Sustainable Water Solutions: How Can We Beat the Droughts?

According to the Environmental Law Centre report, a staggering 63% of British Columbians currently reside in water-stressed areas.  And with the climate crisis intensifying, we anticipate even more severe droughts, unprecedented heatwaves, and more water restrictions. Our worsening climate is a pressing concern that demands immediate attention, especially given the expanding densification ambitions in Vancouver and changing regional weather patterns.

Mark your calendars for Monday, September 11th, and join the GWAC Board for an event featuring Dr. John Richardson, a UBC Forestry and Conservation professor, and a representative from the Metro Water Board. They’ll be diving into the pressing issue of declining water supplies in our City and exploring our region’s water future.

Get ready for engaging discussions, eye-opening insights, and novel ideas to shape a sustainable water future. This is the perfect opportunity to learn, connect, and take action for a better tomorrow!

 Don’t miss this informative event! Be there on September 11th at GWAC and be part of a conversation that matters. See you all there!

Topic: GWAC – September 11 Meeting
Time: Sep 11, 2023 10:00 PM Vancouver

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2457331935?pwd=MHE1NW9vY0xRanlpd0g4YzdlVndMUT09

Meeting ID: 245 733 1935
Passcode: XKrB50

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UPDATE: VSB WANTS TO KEEP OUR FIELD CLOSED OVER THE SUMMER. THEY ARE CONSIDERING REOPENING FOR COMMUNITY USE IN SEPTEMBER.

If you’re concerned about being locked out of school parks… You’re not alone.

Concerned community members have started a facebook page to organize a response to the VSB

GWAC has been in contact with the VSB Trustees and senior staff, urging them to find a solution that keeps our field accessible to the community. We have not been successful in getting the field reopened. Your emails to the VSB help them understand why this needs to happen.

Tell the VSB you need Nelson Elementary field

Email the VSB Trustees, the Superintendent and GWAC:

Victoria.Jung@vsb.bc.ca; Preeti.Faridkot@vsb.bc.ca; lois.chan-pedley@vsb.bc.ca; Alfred.Chien@vsb.bc.ca; janet.fraser@vsb.bc.ca; Suzie.Mah@vsb.bc.ca; jennifer.reddy@vsb.bc.ca; Christopher.Richardson@vsb.bc.ca; Joshua.Zhang@vsb.bc.ca; mmliu@vsb.bc.ca; hmcgregor@vsb.bc.ca; snichols@vsb.bc.ca; info@gwac.ca

Tell them:

Nelson is part of our community. School greenspace is essential community space. We need the VSB to reopen the field at Lord Nelson Elementary.

Background

Over a century ago, public space in Grandview Woodland was granted into the stewardship of the VSB with the understanding that it would be a shared community asset for use by the school community as needed and otherwise available to the broader community, including the students, outside of school hours.

Disturbingly, the greenspace at Lord Nelson was fenced and then locked off in the Spring, without any consultation of the school community or broader community. This lack of consultation is disrespectful and unacceptable.

GWAC is asking that all locks on this space be immediately removed with the space left accessible to the public outside of school hours, pending further consultation on the issue.

Parks and Greenspace in Grandview Woodland

What does the future hold for Grandview’s precious park space?

Monday, April 3rd at 7PM Add to Calendar

Join via zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89991400541?pwd=bmNleEpMVVduVGRmOXRJZEVDeU44QT09
Meeting ID: 899 9140 0541, Passcode: 517418
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kd6KzTN2df

With a growing population in Grandview, we have no new plans for parks or greenspace on the horizon

Join us for a conversation with
UBC Landscape Architect Daniel Roehr and our Vancouver Park Board Commissioners

Come share with us what you need from greenspace – play, calm, sport, relief from the heat

How should new greenspace take shape in Grandview Woodland?

On another note…

Join us for the
GWAC Annual General Meeting
Saturday, May 6th at 6PM
CFEC Room at Britannia Centre
1655 William Street (2nd floor)
Add to Calendar

Details to follow…

Greenspaces in Grandview-Woodland. Meet your Park Board Commissioners (June 3rd)

The GWAC meeting on Monday, June 3rd, will be all about Greenspaces in Grandview-Woodland.
All of the Vancouver Park Board Commissioners have been invited to attend. Confirmed to attend are Park Board Commissioners Stuart Mackinnon (Chair), Gwen Giesbrecht and Camil Dumont.

Come meet your Park Board Commissioners. Find out more about Greenspaces in the community. The meeting will focus on Parks & Greenspaces in Grandview-Woodland.

Time: 7pm on Monday, June 3rd
Location: Learning Resource Centre, (LRC), 1661 Napier Street
Under the Britannia Library

Greenspace: Plazas & Creating Community meeting on July 9

Please note that the upcoming GWAC meeting will be on Monday, July 9th. The first Monday of the month is a statutory holiday as part of the extended Canada Day long weekend.

GWAC writes Park Board to Save Templeton Pool

Malcolm Bromley, General Manager
Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation
cc: Vancouver Park Board
cc: Save Templeton Park Pool

Dear Mr. Bromley

Re: Templeton Pool

As Chair of Grandview Woodland Area Council, and on behalf of Grandview Woodland residents, the Council urges you to consider taking steps to save Templeton Park Pool. This is a valuable neighbourhood resource that cannot be replaced with a community pool in the new Britannia Community Services Centre redevelopment. For current Templeton users, switching to Britannia means crossing two additional busy streets, probably in a car, which requires parking; it means a busier pool with less available time for special senior, disabled and youth programs.

Given anticipated density increases along both Nanaimo and Hastings Streets, future needs for a local swimming pool will increase. Driving to a busier pool in the next neighbourhood will probably mean many patrons, current and future, will forgo this healthy activity.

Sincerely,
Dana Cromie, Chair
Grandview Woodland Area Council

Letters in Support of Saving Templeton Pool

Letters to Park Board in support of keeping Templeton Pool Open were written by MLA Shane Simpson, MP Jenny Kwan, and the Hastings Community Association. These letters are reproduced here for reference.
Further information about the “VanSplash” report that may result in the closure of community pools such as Templeton can be found on the City of Vancouver’s website.
vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/vansplash-aquatics-strategy.aspx

November 30, 2017

Dear Vancouver Park Board Commissioners,

I am writing this to you on behalf of Hastings Community Association and in the interests of the entire Hastings Sunrise community regarding the Vansplash proposal to decommission Templeton pool.

The Vansplash survey was flawed and did not capture the picture of what this segment of our community truly wants or needs. For one thing, many seniors and children have limited access to the technology to complete the survey. Those who did complete the survey found it quite leading as it did not directly get at the issue of the importance of having a local community pool. It seemed that the questions were phrased in a manner that would get the desired results for Vansplash. Consequently, as a community, we feel strongly that our concerns have not been heard. It feels as though staff and consultants do not fully understand the negative impact on our community the closing of Templeton pool would have.

REACH Clinic & Templeton Pool Updates (Jan 8th meeting)

The next public GWAC meeting will be held at 7:00pm Monday, January 8, 2018
Location: Learning Resource Centre, (LRC) Under the Britannia Library

Agenda
REACH Clinic has reopened at last – with a bright & shiny new facility. Come hear Colleen Fuller brief us  on their services and new facility!

Templeton Pool Update
Templeton Pool may have recently received a reprieve yet its future remains uncertain.  Come hear how local volunteers saved the pool and what might need to be done to protect its future for the community. Park Board may decide the fate of the pool on January 29th, 2018.

Dog Strategy at GWAC meeting: Monday, September 12th, 7pm

GWAC invites you to a meeting on Monday, September 12th at Britannia’s Library Resource Centre (7-9pm) to share your thoughts and discuss the Park Board’s new Dog Strategy. (a poster for the event is available in PDF form)

Details on the “People, Parks and Dogs” strategy are available on the Park Board website.
http://vancouver.ca/people-parks-dogs
The first Open House for the Dog Strategy is scheduled for Tuesday Sept 13th. Park Board has also posted PDF files of a discussion guide and the Open House panels. There is also an opportunity to provide the Board with written feedback until October 14, 2016 and to take an online survey.

A Facebook Page for Dog Lovers of Trout Lake includes a number of points to consider for the consultation process.

The following links are articles that were in response to the draft Master Plan for Trout Lake in 2014; Park Board did not go ahead with the proposed changes:
http://metronews.ca/news/vancouver/1014428/dog-owners-protest-trout-lake-off-leash-park-plans/
http://www.straight.com/news/655581/trout-lake-dog-walkers-plan-sunday-rally-defend-unfenced-leash-area