Park Board Meeting
March 30, 2026 · 07:30 pm
Summary
- Columbia Park Renewal Concept Plan (carried): Board approved a concept plan for a major park renewal in the Oak Ridge neighbourhood, including a synthetic turf sports field built above an underground stormwater detention tank to be jointly funded with City Engineering at an estimated $19 million total cost (approximately $9.7 million from the Park Board). Phase one also includes a new playground, washroom, dog off-leash area, and a blue-green stormwater edge along the western boundary. One commissioner opposed, citing concerns about the long-term encumbrance on parkland and the adequacy of community engagement around synthetic turf.
- Beaconsfield Park Synthetic Turf Field Concept Plan (carried): Board approved a concept plan to convert the all-weather gravel field in the northwest corner of Beaconsfield Park (Renfrew-Collingwood) to a synthetic turf soccer field, estimated at $9.8 million. An amendment was adopted requiring staff to target a minimum 60-metre field width rather than the proposed 55 metres, in response to concerns from soccer associations and community clubs about adult playability. A separate amendment to defer the decision to Q2 2026 for further consultation was defeated unanimously. Speakers raised concerns about proximity to Still Creek and the adjacent constructed wetland, potential chemical leachate, and inadequate notice to nearby residents.
- Bard on the Beach Marina Storage Lease (carried): Approved a 10-year lease of approximately 20,000 square feet of land storage area at Burrard Civic Marina to Bard on the Beach, allowing the festival to install a Quonset tent storage structure adjacent to Vanier Park. The arrangement is intended to reduce Bard's storage costs amid post-pandemic financial pressures. Marina patrons raised concerns about short notice and potential loss of parking; staff stated the upland lot would be redesigned so no boat storage or parking spaces would be lost. All associated costs are borne by Bard; Park Board revenues are maintained and indexed to inflation.
- 2026 Outdoor Pools Operational Plan (carried, 4-2): Board endorsed proposed changes to the outdoor pool reservation model for the 2026 season, including extending session lengths to three hours (four hours for the final Kitsilano session), shifting reservation-to-drop-in ratio from 80/20 to 75/25 for public swims and 50/50 for lane swims, allowing late entry up to 15 minutes before session end, and introducing reservation refunds and no-show management. Changes were informed by a Leger public survey of 801 residents and a new utilization dashboard. Two commissioners opposed, questioning whether the reservation model creates barriers for users who cannot or will not book online. A union representative (CUPE Local 1004) noted frontline staff were not consulted in the survey process and flagged that Vancouver's 1:60 lifeguard-to-swimmer ratio exceeds the national best-practice recommendation of 1:40.
- Vancouver Aquarium Development Permit (on consent): Adopted without debate.
Minutes approved
- Adopt Committee Minutes March 9 & 10
Motions
Columbia Park Renewal Concept Plan
Columbia Park, Vancouver Carried Details
- Concept plan approved for the renewal of Columbia Park in the Oak Ridge neighbourhood, including:
- A synthetic turf sports field (110m x 70m fenced area, with a 100m x 64m playing surface) positioned above an underground stormwater detention tank managed by City Engineering
- A new larger inclusive playground with nature play elements, replacing the existing playground displaced by tank construction
- A blue-green stormwater edge on the western boundary, connecting to the Alberta Street Greenway and citywide habitat corridor
- A washroom building, fenced dog off-leash area, loop pathways, and green open space
- Total estimated cost: $19 million, split approximately 50/50 between Park Board and City Engineering; Park Board share approximately $9.7 million to be sought in the 2027-2030 capital plan
- Tank designed for a 100-year lifespan; field access points kept separate so the field would not need to go offline for maintenance
- Synthetic turf chosen for compatibility with subsurface infrastructure and to support year-round use equivalent to four natural grass fields; EPDM infill specified (no crumb rubber); mitigation measures include storm interceptors, perimeter mesh, and low curbs
- Engagement conducted over three rounds since 2021; strong community support for playground and dog off-leash area; mixed feedback on synthetic turf
- One commissioner opposed, citing: the tank constitutes a 100-year encumbrance on parkland; downstream infrastructure will be sized around the tank, making removal unlikely; the cost-sharing framing obscures that all funds come from taxpayers; engagement did not explicitly present synthetic turf as an outcome; and the phased approach defers the dog park to a later phase
- A youth soccer representative spoke in support, noting the particular value of lit turf fields during Vancouver's eight-month wet season
Beaconsfield Park Turf Field – Width Amendment
Beaconsfield Park, Vancouver Carried Details
- Amendment to the Beaconsfield Park concept plan motion, replacing the proposed 55-metre field width with a direction to staff to target a minimum width of 60 metres.
- Prompted by feedback from BC Soccer Association, BC Coastal Soccer League, Vancouver Youth Soccer Association, Italian Canadian Sports Federation, and Vancouver Athletic Football Club that 55 metres is too narrow for adult play and would make the field one of the narrowest in the Lower Mainland
- Staff confirmed 60 metres is achievable but would require redesigning or removing covered spectator seating and the perimeter circulation path, and would come at additional cost due to earthworks and retaining requirements; 64 metres is not possible due to a Metro Vancouver sanitary right-of-way to the south
- Staff noted that at the concept stage, a precise cost is not yet required for capital plan inclusion; detailed costing would come through the next phase
Beaconsfield Park Turf Field – Defer to Q2 2026
Beaconsfield Park, Vancouver Defeated Details
- Amendment proposed to defer the Beaconsfield Park turf field concept plan approval to Q2 2026 to allow staff to report back on 60-metre field feasibility and costing, and to conduct further consultation with user groups not previously engaged.
- Mover cited concerns that several major soccer associations (VAYSA, BC Coastal Soccer League, BC Soccer, Vancouver Athletic Football Club) had not been directly consulted before the report was prepared
- Staff advised that Q2 2026 is already underway and a report-back within that quarter would not be feasible; further noted that the preference for 60 metres was already clearly expressed and could be incorporated without re-opening the full engagement process
- Other commissioners noted the project has been in development for 15 years and that continued engagement will occur through detailed design; the amendment to require 60-metre width (Motion 5) was seen as addressing the core concern
- Defeated unanimously; all commissioners voted against deferral
Beaconsfield Park Turf Field Concept Plan
Beaconsfield Park, Vancouver Carried Details
- Concept plan approved for a synthetic turf soccer field at Beaconsfield Park (Renfrew-Collingwood), replacing the underutilised all-weather gravel field in the northwest corner of the park, as amended to target a minimum 60-metre width.
- Proposed field: 100m length, synthetic turf with EPDM infill, sports lighting, covered player benches, goal storage, and a spectator area subject to partner funding; two mini fields also included
- Site has been on short lists for synthetic turf since 2009; unanimously approved 2024 Sport Field Strategy identified it as a priority conversion; City Council motion in September 2025 directed acceleration
- Total estimated project cost: $9.8 million; potential partnership contributions (e.g., covered seating from Italian Canadian Sports Federation) to be confirmed through detailed design
- Environmental concerns raised by speakers and correspondence: proximity to the newly constructed wetland and Still Creek (a salmon-bearing urban stream); risk of chemical leachate (including PFAS and 6-PPD quinone) entering the watershed; Musqueam Environmental Stewardship raised concerns and is in ongoing communication with staff; staff noted EPDM infill was selected specifically to avoid 6-PPD quinone associated with crumb rubber, and physical containment measures (trays, perimeter curbs, fencing screens) will be installed; field drainage will not discharge to the wetland but to the storm system via a drainage tributary
- Community opposition speakers called for a pause to allow broader engagement with residents, Indigenous stewards of the 215 Memorial Garden, seniors, and gardening community; they also cited inadequacy of a citywide 2018 survey as site-specific engagement
- Multiple soccer club representatives spoke strongly in favour, emphasising the need for adult-playable field dimensions and equitable allocation processes; the gravel field was characterised as unsafe and unusable in wet conditions
- A speaker cited a May 2025 Children's Environmental Health Centre report (Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai) raising concerns about PFAS, microplastics, and undisclosed chemicals in synthetic turf products including EPDM, and urged the board to follow the science and delay approval
- Sixteen letters of opposition received in the week before the meeting
Bard on the Beach Marina Storage Lease
Burrard Civic Marina, Vancouver Carried Details
- Approved a 10-year lease of approximately 20,000 square feet of upland land storage area at Burrard Civic Marina to Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival for use as a temporary storage facility, including installation of a Quonset tent structure.
- Bard facing significant post-pandemic cost pressures (sector-wide increases of 35-45%); current off-site warehouse lease expires December 2026 and market replacement rates are unviable
- Storage location is immediately adjacent to the Vanier Park festival site, reducing truck movements by over 40 semi-trailer trips and associated vehicle traffic through the neighbourhood
- All establishment and operating costs borne by Bard; Park Board revenues from the lease fully maintained and indexed to inflation annually; described by staff as an enabler of cost savings to Bard, not a subsidy
- Marina patrons (represented by the Burrard Civic Marina Community Association) raised concerns about: only one week's notice via newsletter; potential loss of parking for 432 berths and 162 stored boats; and a longstanding pattern of marina revenues being redirected to other Park Board priorities rather than marina infrastructure reinvestment
- Staff stated the upland lot would be reconfigured so boats move along fence lines currently unused, and parking would be redesigned for greater efficiency; net parking and boat storage expected to be neutral or slightly positive
- Staff acknowledged notice was short due to grant funding timelines and internal document release requirements; committed to ongoing communication with marina patrons
- Commissioners noted the 10-year term and Vanier Park master planning process (being developed with three host nations) are expected to align; the marina storage is described as a medium-term, not permanent, solution
- Two letters of opposition received
Vancouver Aquarium Development Permit
Stanley Park, Vancouver- Vancouver Aquarium development permit approved on consent; adopted as part of the consent agenda without separate debate.
2026 Outdoor Pools Operational Plan
Carried Details
- Endorsed proposed operational changes for the 2026 outdoor pool season across Kitsilano, Second Beach, New Brighton, and Maple Grove pools.
- Key changes: public swim sessions extended to three hours (four hours for final Kitsilano session); lane swims extended to two hours; one facility break eliminated per site; weekend hours extended at Kitsilano; new 8 a.m. session added at Second Beach; New Brighton hours adjusted
- Reservation-to-drop-in ratio shifted from 80/20 to 75/25 for public swims; 50/50 for lane swims (ratios apply at session start; drop-in capacity increases as swimmers leave mid-session)
- New no-show management: reservation refunds available up to five hours before session start; frequent no-show accounts to be followed up; unused spots released back to drop-in capacity
- Late entry permitted up to 15 minutes before session end, responding to feedback from KIT Swimmers Group
- Communications changes: ShowPass platform to display "reservations full, drop-ins available" rather than "sold out"
- Informed by a Leger survey of 801 Metro Vancouver residents (November-December 2025): 86% of recent visitors reported positive experience; 58% said reservations made visits easier to plan; 32% reported wanting to visit but being unable to secure a reservation; 60% of City of Vancouver respondents had not used a Vancouver outdoor pool
- 2025 data: only two sessions at Kitsilano Pool resulted in any turn-aways (1 person and 15 people respectively); approximately 44% of visits used reservations, 56% were drop-ins
- CUPE Local 1004 representative noted frontline lifeguard and cashier staff were not included in the Leger survey; raised that Vancouver's 1:60 lifeguard-to-swimmer ratio exceeds the national best-practice recommendation of 1:40; and flagged ongoing difficulty for patrons unfamiliar with the online booking system
- Two commissioners opposed, questioning whether polling only reached pool users and whether open-access (no reservation) models used at other large events should be considered; staff maintained the hybrid model is consistent with how all Park Board recreation sessions operate
- Four letters of support received; no speakers registered in opposition
- Status of Kitsilano Pool for the 2026 season (pending investigation of winter damage to the tank) to be reported back to the board within approximately two weeks
Agenda documents (26)
Documents
- MINUTES_PB-20230626-Board.pdf
- Printable Agenda
- Meeting Highlights
- Minutes of this Meeting
- Board Committee Meeting - March 9 & 10, 2026
- Columbia Park Renewal - Concept Plan
- Presentation
- Beaconsfield Park Synthetic Turf Field – Concept Plan
- Decision
- Presentation
- Bard on the Beach – Burrard Civic Marina Temporary Storage Facility – Lease of Space
- Presentation
- Vancouver Aquarium Development Permit
- Presentation
- 2026 Outdoor Pools Operational Plan - Update
- MEMO - 2026 Outdoor Pools Operational Plan - Update - Supplemental Information - March 26, 2026
- Presentation
- Regular Board Meeting - Tuesday, March 10, 2026
- Presentation
- Presentation
- General Manager's Report
- Presentation
- 2030-2038 Barclay Street Rezoning Impacts on Stanley Park
- Decision
- Decision
- Enquiry Summary
Vote matrix
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 11 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laura Christensen🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Scott Jensen🥜 | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Brennan Bastyovanszky🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Tom Digby🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Angela Kate Haer🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N |
| Marie-Claire Howard🥜 | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | A | Y | N |
| Jas Virdi🥜 |