I received emails from two rabbit rescue groups last week concerned that vital habitat for bunnies is being removed from Jericho Beach Park.
Volunteers from both Vancouver Rabbit Rescue and Advocacy and the Rabbit Advocacy Group of B.C. claimed a park board bulldozer was destroying the rabbit habitat thats been at the park for decades.
Not everyone is a fan of the parks bunnies, many of which were dumped at the park by their owners, because theyre not indigenous and breed like, well, rabbits. But others love the rabbits and regularly feed them. The rescue groups are concerned because its nesting time, which means baby bunnies are tucked away in the blackberry bushes now being removed.
Carmina Gooch from Rabbit Advocacy Group of B.C. emailed that she believes the city and park board have a duty to act in a responsible manner and to explore options other than destroying habitat and any species who might get in their way... It is the height of recklessness and callousness to thoughtlessly go in and rip rabbits from their home or bulldoze them to death. Those with authority always seem to do what they think is easy and what they can get away with. Not today; animal welfare, rights, and protection issues are very much on the publics mind.
Park board spokesperson Joyce Courtney told me that while the blackberry bushes are being removed as part of the Jericho Beach restoration plan, bulldozers are not being used and a biologist has been hired to help transfer the rabbits safely from the blackberry bushes to another secluded area of the park. She says small mowers are being slowly pushed across the area and when rabbits are found theyre being herded to safety.
Courtney says park board staff met with members of the rabbit rescue groups Monday morning (April 16) to hear their concerns and the work was temporarily halted. Courtney also notes the excavation work is part of the restoration plan around the Jericho Wharf, which was approved by the public after more than a year of consultation, including thee open houses.
Run the court
The park board is expected to pass a recommendation at tonights April 16 park board meeting, which will see the basketball courts at Kits Beach open year-round.
In 1987, the park board approved a move to limit use of the popular courts from May 15 to Sept. 15 each year due to noise complaints from neighbours. In 2002, the park board continued that practice by removing the four basketball hoops each September and reinstalling them in May. Covers were also installed so the hoops can be closed daily at sunset and uncovered in the morning. I wrote about the issue at the time and remember listening to a recording made by a resident living across the road from the courts, which included the sound of men playing basketball and dropping the F-bomba lot.
But today, parks staff are recommending the change due to the fact the childrens playground has been relocated away from the courts, the encouragement of health and wellness by the city and park board, and the development of the park ranger program, which will see the area more closely monitored. Staff are recommending the basketball hoops stay in place all year, while continuing to limit evening play during the summer season, May 15 to Sept. 15, to sundown.
Twitter: @sthomas10
