A group of East Vancouver residents is voicing their anger at the Vancouver School Board for fencing off several school playing fields.
Seven Vancouver school fields throughout the city were recently closed to the public for public safety reasons, the district says. While two have since reopened, others like the field at Templeton Secondary remain behind fencing.
Angry local residents say the district failed to consult the community, and that they’re taking away critical green space in the area.
“When they did that they killed our town square; this was a really vibrant community space. People would come here to picnic, they would come here to kick a ball around with their young kids,” resident RK Popkin said.
Get daily National news
“We have reached out directly to facilities to the administration of the schools that run these fields. Actually, just this week we asked the VSB trustees for five minutes to talk about this issue, and we were rejected, we were denied five minutes on a procedural ground, they say this is not a policy issue.”
In a statement to Global News, the Vancouver School Board said fields at seven schools had become “increasingly compromised by extensive damage due to dogs digging holes.”
“This activity not only posed a safety risk to students and staff as they use the area for physical and outdoor education but also conflicted with the District’s policies on facility use,” the VSB said.
While fields at public schools are frequently used as a resource by the general public, the VSB said under the school act it prioritizes their use for students and education programs.
Public use of those facilities is a “privilege,” that the district said it extends to the community “provided it does not interfere with school programs,” the statement adds.
Vancouver School Trustee Jennifer Reddy said it was concerning if neighbours were being denied the chance to speak to the school board.
“If folks are experiencing either a denial of their opportunity to speak or they’re being deterred from coming forward, I would be interested in knowing the barriers they’re facing and raising them up at the school board,” she said.
The school district has not said if or when the fields might reopen to the public.
- As Trump blocks refugees, Miller says Canada has ‘limited capacity’
- Former trade rep says Alberta undermined Canada as Trump warns of failed-state status
- Ford confirms Ontario election call, announces tunnel extension plan for unfinished LRT
- ‘I’m homeless’: Jasper residents rally for housing as government negotiations stall
