A letter to the editor I sent to the Courier
Re: Central Park: Thigh high The ‘meadow look’ is just a euphemism for budget cuts at the Park Board. Parks and boulevards look unkempt because the money needed to keep…
Stuart Mackinnon
Neighbourhood Flower Gardens: UPDATE
The Park Board passed unanimously my motion to allow neighbourhood groups to plant flowers in unused public spaces. With a slight tweak to the costing sources, all commissioners spoke in…
Rooting for a plan to reclaim the land
Commissioner aiming to convert unused parts of the city into useful gardens By Frank Luba, The Province June 23, 2011Small, unused and neglected bits of the Vancouver landscape could get…
What Are the Bees Telling Us?
Queen of the Sun: What Are the Bees Telling Us? A documentary on the global honeybee crisis coming to Vancouver June 24-30@ Denman Cinema: 1779 Comox Street - find out…
A Splash of Colour for Every Neighbourhood
In my neighbourhood the Park Board used to cut the verge along the railroad tracks 4-5 times a year. This has been reduced over the past few years to the…
A Walkable City
One of the great pleasures in my life is walking with my dog along the Fraser River, at Riverfront Park. There is a path that starts just east of the…
Summer’s coming: beaches and beachside pools open, park rangers on duty beginning this weekend
Park Board NewsMay 17, 2011 | No. 20Vancouver’s official start of summer is Saturday, May 21. That’s when beachside pools open, lifeguards are on duty at city beaches and park…
Vancouver park board resurrects summer camps
By Sandra Thomas, Staff writer May 5, 2011Seven Vancouver parks will see the return of summer day camp programs this year, albeit part time. Vision Vancouver park board chair Aaron…
Canucks win game 7 in OT
'nuff said. On to Nashville!
Getting results means being interested
Before being elected, it always puzzled me what commissioners and councilors did around the table. Some looked interested, some looked bored and some looked like they were busy doing other…
Working cooperatively for better parks
Some pundits in the blogosphere have taken me to task in the past for working with the NPA on certain issues--Jericho wharf for instance--yet never for working with COPE or…
“Please remember the animal victims in Japan“
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE “Please remember the animal victims in Japan“, (Vancouver), Park Board Commissioner Stuart Mackinnon is asking Vancouver residents to remember the animal victims of the Japanese tragedy. “Along…
helping our animal friends in Japan
Further to my previous Blog about Ultimate Loyalty, anyone wishing to help our four-legged companions in Japan can contact any of the following volunteer agencies. They too need our help…
Skip to the Loo: Why public toilets matter
Here is a link to a great article in The Walrus. I've made public facilities one of my priorities for the Park Board. Staff should be reporting back soon on…
Ultimate Loyalty
Japanese Dog Refuses to Leave Injured Friend BehindIn all the news about the terrible tragedy of the earthquake & tsunami in Japan, pets and other animals are the forgotten victims.…
Canadian banks accepting donations for RED CROSS relief efforts in Japan
(Ottawa, March 14, 2011) – The Canadian Red Cross is pleased to announce that ten banks in Canada are accepting cash donations in support of Red Cross relief efforts in…
Tweets and twitters; robbing Peter to pay Paul
I have entered the world of Twitter (for those interested you can find me @betterparks) and have found a whole new world. Tonight Brent Granby of COPE was twittering at…
Vancouver Not Vegas!
I have signed the petition and joined the coalition to stop the building of a mega-casino at BC Place. Please read the petition and sign up to show your support…
Enquiring minds want to know…
I just had a call from a member of the press asking if it was true that I would be running for City Council in the next election. My response…