The president of the Kerrisdale Community Centre Association says a recent update on negotiations between the park board and 12 other associations over a joint-operating agreement makes it appear those talks have hit a wall.
In an open letter to members of the Kerrisdale association, Robert Lockhart wrote in part: “Over the past several months, there has been little communication from those [12] community centre associations, which have been actively in discussion with the park board. That is, until now… The talks are stalled!”
Lockhart then referred readers to a March 10 letter from the associations, which explained it’s been a year since the 12 groups started negotiations with the park board. The letter, posted on the Vancouver Community Centre Associations’ website, says to date more than 40 meetings have been held with the park board and senior management, as well as countless more with presidents from other centres participating in the negotiations.
In 2012, the park board presented a controversial new management agreement to the city’s community centre associations, which would centralize core programs and included the introduction of the universal OneCard. The most contentious of the recommendations was one that could see the board pool revenues from room rentals and programs — money traditionally retained by the associations — to be distributed amongst “have not” centres.
In response to conflicts regarding the interim agreement, Hastings, Riley Park-Hillcrest, Killarney, Kensington, Kerrisdale and Sunset community centre associations dropped out of the negotiations and last August began the first of three legal proceedings against the park board in B.C. Supreme Court. Two months ago, the B.C. Supreme Court halted the attempted eviction of the self-described “Group of Six” by the park board.
Meanwhile, the 12 community centre associations still in negotiations with the park board have said little until the March update, which reads in part: “We are not in a position to forecast the outcome of this process, but our boards remain committed to achieving an outcome that upholds each community’s autonomy, authority and control over resources to ensure each unique community needs can continue to be met.”
Lockhart said the open letter is encouraging because it appears the 12 associations “have developed some courage in strongly resisting the park board’s takeover efforts” and are reaching out to the public for support in that battle.
But Kate Perkins, spokesperson for the 12 associations and former park board employee, said the Group of Six read far more into the update than was intended.
“They support their community centres and we still continue to advocate for ours,” said Perkins. “We are working towards a partnership with the park board and that is still our goal.”
Perkins admitted it’s been a long haul and confirmed there have been many meetings, but added everyone involved is still committed to building a joint-operating agreement that all sides will benefit from.
Perkins added the request for help from the public included within the update is standard and has been included in correspondence since the talks started more than a year ago.
Meanwhile, the final action in the legal proceedings between the Group of Six and park board is expected to be heard in B.C. Supreme Court some time this spring or summer.
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