Our quality of life is directly influenced by our parks and open space. Parks and open space provide opportunities for active and passive recreation, places for people to gather, space to relax and experience nature, and linkages between community facilities and other destinations.

They form the core of the District’s natural environment providing habitat and protecting ecological health (Chapter 9). Maintenance and reinvestment of parks and open space is as important as acquiring new lands. The District’s objective is to provide a variety of year-round recreational experiences, meet the needs of users, and protect the ecological integrity of our natural systems.

2030 PARKS AND OPEN SPACE TARGET: Increase park, open space and/or trails in growth centres and continue to exceed minimum standard of 2 ha for community and neighbourhood park/1000 residents District-wide

Parks and Open Space System

The District has an abundance of natural and urban parkland and trails that are highly valued by District residents. Provincial and Regional Parks and conservation areas within the District of North Vancouver are also important natural assets with significant ecological, recreational, community health, heritage and aesthetic values.

<GRAPHIC: PARKS AND TRAILS CONCEPT MAP>

Achieving our parks and open space objective

 Our objective is to maintain a diverse, high quality parks and open space system that serves a range of community needs and protects the natural environment.

We plan to achieve it by taking these actions:

1. Develop and implement a Parks and Open Space Strategic Plan consistent with the OCP to manage and improve the District’s parks and trails system
2. Manage District parkland according to the type of parkland and measures to be set out in the District’s Parks and Open Space Strategic Plan
3. Support the long-term protection of regionally significant Recreation and Conservation lands identified on Map 14, Regional Features (Schedule C), from urbanization
4. Develop and maintain the District-wide network of trails and greenways, focussing on completing trails identified in the Parks and Open Space Strategic Plan and improving trail connections to the community
5. Explore opportunities to increase connectivity to Regional and Provincial Parks and participate in Regional Greenways initiatives
6. Consider and pursue appropriate opportunities to provide improved waterfront access as part of the current system of walkways, street-ends, viewpoints, public wharves and boat launches
7. Support appropriate non-motorized water recreation and facilities in District waterfront parks
8. Improve access and enhance signage/way-finding to parks, open spaces and trails for a diversity of people and abilities
9. Recognize the importance of school fields/play areas as community recreation assets and seek to maintain these uses where appropriate
10. Encourage the on-site inclusion of usable open space and play opportunities with new multifamily development as appropriate
11. Design and manage recreational facilities in natural parkland and waterfront areas to support the protection of ecological systems, cultural and archaeological resources
12. Consider allowing appropriate commercial activities and special events in parks that do not impact environmental systems or impede public access and enjoyment
13. Explore additional and coordinated opportunities for volunteer citizen engagement in simple parks maintenance, cleanup and enhancement
14. Work with adjacent municipalities, regional, provincial and federal governments, local First Nations governments and community groups to provide and maintain a coordinated system of parkland, trails, services and facilities while protecting ecological and cultural resources
15. Advance the Spirit Trail, which would provide a multi-use trail linking Deep Cove to Horseshoe Bay, in consultation and collaboration with the North Shore governments, the Province and other partners

Parkland standards and aquisition

The District has an abundance of natural and urban parkland and trails but there are a few areas that are inadequately served with neighbourhood and community level parks. Some of these inadequacies are satisfied through school site sports fields and play areas. Over time, there will also be an increasing demand for park space in the Town and Village Centres where growth occurs. The District’s objective is to ensure that all neighbourhoods are well served by the parks system.

Policies

1. Support the provision of passive and active outdoor recreational opportunities within reasonable walking distance of every neighbourhood
2. Provide new parkland, open space and greenway trails as part of planning processes for Town and Village Centres undergoing growth and change
3. Explore means to utilize parkland more efficiently including opportunities for joint use with schools
4. Update and adapt local park facilities to suit current needs and changing demographics
5. Develop a strategy for parkland acquisition to address needs and opportunities regarding parkland within the developed and natural areas of the District
6. Consider the purchase or dedication of additional natural parkland through the Parks Acquisition Strategy where such lands provide important trail linkages, ecological functions, waterfront access, protect natural hazardous lands or offer unique educational, cultural or recreational opportunities
7. Encourage strategic parkland acquisitions through donation of private lands, eco-gifting, legacy funding, the development process and other means