parks
Every resident of Port Moody deserves to have access to parkland, trails and greenspaces that offer positive experiences without excessive overcrowding or the need to drive
Haven Lurbiecki
What Port Moody Needs to Do:
Expand Rocky Point Park
Over the coming years Rocky Point Park will face unprecedented pressures from surrounding development bringing thousands of more people to Port Moody. This is why we need to focus on the expansion of Rocky Point so we don’t lose this incredible public amenity to overcrowding and degradation. The Oceanfront District needs to be focused on providing parkland for our community, not on adding additional pressures through more condo towers. With strong leadership and a vision driven by residents we can make the expansion of Rocky Point Park a reality.
As a City Councillor I will:
- Identify new funding mechanisms and partnership opportunities that will allow the city to significantly expand Rocky Point Park to the west.
- Prioritize park expansion over residential development in the Oceanfront district
- Ensure rates for Developer Cost Charges are reviewed regularly to reflect actual costs of acquiring parkland. The city waited almost 30 years for the last update.
Enhance Our Existing Parks
In addition to expanding our parkland, Port Moody needs to focus its efforts on enhancing our existing neighborhood parks and greenspaces. Offering residents localized options for time spent outdoors can help reduce the demand on our other larger parks such as Rocky Point and Bert Flinn and help keep people out of their cars. Enhancing our parks includes improving existing off leash dog parks.
As a City Councillor I will:
- Develop a city-wide Park Enhancement Strategy
- Create new off-leash dog parks
- Implement recommendations from the Parks and Recreation Master Plan (2015) for park and trails improvement
Complete and Implement the Parkland Acquisition Strategy
Port Moody is in desperate need for a Parkland Acquisition Strategy, a key commitment by the city since 2015. As our population continues to grow, without expansion our relative parkland continues to shrink. An acquisition strategy needs to include how we will grow our parkland and achieve and maintain the city’s urban parkland target of 2.5 hectares/1000 people. It should ensure the city is focused on acquiring new parkland near our urban downtown core where our population is set to grow the most rapidly. While the city has recently hired a consultant to begin the work of developing a strategy, each development proposal that has already come before council has been a lost opportunity for contributing to meaningful parkland expansion.
As a City Councillor I will:
- Ensure completion and implementation of the Parkland Acquisition Strategy by 2023.
- Work with the community to identify areas of our city where new parks are needed.
- Prioritize developments that help meet our parkland targets.
What Haven Has Done So Far:
I sit on the Parks & Recreation Commission and was the lead author on two significant reports that the city has endorsed. I have been a strong voice in the community around the need to prioritize the expansion and enhancement of parkland in our city.
Parkland Acquisition Strategy Report
Haven was the lead author of a key report being used by the city to inform the development of a Parkland Acquisition Strategy.
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Expanding Rocky Point Park
Haven discusses the need for community engagement to inform the expansion of Rocky Point Park.
Supporting a Dog Friendly Community Report
Haven was lead author on the Parks and Recreation commission’s Paws in Port Moody report to support the city’s future direction on issues pertaining to dogs in our city. The report outlines key recommendations for creating a positive experience in our parks and trails for both dog owners and non-dog owners.
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Presenting Dog Friendly Report to Council
Haven presents report to council which was subsequently adopted by council.
Tri-City News: How to Make Port Moody More Dog Friendly
Haven interviewed by Tri-City News to discuss how Port Moody can become more dog friendly.
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CKNW: Interview About Dog Friendly Comunity
Haven is interviewed Raji Sohal on CKNW about the Dog Friendly Community report and what Port Moody is doing.