Latest news with #ParkBoard
CTV News
5 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Park board defends Kits Pool booking system amid criticism from mayor
The Vancouver Park Board is defending the Kits Pool reservation system that has drawn the ire of some, including the mayor. It was started during COVID-19 restrictions and is now being called outdated. Still, the board seems in no hurry to make changes. The reservation system has been in place for years now. Users can book two-and-a-half-hour sessions, with 20 per cent of the capacity left for drop-ins. 'The most important thing that I want people to know is that drop-in is obviously still an option for folks who are looking to swim at Kits Pool,' park board general manager Steve Jackson told CTV News during a Friday interview. 'We do have an incredible amount of capacity to accommodate our drop-in users.' While some claim the system is preventing those with unpredictable schedules from going for a swim, the park board insists it's not the case. 'We've only had one session so far this summer where we had to turn folks away for drop-ins,' Jackson said. 'I was on site yesterday myself talking to the head life guard, and he mentioned the same thing. They are able to accommodate quite a lot of people through drop-ins.' Others have criticized the changeover periods lasting half an hour each between booked sessions, in which the pool sits empty, often during prime times. 'Before we went through this process, and even well before COVID, we received a lot of complaints about the cleanliness of our changerooms,' Jackson said, when asked about those complaints. 'So that changeover time allows our staff to get through those changerooms. It allows the patrons to get in and out as well. They've got to shower, they've got to change.' But none of this is convincing Mayor Ken Sim, who has now joined those calling for a return to a first-come-first-served system. 'Yeah, look, I want to be very respectful to the park board GM,' Sim said Friday. 'We are getting, like, an overwhelming number of comments of people that are frustrated with the reservation system.' CTV News asked whether the mayor's position is related to his desire to eliminate the elected park board. 'We're not pushing this because there's the desire to get rid of the elected park board,' Sim said. 'This is just another example of why we should get rid of the elected park board.' This week, the park board decided not to hear a motion from ABC commissioner Marie-Claire Howard. The motion had called for a return to drop-in access only, but given it wasn't heard, the booking system will survive the summer, at least.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Yahoo
Galveston Island Beach Patrol Chief Peter Davis dismissed by Galveston Park Board of Trustees
The Brief FOX 26 has learned Galveston Island Beach Patrol Chief Peter Davis' employment ended on Tuesday, according to a news release. The release stated the decision followed a series of back-to-back investigations concerning Beach Patrol operations that led to concerns regarding Mr. Davis' leadership of the department. Austin Kirwin, a 14-year veteran of Galveston Island Beach Patrol, is currently serving as Interim Chief. GALVESTON, Texas - FOX 26 has learned Galveston Island Beach Patrol Chief Peter Davis' employment ended on Tuesday, according to a news release. According to the release, the decision followed a series of back-to-back investigations concerning Beach Patrol operations that led to concerns regarding Mr. Davis' leadership of the department. The Park Board has addressed a number of these concerns by updating its policies and procedures related to topics such as contracting and procurement, conflicts of interest, personnel management, and safety and hospitality, the release stated. As part of the Park Board's efforts to continue to improve operations, Interim CEO Marty Miles also deemed a change in leadership to be appropriate and necessary under the circumstances, officials said. What they're saying "It is never an easy decision to remove an employee. Let me assure you, every factor was taken into account," said Miles. "But my number one priority at the end of the day is to have the right person overseeing the program that is responsible for the safety of every person who visits our beaches." What's next Austin Kirwin, a 14-year veteran of Galveston Island Beach Patrol, is currently serving as Interim Chief, the release stated. In that role, he oversees a team of experienced leaders that will ensure lifeguarding services and beach patrol programs continue uninterrupted. "The Park Board is committed to protecting the residents and visitors who swim in the Gulf and will ensure resources are continued to be placed into this vital program. Galveston has one of the top beach patrol programs in the country, and it is important to residents and visitors that it remains strong," Miles said. The Source Information from a news release sent to FOX 26 by the Galveston Park Board of Trustees.
Global News
08-07-2025
- General
- Global News
Stanley Park Train to remain closed for the rest of 2025
The Stanley Park Train will remain off the rails for the rest of 2025. The train has not been operational since Dec. 13, when exhaust from one of its locomotives caused a driver to become ill and require medical attention. At a Park Board meeting on Monday night, staff said they will explore a range of potential new and creative operating and business models for the railway site. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy It is a popular site for the annual Vancouver firefighters' Burn Fund charity, which has relied on the event in the past to raise money. At this time, it has not been disclosed if that fundraiser will remain at that location. As for the train, staff said that a preliminary analysis shows that 'full renewal of the train and the ancillary buildings and amenities could require substantial capital investment. Alternative operating models, including some form of partnership or third-party operation, could lead to a revitalized, reimagined attraction that would reduce the reliance on tax dollars to return the site to operation.' Story continues below advertisement There will be a formal call for requests for expressions of interest beginning later this year.
CBC
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Stanley Park Train will be off the rails for 2025
Social Sharing It'll be another year off the rails for the popular Stanley Park Train ride, with park board staff citing safety concerns and the hefty costs of running the attraction. The train saw over 90,000 visitors in 2024 before it was derailed indefinitely on Dec. 13, after one of the train's drivers needed medical attention, having fallen ill due to exhaust from one of the train's locomotives. Now, staff say it won't be running in 2025, either. In its various iterations — such as the Halloween-themed Ghost Train and the Christmas event Bright Nights in the Park — the train has been a popular draw for families. Around 23,000 tickets were snapped up within 90 minutes of sale for the Bright Nights event in 2023, the first following a two-year hiatus. But on Monday, Vancouver Park Board staff revealed the future of the train is in jeopardy as the attraction has lost them hundreds of thousands of dollars per year. "Taken together, there are a host of risks associated with the Stanley Park Train right now," said John Brodie, the director of business services for the park board. He said those risks include the safety of operators, the financial burden and the reputational damage to the park board, given the regular closures of the train. The official said staff estimated the train would lose the park board $700,000 this year, and it had lost nearly $3 million in the last five years. WATCH | Future of Stanley Park Train uncertain: Stanley Park Train will be derailed for the rest of 2025 9 hours ago Duration 1:13 There are more questions about the future of the Stanley Park Train. As Amelia John reports, park board staff revealed Monday the popular Vancouver attraction will remain out of service for the rest of the year. Park board staff said they had received a series of third-party proposals, regarding sponsoring or donating to the train, which could change the ride's appeal to be more centred around tourists. "There's a lot of interest from external partners to reimagine the Stanley Park Train site," Brodie said. "It's in a prime location in one of the premier parks in the world." Staff said that maintaining the existing model — of the park board operating and maintaining the train — would provide the lowest financial upside of all the business models that they assessed. However, much remains up in the air about the future of the train. Park board staff are expected to report back to the board in 2026 on its options regarding third-party investment and ticket prices after consulting with the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations. Long list of closures The Stanley Park Train ride has taken a winding track to its latest yearlong closure. It was first cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and physical distancing restrictions being implemented. Then, in 2021, a rash of coyote attacks in Stanley Park prompted the train's cancellation in October due to safety concerns, but it ran later in December. In 2022, the attraction was called off after the train failed a safety inspection, with the city saying that mechanical issues were affecting the antique engines and passenger cars, and supply chain issues meant new parts were difficult to procure. Steve Jackson, general manager of the city's park board, said in March that the park board's best option to keep the attraction viable would be to electrify. "Our assets are old; our attempts to repair, modify, have proven to not be successful, and so we'll have to explore these longer-term decisions with our board," he said at the time. The park board says the combustion engines on the locomotives are more than 50 years old. Park board staff estimate it would cost at least $7.7 million to electrify the train and maintain the status quo. Jackson had said that the biggest problem with the set of four locomotives used last year was that the gauge of the track is narrower than modern track gauges. "The manufacturer that produced these engines actually does produce an electric locomotive. It's on a 24-inch gauge," he said in March. "We are running a 20-inch gauge. "So in order to use their assets, we would actually have to wholesale replace the entire asset here, track and engines."
CBC
21-06-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Vancouver's Kitsilano pool reopens Saturday
Social Sharing After being closed for part of last summer, the Kitsilano pool will reopen on Saturday. "The pool looks beautiful, clean, ready," said park board commissioner Scott Jensen. Vancouver's largest outdoor pool was damaged by a king tide in January 2022, and had been leaking 30,000 litres of water an hour. The heated, 137-metre-long, salt water pool is located beside Kitsilano Beach on a flood plain on the shore of English Bay. "It is a very well-used, well-loved asset," said Jensen. "Where it's located it gets a lot of the environment affecting it." Kitsilano pool to reopen this Saturday despite 'end-of-life' status 2 days ago Duration 0:36 Kitsilano pool to reopen this Saturday despite 'end-of-life' status A statement from the City of Vancouver said staff completed repairs in the pool's plumbing system and performed other required maintenance between May and June of this year. It said there is no critical repair work scheduled for this season, but ongoing yearly maintenance and repairs will continue. The pool is over 50 years old, and is in what the city calls its "end-of-life phase." Last summer the pool remained closed until early August as staff needed prolonged dry weather to perform necessary maintenance. "Because it's an uncovered pool, we need the best weather to be there for the work to be done, so it has to be sunny and warm," said Jensen. City staff are working on a feasibility study, according to a park board memo sent to CBC News, which will guide future decisions about the pool. The study includes public engagement that will start next week with an online survey as well as in-person events.
