Parks and Open Space Strategic Plan

Our Parks and Open Space Strategic Plan is designed to promote stewardship and guide the development, maintenance, and renewal of our highly valued parkland and recreational areas.

The plan addresses our Official Community Plan objective of maintaining a diverse, high-quality system of parks and open spaces that serves a range of community needs while protecting our environment.  

Read the plan in detail

Details

Responding to your priorities

The plan is based on input from residents collected at open houses and workshops, and from surveys conducted between 2009 and 2012.

From that input, residents helped us create a 10-year vision, guiding principles, and a set of specific goals to help us achieve it. 

Our guiding principles

Our plan is guided by a series of principles that provide a decision-making framework that will support us as we implement the goals. Our principles include:

  • Promote healthy, active lifestyles for all ages cultures, and ethnic groups
  • Provide a variety of experiences, from quiet relaxation and appreciation of nature to active recreation
  • Create a diverse and varied park system that balances all of the community's recreational, social, and environmental needs
  • Build and maintain awareness, education, and strong communication with the public

Key goals

These goals provide an overarching framework for more detailed objectives and recommended actions.

1. Meet changing needs and demands

Actively support and integrate a diverse, accessible, and sustainable range of outdoor experiences and activities to meet the interests of all citizens.

2. Manage assets and infrastructure

Proactively manage park assets and infrastructure to support active living and healthy environments for future generations.

3. Provide and maintain trails and greenway system

Maintain and expand an accessible, safe and diverse ‘trail and greenway system’ to link north shore amenities, encourage active transportation, and conserve ecological integrity.

4. Support ecological integrity and stewardship

Promote and support broad community stewardship of parks and open spaces to effectively conserve, protect, and enhance ecological integrity and biodiversity.

5. Enhance community partnerships and education

Enhance, create, and monitor sustainable opportunities for inter-agency partnerships, community education and events, and eco-tourism initiatives.

6. Define emerging funding strategies

Define and implement funding strategies that will support a ten year community vision for parks and open space in the District.

Background

The growing need for a Parks and Open Spaces Strategic Plan

The District is made up of 16,000 hectares of land and approximately 3,159 hectares of that is District-managed parkland.

With so many parks, open spaces, and recreational facilities in our jurisdiction, we must work strategically to manage, maintain, and protect them for future generations. 

As our population increases and the focus on recreational activities grows, we need to respond in a way that addresses that growth while protecting our natural environment.

Roadmap to a sustainable future

Through our Official Community Plan (OCP) policies, we are fulfilling our community's vision of vibrant, sustainable neighbourhoods where everyone is welcomed and valued.

Our many social, environmental, and economic plans are helping us implement those policies.

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