Beaconsfield Park Turf Field Concept Plan
Motion 7 · Board Committee Meeting – March 30, 2026, March 30, 2026
Summary
- 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
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Public comments
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Transcript
66 segments
Thank you. Do any commissioners have questions? Thank you so much for coming to speak tonight.
That brings us to the end of our speakers.
Would somebody like to move the recommendation as presented by staff? I see Commissioner Bastivansky and a seconder, Commissioner Hare. Thanks. We'll now discuss the recommendation. Commissioner's comments, please. Commissioner Bastiwanski, go ahead.
I'd like to move an amendment.
Take it away. It's been submitted in writing. Staff, could we just bring that up?
Do you want to just maybe introduce your amendment?
Yep. So I'm supportive of this. Like, we're way behind a number of fields. It's part of the field support strategy to convert this. So I think it's a really great project. We've heard... that 60 metres is a minimum width because we want to include adults. And the site would accommodate 60 metres, but be it with a different design. And so I want this to move forward. And, you know, staff have indicated tonight that it is possible when it comes back to us they'd have a shift in design to come back with that 60 metres. 64 is ideal, but we understand that there are some real-world constraints. And so that's what the amendment is. We want this to be for adults as well as kids.
Great. Questions? Commissioner Digby, go ahead. Oh, sorry, we'll need a seconder first. Okay, Commissioner Hare, thank you. Go ahead, Commissioner Digby, your question.
Yeah, so I need to go back to staff through the chair, if we may, and if Staff would recommend who's the best person to answer this question, but the 65-meter field was chosen... Probably as a part of a multi multi parameter optimization that that was the best they could get plus stands In there and there's a community is offered to install those stands for us So it's not just as simple as changing to 60 meters. Although I did hear our Team say that 60 meter Might be possible So could, Madam Chair, could I ask through you, the staff, to answer that? How feasible is 60 meters and would you have to change other things to get there?
If staff could. Sure, I'll, thank you for the question. And so staff, my intelligent subject matter experts have confirmed that a 60 meter field is possible. It will likely come at the expense of some of those more balanced amenities that we were including with the smaller field, the perimeter pathway, the spectator seating. I respect the proposed amendment to the motion. We could potentially report back through a memo to reaffirm that it is possible. I also respect that my team has advised it could come at an additional cost. So reminding the commissioners that you asked us to report back on a feasibility study, including the cost, so that could be part of your deliberations for the upcoming capital plan. So we could... Through a follow-up memo, we provide some additional information.
I'm very anxious on timing for that because we are in a very tight window on capital plans. So I'm looking at the commissioners. Do they want to risk for five meters? Do they want to risk losing this altogether to find that other priorities have bumped Beaconsfield from the list?
I can answer that question. Was that directed at me?
Yes. So we've heard, like, this is coming back to us anyway. They have to come back with more detailed designs and costing. And we have until into July to do the capital planning. So this is also being supported by council. So the city council has already, like... is on board as well. So if there is an increase, Council will also be able to cover the cost of the increase in order to accommodate this. Doesn't that seem reasonable?
Am I still allowed to ask questions? it may sound reasonable but it depends how long it takes because they may approve it but I think we do need staff to tell us how quickly could they get a pricing on a 60 meter field and other accommodations that would have to make it's not just one small change
And I believe that was answered with staff will come back with an M.O.
Well, if it comes back in September, it's too late, Commissioner. So I think you need to know this answer, too.
Thank you. But I will also, to answer your question, the community have been... Staff has been invited to answer. The community have been waiting 15 years for this, and they want to get it right. So there's no point in rushing if all that work that they put 15 years into doesn't come in, meaning all the adults that want to use it as a way of building communities so people can play into their 60s, and we're going to take that away from them permanently just so we can rush for an election?
Commissioner, we're still here for the community.
You were coming up to answer a technical question?
Did staff want to provide any input on that? Sorry.
Chair, if I may, actually, what I would suggest, again, we're just in feasibility and concept designs. We won't know what this costs until we actually go out to procure it as well. So through the capital plan, we will be creating buckets of funding for things like park amenities, synthetic turf fields, of the like. We don't need to have the specificity, I would suggest, around a 64 or 60 or 55 at this point in time. It will result in potential tradeoffs downstream when we get into actual contract awards and project costing. But at this point, I would suggest this would be sufficient for staff to pursue the amendment and the direction from the board.
Commissioner Howard, questions, please.
My question just got answered. Okay. We can definitely have some flexibility with this.
Okay, I will pop you out of the queue. Thanks.
Commissioner Herr?
Thank you so much. Through the chair, if someone can answer, I noticed there's a field on the other side as well, on the bottom, and is it possible to put the soccer field... On what is it, southeast end of that area? Is that a possibility? Has it been looked at? Yeah, sure. Thank you.
Referring this back to staff. So we did look at that and highlighted that within the written report. So you could locate it on the southeast, which is a very productive grass field, but it would come at the impact of a loss of significant trees. and a likely need then to replace this gravel field we've been talking about with a grass field so we have no loss of grass fields, thereby increasing project costs and additional timelines for lights which don't exist there. So we would not recommend that, but it could work with additional cost and time.
Thank you for letting me know. Thank you.
Seeing no further questions on the amendment, we'll move to comments. So any commissioners have comments on the amendment before I call a vote? Any comments, amendments on this? No? Okay. Okay, I will call a vote on the amendment. All in favor of the text in red, please raise your hand.
That is carried unanimously. So the text in red will now become part of the main motion.
Okay, we'll come back to comments on the main motion. If commissioners have comments, please go ahead.
Commissioner Jensen. Oh, okay. Go ahead first.
So I appreciate my commissioner colleagues and recognizing the importance of making fields as inclusive as possible. And I love the idea of covered stands. I'm a former rugby player. I know what it's like being out in the rain. But I know that Vancouver is full of loving parents that will stand in the rain with an umbrella. And I don't think that's too much to ask. If we can get more space and we remove a few things like that, I think it's more important that the adults can play with the kids. I think it has a broader appeal. I think we'll get more use out of it. And so I'm going to be supportive of this. And this is a great opportunity to continue adding extra capacity so our kids can play. So I'll be supporting this. Thank you.
Commissioner Howard.
Thank you. I will be supporting this project. It's long overdue and I think a great project. Anytime you can change a gravel field. into a turf field, it's a huge achievement. I understand that some people are concerned about a turf field, but I think playing on pebbles is not exactly a good idea. It's a game. So this is an improvement for the community. I think it's bringing in a full-size field is also important. It would be nice to have some protected seating area, but I don't think that's crucial. And I think this particular field is great for a soccer field because of the Italian community center being...
right beside it. So great project. Can't wait to have it come along and people actually enjoying it.
Commissioner Digby.
This is another painful decision. And I'll defer my time to Commissioner Jensen and come back in a moment.
Okay. Commissioner Jensen, go ahead.
Thank you. It took me a while to get everything ready, but I've submitted an amendment in writing and would like to strike and replace A, to defer this recommendation to quarter 2, 2026, to allow staff to investigate field dimension, report back on the feasibility and costing of a 60-metre width, and to further consult with user groups to explain this out. Thank you. Sorry. To further explain this out, again, this came to this board July 2025, and I think there does need to be more consultation. Hearing from user groups that are completely in favour of this but didn't feel that they were properly heard I think is important to ensure that they have an opportunity to be heard in this. I think that that's where you get this... field dimensions being changed. I think it's really important that the sporting community is heard. The decision we make today is going to be quite considered. And so having them come back, and again, this would make sure that, again, we are doing this within the timeframe of the capital plan.
We'll need a seconder for this amendment. Can I get a seconder, please?
Commissioner Digby, thank you. And we'll move to questions to the mover of the amendment. Any questions for Commissioner Jensen on this amendment?
Commissioner Digby.
Yeah, so please explain how this improves the amendment and how does this connect to the capital plan where we are going to see a capital plan on the first week of June here and you've deferred this recommendation possibly until after that date.
Don't you think you're putting the whole project at risk?
Well, I think we can still as a board look to direct funds through the capital plan. And, you know, we know how much that money can be allocated for. But I would rather listen or rather have. the community to be heard than the seven of us. So, you know, staff has already engaged with the community. So having them report back by Q2, you know, there's a number of user groups that can simply leave their business cards. as a exit today and we can certainly ensure that their voices are heard and echoed in what's coming forward. But again, I do want to make sure that those that came to speak tonight and those that we heard from through emails are having an opportunity to be included in this very significant decision.
Commissioner Herr, questions to Commissioner Jensen. Thank you so much.
With the Italian Canadian Sports Federation, which is a major group, do you think that they could take it upon themselves to reach out to the various soccer groups without slowing this down?
Again, I would... I certainly trust their due diligence. I know that they've been involved in this as well, but I would actually prefer this driven by staff as part of a staff recommendation. Ultimately, for myself, I would love to see a recommendation that comes here that meets the needs of all user groups that are going to be actively engaging in this space, and that has been shared through consultation with staff. So again, to those that spoke tonight, and again, those that have shared their feelings through emails, that again, they're included in this consultation process. And again, this came to the board in July 2025. You know, requesting an additional bit of homework, I think, is not asking too much. And again, I trust staff that they'll be able to do that homework effectively and allow that to come back to this board with recommendations that meet not just the needs of the Italian Cultural Centre user group, but also to the other groups that came and spoke tonight.
Right. With the other clubs that came tonight, do you think the staff who have obviously heard the other groups consult with them as well because right now we're just in the planning process if you slow this down this might be another like we don't know what's going to happen after September even you just don't know rather than slowing it down we've already expressed our concerns to the staff and maybe they could do their due diligence as well rather than slowing this down to Q2. What do you think?
I stand by my motion. I believe in the turtle in the air and that slow and steady wins the race. And again, this is a pause that allows those to speak.
I mean, they have been waiting over 15 years.
Okay, Commissioner Herr, we're going to move on. Do you have any further questions? No, that's fine. Thank you. I just wanted to ask a question to the staff about the timing of Q2 2026 and the feasibility of reporting back in that timeline, just realizing that we are already at the end of March. Is Q2 something that's feasible to report back on? Thanks for the question. So a few things here is asking us to engage and report back. It's already Q2. We're in April, May, June, so we wouldn't have sufficient time. That being said, we have heard loud and clear from not only the Italian sports clubs, but other groups that their preference is for a 60 meter. So I do feel that that additional engagement might lead us back to the place we are now with a recommendation to explore and cost a 60 meter dimension. Thanks. Thank you. Sorry, to answer the question, it wouldn't be possible to report back within Q2, you're saying? We would struggle to effectively engage during that time. It is already Q2, so a Q2 report back would be due. It's still March. Well, minus a few hours. Thanks.
Commissioner Bastiwanski, go ahead.
Also a question to staff. Because at this point, it's only concept design. And so we just need to know, like, envelope for the capital plan. And so the engagement, you're still coming back to us. There's still opportunity for engagement. So have I understood that correctly?
Yes, you've understood that correctly. And just to reiterate the previous statement, the only reason, again, staff contemplated the 55 was to accommodate the seeding given the partnership opportunities that were discussed. We would not normally look to plan a field of that size. So, again, I think engaging further with users may be valuable, but it may also just delay this project when I think, again, we do know loud and clear that this would be the preference and this is where our sport field strategy would be recommending us as well. As much as I want to leave this decision to the board, I would highly recommend a decision tonight would be incredibly valuable to us. And again, there is still more touch points to come, and we can certainly ensure that the capital plan has sufficient leeway to make sure that this project can become a reality.
Yes, thank you. Okay.
Further questions?
No.
Okay, thank you. Any further questions to Commissioner Jensen?
Based upon staff, I can pull that. We can go back to the previous. We do need to call a vote on it, unfortunately.
But you will admit that if it's okay that people vote against it, you're okay with that, is what you're saying?
Again, as long as everyone understands that the purpose is to hear from the people. Yes, call it.
Okay, we do have to call a vote on it. All in favor of the amendment on the screen?
There we go.
Seeing that, all opposed?
I'll do that.
Oh, that is a unanimous opposition. I don't think we've ever had that at this board before. So we'll go back to the amended motion as black on the screen. Thank you for that, Commissioner Jensen. I think it clarified some things here. Commissioner Digby, we're still on comments on this one, so go ahead and make your comments, Commissioner Digby.
Yeah, so continuing with the comments, it is really painful for me to agree to synthetic turf fields. And I do take the uncertainty of the infill, the chemical nature of it, and of course the recycling of the turf every 10 or 15 years. But I'm looking at this in the big picture of that neighborhood. It turns out that Still Creek and the Renfrew Ravine is the single biggest biodiversity opportunity we have in the city next to Lost Lagoon right near here. But it is a massive opportunity for greening and intensifying an important section of the city which has been badly neglected. It's often flooded. It's got weeds growing everywhere. And so I'm anxious that we're going to be remaking that area when it comes to the capital plan that we're going to be talking about at this table next week and hopefully pushing up to City Hall. And so I see this synthetic turf field sort of nestled in there. The gravel field that is there right now is not good for kids either. People wipe out on that. You get infections. You get sores. You're less enthusiastic about playing if you're playing on gravel fields. And you're not going to take chances that you would take if you are on a more durable turf. Also, that field there, it's wet all the time. I've never walked on it when it was dry unless it was so hard-baked dry that the dust was kicking up everywhere. And that's not healthy either. So this is one of those balancing opportunities. You know, the dose makes the poison in life. If you lived on synthetic turf, that would not be good. But if you're playing on it for an hour every weekend and you're playing on grass fields the rest of the time, I think that's generally a healthy life. There's lots of toxins in our city. This is... unfortunately a concentrated potentially concentrated area of them but you don't have to live there so I am gonna support the amendment I have this has been a long time coming and probably not enough consultation with the community but it was done over eight years and it's been on our books for a long long time I'll leave it at that Commissioner Herr
I just want to say thank you for making the change to making it a minimal playable width of 60 meters. And hopefully maybe even 64, we don't know. But I am going to be supporting this wholeheartedly. I'm very excited to see multi-generational generations of pupils. or community members that will be able to participate in this sport or multiple different types of sports. And I think that's needed everywhere in Vancouver. I think playing or playing sports is not just for the youth. It's for those who think we're young as well. So I'm looking forward for where this is going to go and how it's going to play out and a brand new field, again, with the width of 60 meters. And thank you. Thank you very much.
Great. Commissioner Bastiwanski, you ready?
Thank you. Yeah, I'm excited to get this approved and going. We need more fields. And I did hear a lot of concern about the environmental impact from turf fields. And I appreciate those. I used to play rugby on the old crumb rubber. The burns you get on your leg from that when you're tackled on an old field, I still have scars. and the amount of debris that ends up in your socks and into your kit. It's a nasty experience. But I've also played on the new ones, and there's less transfer. It feels like grass. And so while in rugby there's hard tackling and all that type of stuff, but the way that the new materials... you don't notice it anywhere near as much as you used to. And so I'm really confident that the new technology is safer. The way the fields are designed, it minimizes the transfer of materials that leaves the area. It used to be like a free-for-all, and now the stuff that comes in is much better designed. So I'm confident in that, and I appreciate that we've had confirmation from staff that we can get to a 60-meter option. And you know the downside is his parents are gonna have to stand around the rain But because they love their kids they're gonna do it anyway, so I'm gonna support this And I hope my colleagues do too. Thank you
Commissioner Jensen.
Thank you. I too will be supporting this. I have to say one of the biggest challenges I think that our city has is the number of gravel fields that we still need to turn over into the natural grass or into turf. There is no redeeming quality. As somebody who's played on those, no redeeming quality to a gravel field. The only thing they do is... help us play in the rain, but no one wants to play on gravel in the rain anyways. I will again speak to playing on the new turf. Yeah, my house is littered with little black dots, but it's the price I get to pay for actually enjoying my sport late at night and covered with lights in the rain, in the wind, and in the middle of the summer when it's nice out as well. This is going to Again, my big concern is with consultation. I want to ensure that this field is actually being used by as many players as possible. It's in a great location. This board has consistently looked to invest in East Vancouver and in areas within the city that have been largely without for so long. So this will be a great investment in a community that has long wanted... this type of investment. Again, slow and steady wins the race. So I really do hope that the concept plan that comes back to this board meets the needs of all player groups. We cannot shortchange because we want to save a little bit of money. I think we need to ensure that this field that is invested in meets the needs of that neighbourhood, is a long-term solution to ensure that The five-year-old that begins playing on it in 2029 or so is able to continue their growth as a FIFA athlete when they're 25 years old themselves. So this is a great move forward. This is another gravel field that is going to be offline and very effectively being used by children and families. My concern with Still Creek is there, but I believe that the concept plan that will come back will meet the needs that protects that very important eco area while also ensuring that children and families have a chance to play. So I certainly will be enthusiastically supporting this. Thank you.
We have lots of other agenda items today, so I'm not going to spend much time discussing it other than to say I appreciate all the Commissioner's comments and agree with them, and I'll be supporting it.
Seeing no further comments, I'll call a vote by a show of hands. All in favour? And that is carried unanimously. Thank you, Commissioners. Go yay. You can all clap and slob right now. We're going to keep moving here. We do have a lot to get through tonight.
Yeah, we don't need a quorum, so you can pop out if you want. Okay, commissioners, we're going to move right into the next item. We do have a lot, and we're going to try to get through the entire agenda, including the board, tonight. So buckle up. Yeah, we're going to try to get through the board tonight. We're making good time, so let's keep moving, commissioners.
Okay. Okay. We are moving on to agenda item number three, which is titled Bart on the Beach, Burrard Civic Marina Temporary Storage Facility Lease of Space. This will be introduced by Director Brody.
Statement Watch
Thank you.
My name is Ella Simon. I'm a resident near Beaconsfield Park, and oh, timer's already started. I'm opposed. I want to start by saying I truly understand the need for more playing space in the city. But where we place these fields matter, and the location raises significant concerns. First, the field proposed is directly beside the newly constructed wetland and within the Still Creek watershed. The city has recently invested in that wetland to support biodiversity and improve water quality. And now we're considering placing a synthetic surface immediately adjacent to it. There is also a watershed where salmon have only recently returned after decades of restoration. Artificial turf sheds microplastics over time, even with mitigation measures. And from a practical standpoint, the orientation of that field means that balls will inevitably fly into that wetland. That's something that already happens now. So increased use will only intensify that, leading to repeated disturbances of people going into the wetland to fetch their balls. So there's a clear tension between investing in the ecological restoration and introducing a high-use facility right next to it. Their public engagement was actually only citywide and done in 2018. There has not been clear targeted engagement with those most directly affected, including nearby residents, the seniors, the gardening community, and the Indigenous caretakers of the 215 Memorial Garden, which was created in 2023. A project of this scale warrants input from all those stakeholders, not just the soccer clubs. Third, while proximity to transit is noted, the reality is that almost all families drive. Parking in this area is already severely constrained on the street. and at the lot at the Italian Cultural Centre is already over capacity. This project would significantly increase that demand, and it has real implications on the seniors living in the housing nearby at Fila Cartilla. I also want to address the idea that this is a good location because of nearby fields. Concentrating multiple soccer facilities in one area doesn't improve access. It intensifies impact on a single neighbourhood. A more balanced approach across the city would better serve residents of Vancouver overall, in my opinion. Finally, this is a significant public investment, and at the same time, the gravel field is already being restored as part of that wetland project, only to potentially be removed again. That raises reasonable questions about sequencing and long-term planning for this site. So my ask... is simple. Please pause this decision. Take the time to meaningfully engage with the community, the stakeholders I previously mentioned. And carefully reconsider whether this is the right project in the right place. Because once it's built, the impacts will not be temporary. They'll be permanent. So thank you for your time. I also have a petition that one of my neighbours started. Thank you so much.
Stay where you are. We'll just see if any commissioners have any follow-up questions. Usually well-spoken people don't get questions, and there are no questions. So thank you very much for being with us this evening. Thank you for saying I'm well-spoken. Next up, Maureen, you know the drill, and after that we'll have Darren Sherbaugh.
Statement Watch
Maureen Sherbaugh, and I'll be quick, because I really appreciate the slide that showed why staff has to make the impossible decision between being in a rock and a hard place. We need more parks. We have so many people. We don't have any. Oh, by the way, most of the parks that we decided to make parks in the early 30 years of the 20th century are on swampy land because developers didn't want them. So we thought, oh, good, let's turn them into parks and schools. So unfortunately, most of the parks we have don't have good drainage. And... probably might not be very feasible to turn them in. So I appreciate the difficult decision. So I'm in favor. You can't win whichever decision.
Thank you so much. I'll look to see if there's any follow-up questions. And, again, thank you so much for being here this evening. Darren Sherbaugh, you are next up. And then it is Jane Kalmikoff. Thank you. Darren is on phone. Thank you, Darren.
Statement Watch
You may begin. Still representing 7,000 youth between U6 and U18 and over 12,000... I've been a volunteer with Vancouver Field Sports Federation for over 15 years and with Vancouver Youth Soccer Station for 10 years now. Again, with this project, we are a strong supporter of any initiative, fast track, that will directly support and increase the city's field inventory for youth soccer and other sports that may benefit this. Particularly on the cusp of World Cup, we know there will be increased interest and demand for all programming from recreational to high performance, youth and adults. The Columbia and Beaconsfield projects tonight that have been put forth are in a most appreciated segue to meet that future demand. The Vancouver Youth Soccer Association supports this motion in principle, but encourages the City and Vancouver Parks Board to cooperatively advance these projects with the following suggestions. Motion B noted that interested parties and partner groups had been consulted with on project details. I must note though that neither Vancouver Youth Soccer Association, BC Coastal Soccer League, or our provincial service operator bc soccer association have been contacted directly or have been afforded an opportunity to do so recently had you talked to them they would have all expressed a concern about the 55 meter field and proposed an alternative width at least 60 meters for example the general consensus is if we were going to spend the time and effort making this field then let's do it right so we can use it for all user groups We'd also like to note that the motion had considered the partnership opportunities and we'd like those to be fully extended to all potential unit groups in a transparent manner and that confirmation that no preferred or primary allocation access is provided to individual user groups based on financial contributions alone. Motion A asks that we approve the plan in Appendix A based on a 55 meter. You've already heard questions about that tonight. Holding all things equal, Our service provider, BC Soccer Association, BC Coastal Soccer League, and Vancouver Youth Soccer Association would all rather have a regular sized field given the considerable expense and effort that will be taken to undertake this project. Perhaps the consultants can look at offsetting the cedar from the center line. That may accommodate both a 60 meter wide field and still preserve some seating for spectators, parents, et cetera. Looking at the plan without going into engineering drawings, that looks like it is a possibility, which would be a win-win for all things considered. I would also strongly urge the Parks Board going forward to directly liaise with our provincial sports organization or Canada soccer organization, such as BC Soccer, before citing International Football Association board standards. those fields at the 55 other than kits which is not used for anything would have been one of the narrowest fields in the lower mainland and despite uh i guess notes that this could be better for technical development or for recreational use in fact maybe the opposite adults will be used and players will be used to the wild field and a shorter field or narrow fields may be dangerous Again, I think if you're going to build it, let's build it right and at least match the standards that we see at Andy Livingston and others park. Lastly, support for this goes ahead, assuming it will not affect the timing and delivery of the other initiatives currently underway, such as the refurbishment of Andy East or West and the kit sliding program.
Darren, thank you so much for your time this evening. That is three minutes. We had a little challenge with the clock, but we gave additional time to make sure that we weren't punishing you with our challenges here. I'll look to see if there's any questions from commissioners to you. And I don't see any, so I again thank you for your time this evening. And I will call up Jane Kalmanikoff, and after that it will be Josh Bender.
Statement Watch
Hi, yeah, I'm Jane Kelmakoff, and I want to speak to the health concerns related to artificial turf. I'm going to tell you about a report from the Children's Environmental Health Centre from May 2025. They came to the conclusion after studying what was available in terms of safety information that they strongly discouraged the installation of artificial turf playing services in fields due to the uncertainty surrounding the safety of these products. and the potential for dangerous heat and chemical exposures. In addition, recent studies demonstrating the presence of PFAs and microplastics in these products raised significant concerns for both human health and environmental contamination. They conducted a review, as I said, and found big gaps in the evidence supporting the safety of artificial turf products. They didn't see it. are uniquely vulnerable to harmful exposures from artificial turf services because of their unique physiology. They're rapidly developing organ systems and immature detoxification mechanisms. Children may be exposed to artificial turf, can't get on the field, are going to be putting stuff in their mouths. Vulnerability to turf chemicals persists through the teen years as the reproductive and nervous systems continue to develop beyond the first two decades of life. I'm doing a real quick study here of this. I have copies for you, though. Questions remain about the safety of alternatives to crumb rubber. They mention in particular EPDM, which is one of the ones you've mentioned, as alternate infills. The information regarding the safety of them is lacking or limited. Recent studies showed that the presence of known carcinogens and neurotoxins, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, I can't even pronounce it, Lead, zinc, and black carbon in almost all alternative infill materials. This brings up for me the question of the options that you did list do not give us a full list of their components, and that worries me. Also in this report, undisclosed chemicals of concern. Undisclosed chemicals of concern. are present in plastic grass blades and turf pads and matting. They found more than 15,000 chemicals linked to NERMR's health project. Am I out of time? You are out of time.
You are extremely knowledgeable and I appreciate that.
I would like to urge you to read this. Please read the petition and to delay this decision.
Statement Watch
Thank you so much. I'll just look to see if there's any questions. Seeing none, thank you for your time this evening. Up next is Catherine Kaditz, and next after that is Clea Moray.
Statement Watch
I'm Catherine Kaditz, and I oppose this.
Do you want to move your mic down just a smidge? Thank you very much. Appreciate it. We would love to hear you. Go ahead.
Okay. I'm Catherine Kaditz, and I oppose this AstroTurf plan. And I request that, as park commissioners, you follow the science. Follow health concerns and the environmental impacts of things like styrene, butadiene, metals that leach into the water, metals that leach into the groundwater. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons going into... people's bodies, phthalates, thermoplastic, elastomes, ethylene propylene, and other items that are disruptors, hormone disruptors, health risks to people. Yes, Commissioner Baskievansky, it is wonderful to see kids playing and getting wet, cold, but being happy in the winter. But weigh that against the hormone disruptors of these chemicals. I know, I know, you guys, you have an environmental staff in-house. You know, people who probably went to school for, what would that be, renewable resources, better use through chemicals, better life through chemicals. But those cold, wet, and happy children will someday, some of them will face the sadness. of not being able to reproduce, having trouble reproducing, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to reproduce, because these chemicals will hurt their hormonal system, their neurological disruptors as well. And the health hazards include cancer. You can find this on the internet. Find this every place on the internet. Find the problems with using these types of chemicals. And they say, oh, there are safer chemicals. Go read what those safer chemicals are. I urge you, don't vote for another synthetic field in this city, especially near the Still Creek area.
Statement Watch
No assessment of biocides and fungicides used in fiber treatments. No assessment of zinc and copper leaching, which a study from UBC published just this month found to occur from EPDM infield fields at levels harmful to salmon. Musqueam Environmental Stewardship has raised concerns about chemical leachate and its effect on Still Creek. The response in this report is to exclude crumb rubber. That is not a resolution to Musqueam's concern. It's a partial response to one of them. Proceeding to concept approval tonight while these concerns remain open is not consistent with the city's reconciliation commitment. A better field and a living salmon stream are not opposing goals, but getting there requires a process that matches the complexity of this site. I'm sorry to cut you off. Unfortunately, that's your three-minute time limit. I'm so sorry. Do commissioners have any clarification questions? Thank you for calling in, Cleo. I apologize for cutting you off like that, but we do have quite a few more speakers to get through tonight. Thank you for calling in today. Our next speaker is Carmen Donfrio. Sorry, I apologize for the pronunciation. Hopefully you can correct me on that. Please come on up. If you can state your name, who you're representing, your position on the matter. Sure.
Statement Watch
Thank you very much. My name is Carmen Donfrio, and I'm the president of the Italian Canadian Sports Federation and ICSF Columbus FC. I'm in strong support of this field. It's overdue. It's a field that's underutilized. It's a gravel field that we're converting to an all-weather field that can be used all year round. Right now, we're one of the fastest-growing clubs in Vancouver in the Lower Mainland. We have over 1,400 members from 4-year-olds to 74-year-olds. And for us, it's an integral part of the community, Beaconsfield Park, being members of the Italian Cultural Centre that's adjacent to it. Having family and friends in the senior homes at Caritel and Casa Serena who absolutely love seeing the kids playing. It's actually therapeutic for them in support of this. Sunny Hill Hospital, the preschool and K-3 classes that are at El Centro would use the field on a regular basis. For us right now, we've got over 100 kids on the wait list. not able to play because we don't have field space. The other thing that we've had to do is rent out fields to play games and practices at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, up on Burnaby Mountain. So that's carbon footprint and impact. Our home games now are sometimes played at Jericho Park, where most of our kids reside in the east end. So again, travel time and carbon footprint. So this would become a hub to our community. I'd like to also reiterate that the 60 metres minimum is absolutely necessary. We're trying to build our community and get the older kids and the seniors to be able to play there so we're one larger group, as has been expressed by the other club associations here. The 60 minimum, ideally 64, is more important than the stands at this time, and it'll be used. With the extra space, we could put more kids on there to practice and play. We could also look at other sports, ultimate rugby, field hockey. We've already had interest in other clubs joining our sports federation with a hockey club this year, for example. We've also had interest for field sports, particularly ultimate frisbee and flag football, just to name a few. So I know it would be used. It unfortunately rains in Vancouver. I'm sure we can mitigate the balls going into the creek or into the lake with higher fencing. Parking is abundant, Italian Culture Centre. The only time that parking is maxed out at the centre is at a banquet in the evening, which happens five or six times a year, or a wedding, but not on a Saturday afternoon, not on a Sunday afternoon. There's abundant parking. and we've got transit there as well and a bus line that stops right in front of the italian culture center which would be beaconsfield park but thank you for your time i appreciate it thank you very much perfect timing uh do any commissioners have questions we do but commissioner digby go ahead
I heard you say it's a 60-metre minimum, but I did think the Italian Cultural Centre wanted the stands and wanted to raise money for those stands, so you'd be okay going without stands if you could have a 60-metre minimum?
Yes. Yes, at this time the 60-meter minimum is more important because we would actually unite the club and have more teams being able to play on the pitch on a regular basis from five-year-old kids to 65-year-old men. What we're trying to do is build community and have more people use the field. So at this time, the size of the field is more important than the stance. Thank you.
Commissioner Hare. Thank you for coming today. In regards to engaging with the other clubs that play as well, like for soccer, have there been any promises where your club would get exclusivity, or is the field open to all clubs, soccer clubs?
Open to all clubs. We'd like it to be used as much as possible. It would also help the Italian Cultural Centre that has a bar, a restaurant, banquet halls facilities to integrate that space. The K-3 program in the preschool at the Italian Council Centre would use the space all the time. And for us, it would help us with our growing club. We would imagine that, you know, Parks Board, once parks are allocated, that if the majority of our residents live in East Vancouver in the area... would be able to use that field rather than drive to Jericho, for example, to play our home games, or us renting out Simon Fraser University to play our games for the senior teams as well as practices.
But at any time did Park Board promise exclusivity to you, to your club? Or was the arrangement or agreement that it is open to all clubs? Because there's some concern that the other clubs have not been or associations haven't been consulted properly.
If they haven't been consulted, that's news to me. But I know that we've been consulted because we're part of the Italian Cultural Centre. We're a member society. It's adjacent to us. We use the field. It's kind of our quote-unquote home. So that field there right now is not being used by... any other teams it's just a few of our kids that are practicing on that space but if you if you were to go there on a random you know saturday afternoon or or or sunday the gravel field is empty okay thank you commissioner howard online uh thank you uh just a question about you mentioned that phil hockey was would be interested in playing on that field could you elaborate on this Well, we've had requests from a number of different individuals that operate teams. So, for example, we're a sports federation. So we, this year in August, September, we will be having our first ICSF hockey team. So we're expanding. We've also had interest from bike clubs to join our society. And we've had interest from... seniors or adults that play field hockey, flag football, and ultimate to be part of our club.
The turf that has been selected for this particular field is not suitable for field hockey though. Is it something that you would want to change or to accommodate?
If that means to make the field larger, we would be fine with that.
No, the grass would have to be shorter.
The turf field?
The turf?
No, the priority then when we would communicate to that individual that expressed interest in joining our federation, that this would be predominantly used for soccer, flag football, ultimate, those types of field sports.
Thank you for clarifying.
No problem.
Statement Watch
Seeing no further questions, thank you very much for coming to speak tonight. Thank you. Our next speaker is Rob Massitti. Rob? Come on up. You can just state your name, who you're representing, position on the matter, and three minutes up on the screen.
Good evening, and thank you very much for the opportunity to speak tonight. My name is Rob MacCitty, and I'm the vice president of the Italian Canadian Sports Federation. And I'm here today to speak on two points. One, as the vice president, where on any given weekend we see... with the current situation at Beacons Field and the grass fields and the gravel fields, due to inclement weather, we encounter field cancellations, which means parents begin to struggle with the cancellations and trying to find alternate time slots. Given the field restrictions and availability, they are now struggling with parents or with kids to find a suitable location for them to fulfill their activities. Secondly, as a person who has lived in the community for over 40 years, I frequented Beacons Field and I've actually endured the scenarios where field closures were part of a regular process throughout the weekends, which also meant delays and further frustrations that have been communicated by parents, coaches, and players alike. So given the proposal tonight with the... WITH THE CURRENT GRAVEL SITUATION, IT DOES PROVIDE ISSUES WITH THE TRANSFORMATION INTO AN ALL WEATHER PITCH. IT DOES ALLOW US TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE CALENDAR YEAR. IT ALSO ALLOWS US TO PROVIDE OTHER SERVICES, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, Field sports, as my colleague had mentioned earlier, it just offers us the opportunity to expand services throughout the year and deal with the inclement weather that Vancouver is accustomed to. I am a... strong supporter of this initiative and this proposal and I do encourage that the field regulation is considered to be 60 meters rather than the one that has been proposed by the current outline. So thank you very much for your time and I appreciate it. Thank you.
Thank you very much. Any questions from commissioners? Thank you so much. Our last speaker is Carly Paxton.
Statement Watch
Thank you for the opportunity to speak. My name is Carly Paxton. I'm a board member speaking on behalf of the Italian Canadian Sports Federation and a long-time resident of East Vancouver. I'm here to strongly support the development of the Beaconsfield turf in East Van. Our community is growing, and with the growth comes an increasing demand for safe, accessible, and reliable recreational spaces for youth, families, and local sports organizations. The Beaconsfield turf allows clubs to schedule more practices and accommodate more teams, helping meet growing demands and reduce wait lists. Most importantly, it provides a safe, high-quality surface that supports player development and keeps athletes engaged and active. Beyond athletics, it creates a hub for community connection and offers a positive outlook for young people. I urge the board to move this project forward to help build a healthier, more connected community. Thank you.
Thank you. Do any commissioners have questions? Thank you so much for coming to speak tonight. That brings us to the end of our speakers. Would somebody like to move the recommendation as presented by staff? I see Commissioner Bastivansky and a seconder, Commissioner Hare. Thanks. We'll now discuss the recommendation. Commissioner's comments, please. Commissioner Bastiwanski, go ahead.