[van-announce] CAMPAIGN E-LERT 10/10/02: Fresh Ideas for Greening Parks in

[COPE E-lerts]

CAMPAIGN E-LERT 10/10/02: COPE Outlines Plan For Environmental Stewardship
and 
Education In Vancouver City Parks

VANCOUVER -  The Greening Parks plan - a package of proposals aimed at
greening and sustaining Vancouver's local park system - will energize
public interest and restore the ecological integrity of our parks, COPE
mayoral candidate Larry Campbell and parks board candidates Heather Deal
and Eva Riccius said today.

"Vancouver has some of the most beautiful public parks in the world," said
Campbell. "But the NPA-led Parks Board has failed to pursue an inclusive
and environmentally aware approach to Vancouver's green spaces.  The new
COPE Parks Board will engage our citizens and neighbourhoods in public
education and hands-on activities in our local parks."

New ideas for greening parks include plant inventories, organic pest
controls, rainwater cisterns, selective planting of native grasses and
encouraging other naturalized habitats. Use of native plant species would
improve the ecological health and diversity of Vancouver parks, while
helping to reduce watering and park maintenance expenses.  Resulting
savings would be reinvested into other park development activities.  The
new Parks Board will also work with local schools, community groups and
non-governmental organizations to develop an ecological audit of Vancouver
green spaces.

"With our new plan, Vancouver's parks can be on the ecological
cutting-edge," said Deal. "Parks are rare urban spaces where water still
permeates the soil and other natural cycles remain intact.  COPE believes
our parks will benefit from a shift to cost-effective naturalized water
retention and wetland systems. We'll work to preserve the natural qualities
of Vancouver's parks, and resist the unwarranted intrusion of chemicals,
parking, or excessive artificial turf into our green spaces."

"Vancouver's parks should better reflect the diverse natural and cultural
assets of the West Coast," said Riccius.  "A COPE Park Board will help
bring together creative designers, local artists and community groups to
renew the vitality and value of our parks system.  Let's connect community
gardens to the Food Bank, or find ways to support functional
'art-in-the-park' projects that illustrate the benefits of maintaining
natural habitats in urbanized centres."

Deal and Riccius said that COPE would also introduce a policy of
'no-net-loss' of green space, and environmental impact assessments for
significant land use changes in Vancouver parks. 



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New Solutions. Fresh Ideas.
Larry Campbell and COPE

Campaign Address: 2501 Main St., Vancouver, BC, V5T 3E5
Web Site http://www.cope.bc.ca
E-mail: cope at cope.bc.ca
Telephone: (604) 255-0400
Fax: (604) 708-574
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