The topic: City of Vancouver is looking for new location for Pacific Spirit Regional Park service yard.

What’s new:

Metro Vancouver has had a service yard for Pacific Spirit Regional Park on University Endowment Lands since 1990. The service yard consists of facilities and storage for equipment to service and maintain the regional park. The University Endowment Lands are owned and administered by the province of British Columbia, so the city has been leasing the land.

The current service yard is made up of repurposed trailers and outbuildings that are nearing the end of their life span and the city wants more permanent buildings. Metro Vancouver approached the province to seek a longer lease, however the province denied their request and advised Metro Vancouver that they would need to vacate the current site.

Why it’s important:

According to the Metro Parks Committee Report, of the 6 sites that were initially being considered only 4 remain: the Sedgewick Fill Site, 16th Ave Parking lot, 16th Ave Homestead North of Reservoir, and Chancellor Boulevard.

Building on these sites would mean taking land out of the Pacific Spirit Park which in turn could mean logging and clearing in Vancouver’s busiest regional park.

What the government says:

David Eby, is the NDP MLA representing Vancouver-Point Grey — the riding next to the University Endowment Lands. He’s been writing to both the Minister Steve Thomson of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources Operations and the Minister Peter Fassbender of Community, Sport and Cultural Development since July 2016 to find out why the province will not extend Metro Vancouver’s lease.

In a response to Eby’s initial letter, received through Freedom of Information request, Minister Fassbender confirmed that the province will not be extending Metro Vancouver’s lease, he also pointed out that the city has had facilities in the regional park in the past – making it a viable option for future locations.

What others say:

While Eby is concerned that the locations being considered for a new service yard would take away public green space, he’s more concerned that the province won’t reveal the reason they won’t extend Metro Vancouver’s.

“More troubling to me is the province saying that there is some sort of alternative use for the site that’s under discussion internally that they refuse to disclose to the community,” said Eby.

In his letters with the province, Eby has been trying to get an answer from the province – a point that he wants addressed.

The province did not provide Eby with a direct response as to their intention for future of the current site, and according to Eby he’s filled freedom of information requests to find out that have come back heavily redacted.

“All they will say is that there is an alternative use for the site currently under discussion and that it’s not under discussion with the community,” said Eby. “It’s under discussion somewhere in the bowels of government.”

What’s next:

Eby plans to continue advocating for his constituents – especially with the upcoming election.

“We’re going into an election in May, so I’m certainly not hesitating to let everybody in the UEL know the high-handed manner with which the provincial government is treating their community assets — which is this park and this public asset — which is this works yard and their plans for it,” said Eby.

Metro Vancouver plans to review the remaining 4 sites. Once complete, they say they will engage the public, Musqueam First Nation, park partners and community groups.

The city plans on the implementing the new service yard next year.