The president of the Killarney Community Centre Association is not amused by the letter she recently received from park board general manager Malcolm Bromley.
Threatened is a strong word, said Ainslie Kwan. But I felt there was a strong undertone that he doesnt like what Im saying and he wants me to stop.
In the letter, dated June 13, Bromley writes in part, I will be asked to brief park board commissioners in regard to your public statements. I am hopeful that you have been misunderstood by the media. To ensure I have the facts, I ask that you please write back to either confirm or clarify these statements.
Kwan she said stands by all of the public comments shes made on her concerns about the interim management agreement between the park board and the citys community centre associations. Kwan is also concerned about the OneCard, announced by the park board June 11, which will eventually replace individual community centre memberships. The OneCard program is being introduced at some community centres July 8, and depending on whether its ratified, at the remaining facilities in September. The universal access card is one component of the joint operating agreement under discussion with 12 of the citys 20 community centre associations. Killarney and five other associations have refused to enter into those discussions due to disagreements over the plan.
In the letter Bromley also outlined his concerns including public comments made by Kwan suggesting community centres will lose programs as the result of the new access card.
We are genuinely concerned about losing programs, said Kwan, who added she was surprised the letter came from Bromley and not Vision Vancouver park board chair Sarah Blyth. I have to wonder if this is the proper protocol. I am a volunteer who has worked many hours on this and feel I should be able to give my opinion just like the park board has the opportunity to give its opinion.
In an email to the Courier, Blyth said she authorized the letter from Bromley and fully supports its content.
Vision Vancouver commissioner Niki Sharma said Bromleys job is to act on behalf of the park board. As the general manager of the park board, of course its in his right, said Sharma. The real question is why is this group of six opposing a progressive change thats included in the joint operating agreement thats been approved by their colleagues.
Sharma added the six associations are using scare tactics to continue to worry seniors and children with inaccurate threats of losing programs. I find that kind of disturbing, said Sharma.
In his letter, Bromley stressed no programs will be lost with the introduction of the OneCard.
We have been very clear that no programs will be cancelled and that any financial impact resulting from the implementation of OneCard on membership revenue would be dealt with by the park board, Bromley wrote.
Sharma said some of the comments coming from the six associations are inaccurate and its the park boards job to ensure the public is receiving correct information. And now theyre once again spending public money on attack ads opposing the agreement and I find that quite shameful, said Sharma.
Kwan has no intention of backing down. This is not my personal opinion, said Kwan. This is the opinion of the six centres that make up My Vancouver Community Centre and also of my board, which represents our community.
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