Vancouver Park Board approves 2011 budget reduction initiatives

December 16, 2010 (No. 63) – At their Special Meeting tonight, the Vancouver Park Board approved a series of budget reduction initiatives designed to meet the $730,000 savings target set by the City for next year. Adjustments will be made to reduce the 2011 operating budget in parks and recreation areas which minimize impacts to the public:

Parks (total reductions of $400,000)

• Eliminate dedicated night security at Andy Livingstone Park
• Reduce flower and shrub beds in downtown parks and at community centres
• Reduce frequency of street tree pruning
• Eliminate mowing of grass in passive areas of select larger parks

Recreation (total reductions of $200,000)

• Prioritize recreation services byTwinning management responsibilities at two community centres
• Reorganizing facility cleaning
• Applying consistent staffing model for Park Board fitness centres
• Consolidating recreation coordination work

Other (total reductions of $130,000)

• Explore alternate funding for community board meetings
• Identify options to fund the resulting $100,000 budget gap and a shower program for the homeless in three locations

As per Council’s adjustments earlier this week, funding for the proposed reductions to public washroom cleaning and proposed new youth field fees was reinstated, thereby maintaining current service levels in those two key areas.

The equivalent of 8.4 full time staff positions are impacted by the reductions – 1 exempt, 2 from CUPE 15 and 5.4 from CUPE 1004.

In January, Park Board staff will develop implementation plans in each of the areas affected by the reductions.

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For more information contact Joyce Courtney, Manager of Communications, at (t) 604-257-8699 or (c) 604-861-4375