Barnes raising
Vision Vancouver park board chair Constance Barnes is making an announcement this Sunday, June 3 that according to the invitation is regarding a "campaign launch."
I've mentioned previously in this column that I suspected Barnes is being courted by the NDP to run in the next provincial election. I'm guessing her announcement will confirm that.
Barnes will make her announcement at 1: 30 p.m. at the southwest corner of the Plaza of Nations Seawall.
SEAWALLING
Vision Vancouver park board vicechair Aaron Jasper introduced a motion on notice Monday night, which if approved will launch a review to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety on the seawall.
In his motion Jasper notes Vancouver has 26 kilometres of seawall that pass through 16 parks and past four community centres and nine concessions.
According to park board staff, the seawall is the most popular recreational facility in Vancouver despite the fact data shows about 50 per cent of pedestrians and cyclists experience conflict with each other on the Stanley Park portion. One only has to watch episode six of The Real Housewives of Vancouver for a prime example of that conflict.
Jasper says in light of the fact the park board is already developing its "Cycling Plan" for Stanley Park in part to reduce that conflict, engineering services should be consulted to find ways to minimize clashes, and crashes, in areas with a high-volume of pedestrians and cyclists.
Jasper is also recommending the city's Active Transportation Policy Council be given an opportunity to offer feedback on park board staff's recommendations prior to final approval by the board.
MEALS ON WHEELS
The park board is launching its food cart program this Friday, June 1, at Stanley Park and Queen Elizabeth Park.
The board is conducting a oneyear trial to place food carts in locations chosen for their visibility and high volume of foot and vehicle traffic and to minimize impact on other food operations.
As I reported in an earlier column, according to a staff report the annual rent assigned to the trucks will be between $5,000 and $15,000. The report also notes introducing a food cart program in parks and near park board operated attractions was a recommendation included in the 2006 Concession Strategy Study. The food trucks will be set up at the information booth and in front of the totem poles in Stanley Park, and outside the Bloedel Conservatory at Queen Elizabeth Park.
The three vendors were recent finalists in the City of Vancouver's street food cart program who did not receive one of this year's 12 stationary permits. The program received 59 applications this year from food cart owners seeking a permit. Applications were reviewed by the city's engineering department, Vancouver Coastal Health and an independent panel of judges (I was not included, despite the fact I used a previous column to volunteer my time as a taste tester).
Vision Vancouver park board chair Constance Barnes will officially launch the board's food cart program at 11 a.m. June 1 at the information booth in Stanley Park, just east of the Rowing Club, on Park Drive.
Twitter: @sthomas10
