TEAM to Save the Park Board, Protect Parkland, Expand our Green Spaces, and Invest in our Recreation Facilities

VANCOUVER, Aug. 17, 2026  – TEAM for a Livable Vancouver today announced its Better Parks and Recreation for Everyone  policy.  It’s a bold, three-part plan to protect the elected Park Board, improve and expand Vancouver’s parks, and make a major four-year investment in recreation facilities.

TEAM will:

• Save the elected Vancouver Park Board and protect parkland. TEAM will restore the Board’s independence and operational capacity and keep park assets publicly owned. Nearly 18% of Vancouver’s existing parkland lacks permanent legal protection. TEAM will designate temporary and de facto parks as permanent parkland, safeguarding Vancouver’s green space from future development and protecting it for generations to come. 

• Improve and expand Vancouver’s parks and green spaces. TEAM will  increase neighbourhood park space by at least 20%, with a target of at least 1.1 hectares of neighbourhood parkland per 1,000 residents; improve maintenance and bylaw enforcement; designate more dog parks; and cut parking fees at Spanish Banks and Jericho Beach while reviewing the parking system with the goal of restoring free public access. 

• Invest at least $739 million over four years in parks and recreation, including the $496 million identified for recreation facilities in the elected Park Board’s draft 2027–2030 Capital Plan.

  
  

More than 70% of Vancouver’s recreation facilities have been allowed to fall into poor condition after years of deferred maintenance and a lack of long-term planning. TEAM’s Recreation Facilities Investment Pledge will provide sustained investment for maintenance, renovations, and facility replacement, while expanding facilities as Vancouver grows.

TEAM will retain a world-class 50-metre pool at the Vancouver Aquatic Centre, support the construction of Sunset Pool and renewal of Kitsilano Beach Pool, and expand swimming and lifeguard training for children.

TEAM also notes Ken Sim and ABC’s latest flip-flop on the elected Park Board. After campaigning in 2022 to improve it, ABC instead attempted to abolish the Board and centralize control at City Hall. Now, just months before the 2026 election, ABC says it will keep the elected Board and run a slate of Park Board candidates.

Vancouver residents deserve better from both City Hall and the Park Board.

TEAM has consistently supported an independent elected Park Board. TEAM’s Better Parks and Recreation for Everyone plan puts residents back at the centre of parks and recreation by protecting parkland, restoring public accountability, and investing in the parks and facilities every neighbourhood needs.