A collaborative relationship unique in Canada

Donnie Rosa looks at the ties that have linked Vancouver’s parks and citizens since 1949.

We are approaching a critical moment in the relationship between the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation and our Community Centre Association (CCA) partners.

By Sept. 30, our community centre associations will decide whether to sign a proposed new agreement with the park board. The ties between these partners go back more than 60 years and its collaborative model of delivering recreation service is unique in Canada.

You may have heard about the new proposed Joint Operating Agreement (JOA) between the board and Community Centre Associations. Today, I want to tell you more about how this new agreement will greatly improve access to recreation services for all Vancouver residents — people like you, your friends and family.

The story of Vancouver’s community centres began in 1949 when Marpole-Oakridge opened in southwest Vancouver. Today, 20 CCAs and the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation work together to deliver the programs and services that Vancouverites cherish.

Community centres are places where we play, work out, create and connect. The CCAs and park board are like neighbours connected by a common path called the JOA.

The associations understand their neighbourhoods. They run programs in the centres that reflect local needs. The park board runs pools, rinks and some fitness centres. It owns the buildings, hires staff and has legal responsibility for the centres.

In 1979, the CCAs and park board signed the first JOA. It was a “good neighbour” contract outlining roles and responsibilities. Over the years, as the city changed and grew, the old JOA no longer reflected modern Vancouver. In the past 20 years, the community endured years of failed attempts to negotiate a new JOA.

A year and a half ago, we embarked on a renewed consultation process with the CCAs. We’ve spent 18 months hearing CCA concerns, making changes to the JOA in response to CCA feedback and providing feedback and rationale for any changes we did not make. Communities across the city, through the CCAs, volunteered hundreds of hours to engage with the park board in the development of this new JOA.

The JOA approved by the park board on April 10 is a clear commitment to continue our collaborative relationship with our partners. The agreement reflects the board’s principles of ensuring equity and access to the network of community centres for all residents, as well as operational sustainability and accountability.

Key public benefits included in the new proposed JOA include:

Acceptance of the popular OneCard and Flexipass city-wide.

Low-income discounts available at all community centres for those in need.

Full access to community centres for all residents without need for multiple memberships.

Continued CCA-driven programming that reflects individual community needs.

Jointly developed new system-wide recreation programs.

In addition to these benefits, the proposed agreement will initiate a way for the CCAs to contribute to a fund that will be used to support low-income residents and increase equity across the network.

After approval of the agreement by park board commissioners in April, CCAs were provided with six months to review and sign off the new JOA with a completion date of Sept. 30. Once signed by your local CCA, we know this agreement will make a huge difference for everyone who uses our centres. We are looking forward to you being able to use your Flexipass at any and all centres you may choose, and to offering low-income discounts at all community centres to those who need them.

And, importantly, we are proud that the new JOA reflects our continued commitment to our cherished model between our valued CCA partners and the park board. Together, we are excited to move forward for another 60 years and beyond, working with shared goals and a common purpose of delivering great services and community facilities for all residents.