Park Council Seeks Feedback on Vancouver Sports Field Improvements

The quality and quantity of athletic fields in the city of Vancouver are being discussed, as part of the Vancouver Park Board’s new planning strategy to improve these facilities.

Public input is currently being sought on improving existing sports fields and building additional new areas over the next decade.

This specifically involves reviewing the priorities and phases of replacement and renewal of existing fields, identifying potential locations for new facilities, reviewing the use of natural and artificial turf surfaces, and reviewing policies. and field use allocation fees.

The survey is seeking feedback on the types of sports fields on which the park council should focus its investments, such as natural grass base surfaces for occasional use, indoor sports fields, regulation natural grass fields. “Rectangular” for games and tournaments (soccer, football, and rugby), regular baseball and softball fields, and all-season gravel fields.

It also asks respondents what types of support equipment they would like to see on the grounds, such as spectator seats, lighting, vehicle parking, bicycle racks, changing rooms, washrooms, sports areas. warm-up and water fountains.

The the survey is available online by December 14, 2021.

The comments collected during this initial phase of public consultation will be used to create a detailed draft strategy, which will be the subject of a public consultation in spring 2022. Once the draft strategy has been refined, it should be presented to the Commissioners of the Commission. park council for final approval. by summer 2022. Effective implementation of the strategy will require capital funding, which will require further reviews and approvals.

Use rate of synthetic turf pitches, 2016/2017. (Vancouver Park Council)

Planning work for this strategy builds on the recent playground upgrade project, which received contributions from over 2,000 people. It revealed a significant need for new additional artificial turf fields and resulted in the direction of projects for the installation of a turf playground and lighting at Sir Winston Churchill High School, and the installation of new lighting at Hillcrest Park and the grass field at Kitsilano High School.

In October 2019, the Commissioners approved a comprehensive city-wide athletics facilities strategy, starting with a $ 7 million upgrade of Vancouver Technical High School facilities into the city’s first regulatory competitive athletics training center.