City pausing work to scrap Vancouver Park Board pending provincial changes – BC [Video]

The City of Vancouver is “pausing” planning work to abolish its elected park board.

It comes after the provincial legislature ended its spring session without amending the Vancouver Charter, a key legal step necessary to move forward with Mayor Ken Sim’s plan to scrap the Vancouver Park Board.

According to an “all staff” message circulated Friday by deputy city manager Sandra Singh, “operational planning towards a governance transition will pause until we learn more.”

“The provincial government has reaffirmed its commitment to at a future date enact these legislative changes and we will share any further indication of regarding potential timing when we receive that information,” the memo adds.

Vancouver green park commissioner Tom Digby, who opposes the transition, hailed the pause as a victory, posting on social media that “135 years of local democracy survives.”

Sim announced his plan to eliminate the park board in December 2023, after initially …