Vancouver citizens have launched a petition to “Save Our Neighbourhood Parks.”
Link to Change.org online sign-ons is here.
Download page to collect signatures: Save Vancouver parks grass fields petition Jan 2019
Here is the short description of “Keep our Parks Green, Healthy, and Accessible to All”
The Vancouver Park Board is proposing to install five new lit synthetic turf fields adding to 12 existing artificial fields in Vancouver. This is apparently coming soon the the Park Board for a decision. The proposed locations are
- Clinton Park,
- Beaconsfield Park,
- Hillcrest Park,
- Kitsilano Secondary School and
- Churchill Secondary School.
The petition raises the following concerns about artificial turf fields.
• Costly synthetic fields prioritize paid-users, while the larger community comes second. We believe that fields must be accessible and open for everybody’s health and enjoyment.
• The environmental and health impacts are considerable and include, but are not limited to:
- off-gassing and toxins that children and others will inhale or come into contact with (Vancouver’s Public Health and Chief Medical Heath Officer recommends that players wash after contact with synthetic fields);
- microplastics that can wash into our waterways and migrate into our environment; massive amounts of additional landfill from expired turf (10 year lifespan), and increased stormwater run-off;
- loss of natural greenspaces that serve as carbon sinks, maintain good air quality and regulate temperature. Trees, plants, soil, insects, birds, animals and humans benefit from grass.
The new synthetic field proposal is inconsistent with the Park Board’s mission statement to “provide, preserve, and advocate for parks to benefit all people, communities and the environment.” [See statement below from Vancouver’s Director of Planning, 2016.]
The petition concludes, in a fast-growing city like Vancouver every inch of green space is precious. We all deserve to enjoy safe and healthy natural parks kept free from known toxins, carcinogens and plastic.
Say NO to the Park Board in replacing grass with plastic. Say NO to fencing off playing fields on public land.
More info:
Facebook Page: Save our Neighbourhood Parks
Contact: clintonpark2018@gmail.com Continue reading
Grandview Woodland Area Council is one of the longest surviving neighbourhood association. Their first public meeting of the year may interest many neighbourhood groups, especially as Vancouver enters a city wide planning process.
