24 September 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Release - Vancouver Liberals Commit to $1.35B in capital for next Park Board Capital Cycle
Kareem Allam, Vancouver Liberals commit to providing $1.35B in funding to the Vancouver Park Board and improving its assets and governance
VANCOUVER, BC - Mayoral Candidate Kareem Allam and the Vancouver Liberals today announced their plans to provide $1.35B in funding for the Vancouver Park Board’s 2031-2034 capital cycle. The proposed capital plan includes $300M for parks and open spaces, $50M for biodiversity restoration, and $1B for the creation, management, and renewal of public assets including but not limited to parks, community centres, and pools.
Additionally, Allam has a four-pillar plan to improve governance, planning, and outcomes when it comes to both the Park Board and Vancouver’s parks themselves.
In July of this year, Ken Sim’s ABC government approved a budget of $739M for the Park Board’s 2027-2030 capital cycle. Given how many Vancouver residents use parks and beaches, this funding level is inadequate and the Vancouver Liberals want to nearly double this amount to $1.35B for the subsequent cycle. It’s important for Vancouverites to be able to get outside whether it is to stay active or relax, and maintenance and upgrades for our outdoor facilities is necessary to ensure that the quality of our parks is sustainable in the long term.
Allam’s four-point plan to improve parks is necessary because of Ken Sim’s desire to undermine the effectiveness of the Park Board, and his attempts to dismantle it and its independence. A complete overview of the Liberal plan can be found linked here, and a brief summary of the pillars can be found below:
1) Guarantee the Independence of the Parks Board
Allam and the Vancouver Liberals will repeal Ken Sim’s motion to abolish the Park Board, and protect the independent, elected nature of the board however possible.
2) Create a More Effective, Collaborative Budgeting Process
Currently, there is limited cooperation between the City and the Park Board when it comes to budgeting. “We want to establish a Joint Budget Advisory Committee comprised of Park Board Commissioners, City Councillors, the City’s GM of Finance, and the Park Board GM. This will ensure that funds are allocated efficiently in a manner that aligns service levels to both present and future needs,” said Allam.
3) Restore the Facility Oversight Function of the Park Board
Vancouver’s Parks and Recreation facilities are currently managed separately from the Park Board - a structure that presents operational and planning challenges, and creates administrative waste. The Vancouver Liberals will restore oversight and day-to-day management of these facilities to the Park Board to improve operational efficiency and accountability, while improving the quality of services provided to residents.
4) Get Serious about Asset Management and Renewal
Vancouver’s facilities are both aging and lacking in capacity. An audit by the Office of the Auditor General found that 72% of Vancouver’s recreation facilities are in poor or very poor condition. “We need to meet the constantly-growing demand for recreational infrastructure in Vancouver - to that end we want to create a capital plan that’ll have a new community centre built each capital cycle, along with 3 existing centres being updated and futureproofed,” explained Allam.
The objective of these pillars is to provide both new and improved facilities and services to the residents of Vancouver. Parks and Recreation facilities are how people stay healthy, unwind, and stay social outside of busy careers, and the Vancouver Liberals recognize their importance.
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Vancouver Liberals Communications