The Coalition of Progressive Electors (COPE) held its nomination meeting Sept. 18 and two candidates were declared to run for park board in the November civic election.
I mentioned previously in this column that long-time community activist Brent Granby was seeking a park board nomination, which was confirmed Sunday. Courier readers will recognize Granby from many community-related stories, including ones on urban gardening and issues relating to the West End. This past year, Granby has also been working closely with nine-year park board veteran Loretta Woodcock, who will not seek a fourth term in November.
As for Donalda Greenwell-Baker, who received the second COPE nod for park board at the meeting, this is the first time her name has come across my desk. According to the COPE website, Greenwell-Baker has been a member of the political party for many years and is "very active" in the Canadian Union of Public Employees and currently serves as full-time secretary treasurer of CUPE Local 15. Greenwell-Baker is also a member of the executive board of the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»and District Labour Council. COPE teamed up with Vision Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»in an effort to avoid splitting the centre-left vote in the election. The result of that deal means Vision Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»will run five candidates to hopefully fill the remaining park board seats.
FARMING OPINION
Last week, I described a motion to be put to the park board Monday night from Vision chair Aaron Jasper, suggesting an appropriate use for the now-defunct Children's Farmyard space in Stanley Park.
Vision Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»wants the property to be used for a permanent Coast Salish cultural education centre while the NPA prefers an urban working farm with aboriginal components.
I asked readers for their preference for the property, and a working farm with a dedicated First Nations section seems to be the most popular idea. I heard from several readers via email and Twitter who are very passionate about the future of the site, including some who miss the farmyard and wish it had been left as is. The Vision-Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»dominated board voted to close the farmyard in January as a cost-cutting measure.
Reader Kim Holl says a working farm with a section dedicated to traditional aboriginal food growing practices would honour local First Nations and add to the city's efforts to be culturally inclusive and its vision to be the greenest city in the world by 2020. Holl writes it's time to move forward in the city's relations with First Nations peoples, nurture the best of that combined knowledge, share and evolve.
Meanwhile, reader Rohanna Roddick wrote to say as a downtown Vancouverite, she believes it's important to have a working farm in the heart of Stanley Park available where children can learn. Roddick would also like to see the seasonal Klahowya First Nations cultural exhibit become a permanent part of an education centre combining the two elements.
LET THERE BE LIGHT
The new artificial turf field at Jericho Park is ready for use. The $2-million project includes high mast lighting to illuminate the field through the fall, winter and spring when daylight is limited. The lights will operate from dusk until 10 p.m. increasing the hours of use per year from 660 to 2,200.
The synthetic turf field is one of four recently completed by the park board, including two at Trillium and one at Memorial South parks.
Twitter: @sthomas10
