minute drive outside the city or a 15-minute walk away from our apartment, perhaps in the trails of Stanley Park. Today, we are in a boardroom in a building in a city, but that city is in nature. Therefore, we are in nature. But we have come not to think like that, decoupling nature as separate from humanity. And this project is an opportunity to bring that back, to bring greater alignment between people and nature right here in the city, especially those who rarely find themselves on a hiking trail or on an overnight camping trip. This project is a great example. of urban nature. Over the last 20 years, migration to cities or urbanization has seen a massive global shift where over half the world's population now lives in cities. This project is a bold expression of modern urban nature, where ecotourism, education, and recreation meet. This initiative offers immersive high elevation access to the forest canopy, allowing residents and visitors to reconnect with the natural world without leaving the city. By reaching people where they live within Vancouver's Weibner Urban Core, the project helps foster a deeper awareness and empathy for the ecosystems that sustain city life. It transforms a familiar landmark into a living classroom and a place of wonder, encouraging active, healthy lifestyles while inspiring a renewed sense of responsibility for the environment that surrounds us all. As David Attenborough says, saving our planet is now a communications challenge and no better time and place than a project like this that attracts people to a destination and while they're there, creates awareness, educates, and moves them to understand nature better. In a world bereft of nature information and full of misinformation, this project just works, offering a path for restorative nature-based solutions. And if bringing people out to a park is needed to do this, then it's probably the right thing to do. Thank you.

Good evening, commissioners, and thank you for the time to speak with you tonight. My name's Chantal Martin. I'm the Director of Education and Research with the Vancouver Botanical Gardens Association, which is also known as the VBGA. I'm sure you're all familiar with us, but we're the joint operating partner with the Vancouver Park Board at both Van Dusen Botanical Garden and Bloedel Conservatory. And tonight I'm speaking on behalf of Stephen Shapiro, our executive director, as well as the whole VBGA organization. The VBGA is in support of the Tree Canopy Walkway project at Queen Elizabeth Park. We intend to be collaborating partners with Green Heart, the Nature Agency, and Triple Bottom Line in delivering quality environmental education programs on the Tree Canopy Walkway. Building on our successes as environmental education program experts, this opportunity will serve as an extension to our already very popular nature camps for children, school and community group field trips, and adult classes and workshops offered both at Van Dusen, Bloedel, and Queen Elizabeth Park. We value the role of ecotourism and we actively promote biodiversity and the importance of healthy ecosystems, stewardship and sustainability in our programs. And we believe Green Heart has given careful consideration for the impact of the tree canopy walkway, the impact on nature and it being non-invasive. and that this nature-based attraction will result in new connections being formed and a new care for nature. The VBGA and Park Board have a joint strategic plan for Van Dusen and Bloedel. As you all know, this was unanimously passed in 2021 by both boards. That includes the joint value of reconciliation through recognizing the local nations of Musqueam, Squamish, and TTsleil-Waututh. And in addition, we have a joint transformational goal of strengthening understanding and appreciation of the relationship of Indigenous peoples to land through action and reciprocity. We feel confident from our discussions with Greenheart that they will consult with and work in a good way with Musqueam, Squamish and TTsleil-Waututh Nation members and with the VBGA's own Natural and Cultural Heritage Educator who will work closely with the team on the project. In closing, we confidently support this proposal as a valued community partner and as a joint operating partner of the Park Board at both Van Dusen and Bloedel. We urge support for this proposal. Thank you, commissioners, for your time.

Thank you, Commissioners. You received a letter and a number of comments from our organization. I represent, I chair the Riley Parks.

Alan Hume. Thanks. And the pronunciation was very close. Thank you. I represent the Riley Parks South Canby Community Advisory Group, which was formerly known as Riley Parks South Canby Community Visions. We'd like to thank the staff that we met with and the proponents as well, and we appreciate the discussions that we had. We felt they were very fruitful, but we do have the concerns and reservations regarding the proposal. You have all of this, hopefully, in front of you. I'll just highlight a few items because there's only three minutes. A question is, really, is a civic arboretum really a need, is it supposed to be a generator revenue? Is the Zipline really part of a project to just attract people to the park, or is it really a money, again, a money generator, and how will it really support the arboretum? Excuse me, we already know that Queenie is the number three tourist attraction in the city. Increased density within the Canby corridor and beyond is a major issue for the community. And what do the present and future residents really want in community amenities? Well, one that has come up from tourists as well as people in the community is one of a playground in the park. And we do not see any evidence of that ever coming or in the immediate future coming to fruition. Is there, excuse me, is there no emphasis on passive green space and calmness within the sector? And that has reflected in some of the conversations we had. And if the tree canopy walk did not take place, then a significant capital expenditure would not be shown. And one resident in the area had sent this picture along of a barred owl, and how will the tree canopy really affect that is the walk, affect the birds in the park itself. And although we've heard one side of the story, we received a number of comments from other side, from wildlife biologists and the like, who question the benefit of the tree walk for the avian population. We also are very concerned about the finances and the average family and the income there, the cost to visit the park once you have these attractions. And in addition to that, let's not forget the parking that is implemented there, and the rates go up during the summer. And we're looking at more than an hour of parking. And just a couple of other things here, very quickly. Our group really didn't come to an overwhelming consensus to support the project. In fact, we have... No support whatsoever for the zip line and some minimal support for the canopy the way it is being presented at this time. And another important factor is... Park Board in 2021 talked about a master plan for Kweeney. It was put aside. We feel that that plan should be brought forth now and then look at this business opportunity, and I know I'm over time. Thank you. Thank you, Alan. Any questions from commissioners?

My apologies, just having a coughing fit, so we didn't want you to have to watch that.

My name is Sheila Lewis. I'm a local resident, and I'm in opposition to the proposal, mostly due to the lack of messaging engagement previous to this meeting, which few Vancouverites are even aware is happening. TripAdvisor rates Queen Elizabeth Park as number 10 of things to do in Vancouver. It's fifth on the list when you search top things to do in Vancouver. this park is already tremendously popular in its current format without making it into a thrill seeker or other destination. On Saturday in the rain I went up and walked around and many people were braving the weather taking selfies facing north. You've claimed that the views will not be impacted but I have not seen any visual format to see what will really look like from the ground. I keep seeing cute drawings and maps but there's no visual guide to let us see what will that zip line actually look like from the top, from the side, not just a drawing, but let's get a Photoshop or an AI version or something to have a real idea what this will look like. Visual impairment aside, it will also lead to zip lines. Every time someone's on a zip line, they whoop. You hear the whoop every time they go. That will be very audible as it echoes north, west, and east through the park. It's not conducive to listening to birds or beneficial to nature or peace. Even if the tree walk is approved, I believe the zip line is a detractor from nature due to the noise and visual impairment from visual sight line. Queen Elizabeth Park is a birding hotspot, and I hear you guys are looking to address some of that, which is great. According to the Canadian Psychological Association, nature is essential for mental well-being. Acting is powerful, scientifically proven tool to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression while boosting mood, cognitive function, and creativity. People in Vancouver may not have their own peaceful yards. This is where we go to relax. As far as the canopy walk goes, I'm not sure it's actually furthering nature in the park. If someone isn't enjoying nature by walking here, raising them up higher into the canopy is not actually going to make them enjoy nature any differently. This is entirely aimed at tourists and thrill seekers, not local people who pay for parks via taxes and rely on these spaces for peace of mind. Less beloved by others are criats of the park who will have less area in their range if we make this into an amusement area. They control rats and other pests in our area and are vital to the ecosystem. The claims that locals have been consulted about this, I'm a little uncertain, I believe. The Riley Park South Canby group is only 200 strong. I'm the administrator for a Facebook group in the area with 3,300 plus members. And when I posted this last Thursday when we heard about it via media, almost no one had heard about this. My biggest ask is that you properly survey the surrounding areas, maybe 16th to 41, Fraser to Oak, as potentially further afield. This is our backyard. Please give us time to at least review this fully and provide feedback officially rather than rushing to a decision that I think the majority are unaware is even being discussed at this moment. There have been some great comments made this evening by proponents, but I do beg you to please share the project more publicly with locals and include a survey via your Shape Your City online system before proceeding. Thank you for your time.

Thank you very much. I'm John Cooper and I'm speaking for myself. Had some things I want to talk about, but I've been... Are you in support or opposed? I'm in support. I've been enlightened a little bit. Now, one of the things that I wanted to mention to commissioners, going back to 1965, there was a proposal to the Park Board to create the Bloedel Conservatory Forestry Education Centre, tower on the top, the planetarium, which is now in Vanier Park. All of those things were built, but they were built in different locations. Also a restaurant, which was built. So the Park Board was thinking big in 1965. There was always a realization that Queen Elizabeth Park is a central park in the city. It's very accessible from all sides of the cities. It's basically in the geographic center of Vancouver. And now that we have the Canada Line, it's extremely accessible, more so really than Stanley Park. The other thing that I wanted to mention to you is that it really hasn't been mentioned too much that it's an arboretum. And what that means is that every tree that is native to Canada has been planted in Cleveland Park. There's a tremendous ability for education. And I think this tree walk... really helps us get there in a very big way. The other thing is the component of the Bloedel Conservatory. Because it's a tropical rainforest, it's right next to a temperate rainforest. The ability for us to educate youth about the connections across the planet that the tropical rainforest and the temperate rainforest represent are absolutely incredible. And I think I'm so pleased that Van Dusen... And their docents that now work at the conservatory, help to educate youth and people that are going through, can have that same impact with the tree walk. I'd also point out that I've known Mr. Sofrata for a long time. And he, the guy, breathes green. He had the first carbon neutral transportation company in North America. before anybody was even talking about this stuff. So this is an individual who has the best interest of the park and the environment in his mind. The other thing is, I'd like you to think a little bigger than your proposal because there is this temporary kiosk. For a long time, we've been talking about building atrium on the front of the conservatory, which would be an education centre, and it will also create an airlock, another airlock. That's been tried to be pushed forward in a number of capital plans. It's never made it. Maybe this is the thing that ties it all together. And so I'm excited about what the potential is. I could talk a lot longer. I'd also like to thank the park board staff for the work that they've done. on the plaza with the new fountain with the walkways inside the conservatory with the new steps down into the quarry and they've done a really tremendous job and the other thing is we now have You know, no GHGs coming out of the conservatory because we've rectified that. Thank you, John. Thanks to staff, and thanks to all of you, and I appreciate your time tonight.

Yeah, that was one of the last things that we were working on in my last term here, and I'm very pleased to see that happening because the moving water, tremendously relaxing for people. It also tends to mask sound. And I think that some of those concerns about sound, I think, are mitigated by the fact you have running water in both those locations, and they create a bit of a barrier.

Yes, I will. I actually took the, when the zipline in 2015, I took the first ride on it. It was a lot of fun. It was over the quarry garden and I was the chair at the time and I know my father probably would have rolled in his grave because he had a lot to do with the park, having it over the quarry. But the idea, it was always meant to be temporary. It was passed as a temporary thing for the 75th anniversary of the park. Always thinking that, and I think the park board actually voted to say, If we did it again, we'd do it in a different location. So I support it. I think the more, and the other thing that I missed was the bus connection. We've always been missing that bus connection between Van Dusen and the Conservatory and downtown Vancouver. This is a really important part of this component. When Friends of Lodell were trying to save the Conservatory, one of the big things was we weren't able to get enough, we weren't able to get people up to Queen Elizabeth Park. This is a tremendous part of this proposal.

It's a very similar question, but I know you voted for the zip line in 2015. Could you elaborate, and do you think this location is a lot better, and would it be more out of the way and less obtrusive to the view? Yeah, I think 100%. I mean, I support it because... We had a lot of ideas with Friends of Lodell when we were trying to save the Conservatory. And one of them was to try and engage people, get people up there. And, you know, in 2008, there had been construction on the Canada Line, so nobody was getting to the park. Those things have been rectified. You know, there was a plan to have a Canada Line stop at 33rd, which would really help as well. But I think in order to make our attractions sustainable in the long term, you need to get enough things that work together. And we're under pressure. I mean, Stanley Park can't take it all. And it's a big park right in the center of the city, and I think it's so much more accessible to people in the south Vancouver, on the east side and the west, to be able to go over to that park. And I think tourists, when they come here, They get sold a bit of a false bill of goods when they get on that tour bus in Coal Harbour. It says, come to the top of Vancouver, and they take them to the cap line or suspension bridge. They should be coming to the top of Vancouver, which is Queen Elizabeth Park.

You know what? I can't recall. I think there was. I do recall that 25,000 people wrote it in a two-month period, and it was a little late getting started. I think we started it around just after July the 1st, and it ran through, I think, to the first week of September. It was incredibly popular. People had a lot of fun. I remember at that, prior to that election, I said, let's bring the fun back. And I think you guys have talked about bringing the fun back. So I think we're always trying to, you know, the education component is super, super important. But sometimes in order to get people somewhere where they've never been before, there needs to be a draw. And I think that helps to do that. You get them up to that zip line and they have an opportunity to see everything else that's there. And I think that is the secret sauce. I think it'll be tremendous.

Well, I think there's various programs within the park board, and I'm not sure they'll apply to this, whether they will or won't, but that's something you could talk to your general manager about. I know we've had various programs to let people take advantage of attractions, whether it be Van Dusen or Bloedel, who don't have the financial capacity to do it, families. So I'm sure that's generally part of the park board mix, and I'm sure your staff can help you with that.

Thank you.

Good evening. My name is Blair Worrell, lifelong resident of Vancouver, long-term resident of Riley Park. I'm speaking officially for myself, although I'll say I'm also representing the opinions of a number of people in my neighbourhood WhatsApp group, and I am speaking firmly in opposition to the proposal as a whole, and most definitely against the idea of a zip line in the park. So when I look over the mandates of the city, I see a couple of different objectives. One is Van Play, where the claim is made that the intent is to weave the city together. And the other is think big, which is at least more direct in the idea that it seeks to make money. So I guess I have two questions, one of which, which of those two things takes priority, making money or weaving? And when we talk about weaving people together, what people are we weaving together? So from this proposal, we see the idea of a zip line, a canopy walk, food, visitor center, and tour bus. So the think big here is pretty clear since all of these things will generate revenue. So the proposal also states the goal of engaging users. Well, I'm in that park four to five days a week, and I can tell you I'm engaged. There's tennis, there's pickleball, there's basketball, there's disc golf, there's pitch and putt, there's hockey, there's lawn bowling. You're right across the street from Hillcrest Community Centre, right across the street from Nat Bailey. There is already a lot of engagement going on in this park, and I question the logic between saying we need more. Unless when we talk about users, I suspect we're not talking about residents. We are talking about tourists who already come to enjoy the beautiful quarry gardens, the rose garden, the conservatory, a world-class restaurant. So then we move on to the part of the proposal that talks about the educational value. I can see the educational value of a canopy walk. But really, until this presentation, I'd never heard anybody refer to Queen Elizabeth as a forest, not in the way that I would think of Pacific Spirit Park. What I really object to is this idea of a zip line and the notion of that somehow People are going to learn about bird life. So what is that? For 10 seconds, you experience flight. And in the short time I've got left, the comment made about how consideration is being made so we don't obscure the view line. Again, it's tourists who are up there looking for pictures of the city. I wonder if members of council on a nice day have spent any time on that grassy area below, which the proposal is referring to as, oh, it doesn't impact anything. It's just a grassy area.

Well, in my last couple of seconds, please visit there on a sunny day, see the people having picnics, playing music, being with their families and reading, and then ask how it benefits the people that live in the community to have a zip line going overhead. Thank you very much.

Yes, can you hear me?

My name is Melissa Hafting, and I'm a member of the Board of Directors of the Wild Bird Trust of BC, and we oppose this proposal. We have serious concerns regarding the assessment of the competing business and commercialization of Vancouver green spaces, and our concerns are supported by ornithologists, wildlife biologists, and Vancouver residents who come to different conclusions than park board staff regarding the zip line, the tree canopy walk, the food trucks, and Ferris wheel within Kiwi Park. While we understand the intention to enhance recreational opportunities and financial gain to the park board, we are deeply concerned about the potential impacts these large-scale attractions will have on local bird populations and wildlife and their habitats. Kiwi Park serves as critical habitat for nesting birds, 181 migratory bird species, pollinators and mammals such as coyotes and other wildlife. The introduction of elevated noisy structures attached to the trees, increased foot traffic, bright night lighting, which will affect migrating songbirds, and mechanical environmental noise, which will disrupt nesting and breeding patterns and migration of the birds. Many of the birds that nest, roost, and forage at Kiwi Park do so at the mid and upper canopy levels of the trees, fragment sensitive habitat areas for coyotes, including from dens and adults from their pups, increase stress on wildlife due to noise and human activity, creating fear, and reduce the ecological integrity that makes Kiwi Park unique. It will also promote park and green spaces as accessories to urban life instead of respecting their unique role upholding biodiversity. And the zip line will be in the park during the prime breeding season for birds and the tree canopy year long so there's no reprieve for birds. We have noticed that although Kiwi Park sits on the traditional territories of the TTsleil-Waututh, the Musqueam and Squamish nations, there has been no mention of consultation with our communities in your proposal. We urge you to be respectful and engage meaningfully with the indigenous stewards of this land. Kiwi Park, like many of the parks in this Coast Salish region, is recognized not only for recreation, but also for biodiversity and natural wildlife preservation. If you were to approve the installation of amusement-style infrastructure, you'll be prioritizing entertainment and monetary commercial gain over ecological stewardship. It would be much better to increase foot traffic in the park by promoting scientifically proven activities that help reduce stress, such as guided walks and forest bathing. educational signs and geocaching and not put more fees and expensive activities on families who are struggling just to put food on their plates we respectfully ask the park board to conduct a comprehensive environmental impact assessment and make public the diamond head report consult independent wildlife biologists and conservation experts regarding the impacts this will have on the birds and wildlife within the park and engage in meaningful public consultation that is publicized because we believe this issue is not widely known by the general public Consider lower impact recreation alternatives that align with climate and biodiversity goals and protect nesting birds and wildlife and do not cause increased stress in an already urban and stressful environment for them. We urge the park board to prioritize long-term ecological protection over short-term attraction development and monetary gain.

Hello, my name is Ashley Roy. I'm representing myself, and I am for the proposed project. Forgive me, I'm not a public speaker. And while I don't have an exuberant amount of facts and documents to share about the project, like some of the other speakers, I do have the perspective from a community member standpoint, specifically regarding education opportunities and its affordability. To understand my perspective, I'm a working class community member and I'm the guardian of my 11-year-old sister. So you can assume local educational opportunities is something of interest to me. Additionally, I have been a volunteer occasionally for the Green Heart Tree Walk at UBC over the last three years or so. Before volunteering at the Green Heart Tree Walk, I can honestly say I didn't know a thing about conservation or the local plant and animal species or the vast Vancouver history of the tree regrowth due to logging and fires. During my time volunteering, I was able to be educated about those topics and additionally my favorite, about the infrastructures used at the tree walk that create low impact on the trees. Sorry, smallest amount of impact on the trees. I was able to get educated about these topics through my volunteering and just by visiting the tree walk at UBC, and it has truly been a memorable and magical thing for me since doing that, as well as getting to share that with my younger sister.

As most parents and guardians might know, getting kids to focus on important topics such as the environment and conservation can be quite a struggle. especially nowadays with low attention spans. But when you pair education with something like the tree walk experience, which create lasting core memory with those educational aspects, it sticks. And it's hard to get something like that to stick with kids, as well as other kids I've seen in the tree walk and adults alike. It's one of the most brilliant ways I've seen to actually engage kids in their futures and see the world around them by actually experiencing something.

So for this proposed project to open in such open up such a vast amount of opportunities for education through experience about the environment and conservation, while also being at affordable rate that someone like myself, from the middle to lower class, can actually afford and give that kind of educational enrichment to their kid, I think it would be foolish to pass up. So, thank you.

My name is Monique Choptuik. I represent myself. I live across the street from Queen Elizabeth Park, and I am in opposition. This proposal is a revenue-generating project. I believe that we must carefully balance the commercialization of the park to its detriments. It is important to balance the needs of occasional users with that of the local residents, as well as balancing public space with making money for its upkeep. Revenue-generating activities in the park already include the Boudelle Conservatory, pitch and putt golf course, seasons in the park restaurant, special events and weddings, and parking fees. The park is designated as... as a destination park with focus on horticultural and botanical excellence, as well as passive recreation and quietitude. In 2020, the discussions began with the community regarding the need for new fully approved comprehensive master plan. The approach established nature and horticulture as its primary pillars with a stated intent to enhance ecological integrity and horticultural excellence. In 2023, there was a procedural progress report that stated the official master plan was still under development and not expected to be completed until 2026 this time the park board adopted the think big strategy this explicitly directed staff to integrate commercial revenue opportunities like permanent attractions into the forthcoming master plans for major parks this undermined the integrity of the ongoing master plan progress by mandating a revenue generating lens to be applied to all operations and future master plans Unfortunately, the Big Think strategy specifically targets passive or underutilized areas for revenue-generating activation. The Zipline and the Tree Walk Route represent a non-conforming use that directly violates the Van Play Master Plan as well as the new 2026 Master Plan. It violates Van Play Goal 2, protecting existing parks from encroachment in a designated botanic garden which encroaches on the park's primary function of horticulture excellence and passive recreation and van plate gold seven restore well spaces and vital biodiversity introducing high decibel human activity into a treetop cannon canopy known as bird nesting habitat and displacing feeding or migratory birds undermines the ecological integrity pillar promised in the 2026 master plan approach by approving this proposal you would be essentially doing a procedural end run locking in the land use before the 2020-26 master plan is even finished. This can be viewed as a breach of procedural fairness, proving a five-year and potentially longer traction before the master plan is completed bypasses meaningful public engagement and promises to residents and the establishment of community-led conservation priorities. This operational mandate is being used to preemptively zone the park for commercial use without a transplant a transparent planning process. If the park board is truly interested in attracting more locals and tourists, a children's playground should be built.

Can I just read my two last sentences?

Just checking you can hear me.

Absolutely. Thank you. My name is Connor Trahar, and I am a resident of the Rowley Park area, and I have been for the past five years. For the record... I am representing myself, and my position on this topic is one of firm opposition. In addition to being a local resident, I'm also an everyday user of Queen Elizabeth Park. It is the place that I go to walk, disconnect, and appreciate our city's wonderful bird life, all things that are becoming increasingly difficult to do in this urban corridor. In a neighborhood that is going through many changes, Queen Elizabeth Park is one of the few constants that the local community has. It is a place where people can step out of the noise, be present in nature and find a semblance of calm in the middle of the city. For many of us who use it regularly, the park is not just an attraction, it is a refuge. In much the same way, the park is also an important ecological refuge, serving as a haven for many forms of wildlife, particularly birds who reside, nest and migrate through this habitat. I have personally witnessed almost 100 different species inside the park boundaries within the last 12 months, with many of these encounters happening in the direct area of the proposed canopy walk and zipline. I find the idea of using a zipline to educate people about birds in flight incredibly misinformed and misguided, especially since those same birds will be busy in their sensitive breeding and nesting season when this is live. To this point, I have not seen any form of environmental impact assessment that has spoken to the effects that proposed changes would have on the habitat or the wildlife that uses it. An arborist report alone, while useful, does not provide enough evidence to show that this would be a positive development for the local ecosystem. In the absence of objective surveys and assessments, I do not see how an informed and nature-focused vote can be made this evening. doing so after park board approval is simply not good enough what's more since stumbling upon these proposed changes by chance a short while ago i have found myself having more conversations about this with dozens of park users and local residents the reaction i get is always the same why don't we know about this and why is this happening queen elizabeth park is already one of vancouver's most iconic and beloved green spaces people are not asking for it to become an amusement destination or a way to turn nature into a business opportunity both users and wildlife alike come here because it offers something precious and restorative a quiet nature-focused space to reset in short its value lies in what it already is thank you for your time thank you connor um do any commissioners have questions

Robert Saffrata Good evening. Robert Saffrata with Triple Bottom Line. I'm speaking on behalf of Triple Bottom Line and our wonderful partners, Green Heart and Nature Agency, and of course, Banduzan Botanical Gardens and others. I'm speaking in support.

My first job was as a tree planter for three years. And I have spent a lot of time in the forest in the west and really believe that we can start to bring that back within this city here.

I've also, for the last 25 years of my professional career, been promoting and diligently assiduously working on the triple bottom line, measuring people in our business and positive impacts and programs and plan it, the environment, all in support of a better business. We wouldn't do it any other way. So that's what triple bottom line stands for. There was an objective survey in 2015 done, and it showed 92% support for continuation of Zipline, which I think is strong support there. The addition of a canopy walk is important, very important. We've also had many robust and expert planning meetings with park board staff. and our very special partners and key associates over the last few years, and to create a balanced and additive proposal and a healthier forest. So we're very proud of that, very excited. Building on my past ownership of West Coast Sightseeing, which is a tourism business, we spend, we send most of our people, that company sends most of its people to Butchart Gardens in Victoria, all the way there. And yet we have Van Tuzin, Tonicle Gardens right here in Queen Elizabeth. So that to me makes a lot more sense. And part of this plan is to include a connecting, an electric only, connecting bus between Granville Island, Van Dusen, Oak Ridge probably, because of the people, to bring the community there, to really focus on the community. So thank you very much.

Good evening, chair and commissioners. Thank you for the opportunity to speak this evening. My name is Tracy Moyer. I have the privilege of speaking on behalf of Oak Ridge Langara area residents, often referred to as OLR. I am the chair. OLR is in our 16th year. It was formed in 2010 because of the massive changes coming to our area and all of the Canby corridor and protecting what is important to us. This includes Kiwi Park. To this proposal, we are firmly opposed. We are surprised by how short the staff report is, but yet there's room for 15 occurrences of the phrase, quote, nature-based, and 10 other occurrences of the word nature. If this was truly a profound nature experience, we suggest it would not have to be said a total of 25 times in an eight-page report. We consider this an oversell. A zipline at Kiwi Park would not significantly differ from a zipline at Robson Square in a concrete environment. A canopy walk, like Capilano, is not the educational opportunity in the air. The biggest opportunity for education is on the ground. The short report, staff report, begs the question what is missing. First, we noticed arguably the best view in Vancouver, the one looking north across the park, looking at downtown and our three local mountains. That viewpoint is not even indicated on the map in your report, the staff report. That is very important information to include. That best view in the city for locals and tourists would, if this proposal proceeds, people wanting to enjoy the view would be looking over and hear from the canopy walk and the zip line. Also, there is not even a compass on that diagram to help give the orientation of the proposal and understand the true impact. Second, the methodology of stakeholder engagement with high levels of support was not explained. Were these people mostly that just got off the fun zip line and were asked how supportive they are? Third, there was no details about how this will be an educational opportunity, and as I've already suggested, the best educational opportunity is on the ground. Fourth, we are still waiting for the QE master plan, and that is the type of planning and prudence required to direct the park's future and allow for proper planning. Fifth, there's no information about noise and excited canopy walkers and zipliners. That will have a profound effect on anyone you see in the park and in the area, whether visiting or even just traveling through the neighborhood. Sixth, there are only six words about birds in the report. Quote, education related to birds in flight and zero comment about our magnetary birds.

I'm so sorry to cut you off. We've hit our time limit. Also shows that Mother Nature knows best.

Great. Thank you for coming out tonight. So I just wanted a little bit more information about the organization that you represent. Sure. OLR, Oak Ridge Langaria Residence, formed in 2010 because we knew that there'd be significant densification and changing coming to the Canby Corridor. We're in the center of the corridor. However, we were still overwhelmed by the amount of change that was coming. How many members are there?

Just like your proponent doesn't disclose financials, we do not disclose particulars, but it's significant. We've been around for 15 years. We've had significant progress, and sometimes through fights, sometimes through cooperation. From a park's point of view, what we have been successful is we managed to get a park at grade at the Oak Ridge Centre Mall. That was not part of the proposal. We forced the issue. We got a park at grade. And second of all, thanks to my organization, we were able to get much better accessibility to the green roof above the Oak Ridge Centre Mall for people with disabilities and seniors. So we prefer to work collaboratively. Sometimes we find about things at the last minute, like now, and unfortunately it's hard to expect the right solution on this particular topic, given the questions that we've already heard from the commissioners this evening. Thank you for that. And just another question. What are the, like, are there young families in your organization, older people? What are the demographics? It's everyone. It's homeowners, it's renters. It's different demographics. It could be singles, it could be families, it could be seniors. We do have a good broad section of our own area. We also have some people that have come to join us that are from other parts of the Canby Corridor. We even have a few people from other parts of the city that were very concerned about what was happening in the Canby Corridor. And your organization, do they pay into this organization or do you just register? How does it work? We don't collect.

Good evening, commissioners. Aaron Jasper. I'm just here speaking on my own, past commissioner from 2008 to 2014. It was actually during my second term that Park Board invested the money, also with some other funding sources, to renew the Bloedel Conservatory, with obviously the advocacy of John Cooper and many others in Vancouver. So I am here tonight to speak in favour The canopy walk, I guess, is what caught my interest. I've taken my kids out to the UBC one, up to Capilano. And I definitely, from my own personal experience, seen the impact it's had on my children and with other families that we've been with. So I think there's a real value there. The zip line, I guess, I was a little... less enthusiastic, but I think knowing your staff and the sensitivity that everybody has around the multiple uses of that space, I'm willing to put my trust in the proponent and your staff to try and make sure that's aligned appropriately. If I understood the presentation, the zip line's gonna go for what, two to three months? So not a year-round thing. But I think from what I heard here, what I've read and heard from the opponents, the opportunities for partnership, for education, to work with local First Nations, I think there's a lot more pluses than negatives. It is a highly programmed park, as many people have indicated. The restaurants, the Blodell, the wedding venue. all of the pitch and putt. So there's a lot of activity, and I think it's always a balancing act to try and find the right fit. I think one gentleman brought up the dual sort of priorities of activity but also revenue, and that's always going to be your struggle. It's always been the struggle. The park board will always be your struggle is to find that balance of generating some revenue. and also making sure that the spaces are being used appropriately and that everyone feels that they have access and feel welcome in the space. So I think it's worth giving it a shot for this five-year term. And I'm confident that, again, knowing your staff over the years, that they understand your sensitivities, they understand the sensitivities of the residents of that area. And as a past tour guide, I used to be a tour guide for 15 years in this city, and I took thousands of people up to Kewi Park over the years and not just from out of town, but people from around British Columbia and other Canadians, it really is the jewel. And I think that the more we can do, if we can highlight the horticultural excellence of Vancouver, but also the ecological excellence and help young and old appreciate the ecology and the nature, I think it's a win and it is worth giving it a shot. So I think your staff are always great at hearing the feedback and the concerns from the public. And I think they'll integrate that in with the proponent And I think it's worth giving it a shot. So thank you for the opportunity.

Thank you very much.

Hello. My name is Nicholas Loberg. I'm representing the Campy Village Business Association, and we are in support of the Queen Elizabeth Park. The Canby Village Business Association, for those who don't know, represents the commercial area spanning from Canby Bridge to King Edward. About 180 business licenses. These businesses, especially the ones closest to the King Ed Canada Line Station, have the capacity to serve both shoppers and diners who make the trek to Queen Elizabeth Park. And conversely, these shoppers and diners are asking about Queenie Park and what it offers, especially the out-of-town visitors. In the past five years, Campie Village has activated spaces with additional music and other programs. There was initial hesitation with fears of increased noise and garbage. The extra activities gave people a reason to gather, a reason to get out, a reason to explore, and a reason to communicate with others. In an age where everyone shelters at home, attaches electronics, and orders everything online, it is important that more options are available for families to get out and explore their city. We support the meaningful developments by Queen Elizabeth Park to get more people outdoors. We believe that the more people that know about the park, the more they will help maintain it.

So I think this is a great project, especially because it can help with tree management. And it can help grow our forest. And we can get rid of some of the invasive species. So those are positives with this tree walk. Also, we've seen this at Capilano. And it's been very successful in educating students, adults, about wildlife, about trees. And it's an investment in our nature and I do think Queen Elizabeth is a crown jewel and I think it should be showcased a lot more. And the zip line has been successful in the past. But there was a theme that I noticed in all the speakers. There was a mention of a children's playground. So I think that would be great and a great addition to this. So I'm just stating that in the future I will be bringing a motion to add a children's playground in Queen Elizabeth Park. Thank you.

Yeah, thank you. Yeah, thanks. Thanks for bringing this forward.

Hi, yes, you got my name right. I'm May Ali Alvarez, and I'm speaking pretty neutrally about this in specific, but I'm just really curious about...

I'm just really curious about the amount of detail that's gone into this, you know, not a seven-generation project, something that is costing the city so much less than something like the Vancouver Aquatic Centre, but it's also particularly interesting that all these considerations, you know, this motion to have the city come back and answer all these questions that I have here, you know, the due diligence that has gone into responding to the commissioner's questions. And we have, you know, all the appendixes here and your score rankings. And yet this kind of information was not given when it came to the Vancouver Aquatic Centre. So it's just interesting how much the city has to say about a project that is affecting so few people in comparison. It doesn't really matter which software you go with, which company you go with. This isn't fixing the fact of I spoke to a mother less than a month ago who has altogether stopped trying to sign her kids up for swim lessons in Vancouver. We're going to stay on the topic of the recommendation. This is about the software. Yes, we're going to stay on the topic of the software. Yeah, I am talking about the software directly right now. doesn't take away the fact that because of the like insane amount of anxiety that caused her to wait there for the 7 p.m. sign up she has stopped trying to teach her kids how to swim because she's not allowed to because parents can't teach their own children in Vancouver pools how to swim she cannot sign her kids up because there have she has tried hundreds of times and never got into some lessons so if you have crumbling infrastructure does it really matter if people have access to some software that can let them sign up for a class that isn't available. So I'm just pointing out that there's a lot of questions that were asked, and they were answered in all these different appendixes, and yet you haven't done the same thing for a project that's going to cost almost $200 million. So I think that the efforts are pretty confused, and I have a lot more to say on the topic, but you're going to just cut me off, so thank you.

Hello, John Gerard speaking tonight on behalf of Protecting Our Vancouver Aquatic Centre Society about the decision for moving with this software. It's concerning, to say the least, because like Mayali had stated, We know now what goes on behind the scenes. We have discovery documents and FOI and everything. You're all aware of that. Software operates in a unique space. It's non-tangible. So when a cost of $3.7 million is being put forward to taxpayers,

We question the due diligence and somewhat the motivation for moving forward with some of these projects when in a letter here regarding this item from the Association Presidents Group, it states that there is no objection to the renewal when at the last meeting there was clear objection So why are these letters once again happening behind the scenes, so to speak, where after the public brings forward very important points, why is it stated in a letter to general manager that there was no objections when that is your role to object? So all of the questions tonight have been valid, but were those at any point raised in some sort of objection? Because this motion, this item, was previously opposed. It was put forward for an amendment. I see that is present somewhat, but I still believe that the core elements of this have not been answered. So the fact that this contract of the identified RFP proponents, it is an American software company with a Canadian...

side to it, but at the end of the day, there was only five proponents who put in bids for this project. And as I said, software operates in a very unique space. It's important to ensure that the correct process was undertaken when we know, in many ways, that process sometimes happens very differently.

Oh, yeah, we do get a change.